Strategic Management Mission Statement

As indicated earlier, a vision indicates an organization’s future course – where it wants to reach. A mission is derived from the vision – just to reveal the organization’s current business purpose. However there is described about the mission, mission statement, strategic management mission statement, ideal contents of a strategic management mission statement, functional department and change a strategic management mission statement.

Definition of Mission:

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An organization’s mission is viewed as an overall goal of the organization. It provides a sense of direction to all employees. It is formulated in the form of a statement. It is, therefore, often called a strategic management mission statement. A mission acts as a guide to decision making for all levels of management. As a broad goal of an organization, a mission justifies an organization’s existence. It is a statement of an organization’s reason to exist. It states what the company is providing to society. It expresses ‘who we are; what we do, and why we are here’. For example, a company may provide legal services, housecleaning services or software development. Or, it may provide a product such as cosmetics or toiletry. A strategic management mission statement reveals who the company is and what it does. It clarifies the nature of existing products, markets, and functions of the firm which it presently provides.

 

A mission should define the organization’s line/lines of business, identify its products and services, and specify the markets it serves at present and the near future. It should be achievable, in writing, and have a timeframe for achievement. Since a mission is a relatively permanent part of an organization’s identity, it should be broad-based but customer-focused.

The mission is not to make a profit. For, profit cannot differentiate one company from another. It is to give the organization its own special identity, business emphasis, and path for development. It must set a firm apart from other similarly situated firms.

Multi-business firms usually develop strategic management mission statement for each unit of business and also for the corporate level. In the case of a diversified company, mission of a business unit needs to be consistent with the corporate mission.

Full: Strategic Management Mission Statement