Missiebehoud

Missiebehoud is a term used in Dutch-language management discourse to describe practices aimed at preserving an organization's core mission against disruption. The concept focuses on preventing mission drift, the gradual deviation from stated goals due to changing conditions, resource constraints, or competing priorities.

Etymology and usage: The compound derives from missie (mission) and behoud (preservation). It has appeared in strategic-management discussions and is sometimes used in the context of non-profit organizations, humanitarian work, and corporate governance to denote deliberate alignment processes that keep activities tethered to a defined purpose.

Core principles include a clearly stated mission, governance mechanisms that protect the core objectives, continuous monitoring of performance indicators tied to the mission, risk assessment and contingency planning, and regular reprioritization to resist drift while allowing adaptation.

Practices often involve quarterly reviews, stakeholder alignment sessions, and post-mortem analyses of major initiatives. Tools can include mission maps, scorecards focused on mission outcomes, and escalation paths for deviations.

Criticism and status: Because missiebehoud is a relatively new and heterogeneous term, there is no single standardized framework. Critics warn that it risks vagueness or rigidity if not balanced with learning and adaptation. Nevertheless, proponents argue it provides a mental model for maintaining purpose in complex environments, complementing resilience and risk-management approaches.

The term is sometimes discussed alongside concepts of mission drift, organizational resilience, governance, and risk management.