Mission Statement Elements and its Importance

Mission

The mission statement describes the company’s business vision including the unchanging values and purpose of the firm and forward-looking visionary goals that guide the pursuit of future opportunities.

Mission Statement

It is an enduring statement of purpose that distinguishes one business from other similar business of different firms. A mission statement reveals the long term vision of an organization of what it wants to be and whom it wants to serve in the distant future(A vision is a very long term imagined view of the organization as it might be in the future). The mission statement describes an organization’s purpose, customers, products or services, markets and the basic technology that is adopted by the organization. A mission statement is evolved through various meetings amongst the senior management team and after calling for suggestions from employees.

Elements of mission statements

1. It must be clearly articulated: – It should be easy to understand so that the values and purpose of the organization are clear to everybody in the organization and will be a guide to them.
2. It must be relevant: – should be appropriate to the organization in terms of its history, culture, and shared values.
3. It must be current: – A mission statement may become obsolete after some time because of change in the environmental factors and organizational factors. Some companies have changed there mission statements several times. The factors which call for change in the mission statement are changes in the market, growth, diversification into new areas.
4. It must be written in a positive tone: – It must be capable of inspiring and encouraging commitment towards fulfilling the mission.
5. It must be unique: – It should establish the individuality if not the uniqueness of the company and its products of services.
6. It must be enduring: – It should continually guide and inspire and be challenging in the pursuit of its mission.
7. Adapted to the target audience: – The mission statement must be directed towards the consumers, general public, share holders, employees.

 Importance of mission statement

1. It provides a road to development and drive for growth.
2. It provides a clear sense of purpose , direction, and desired future state and when this image is widely shared individuals are able o find their own roles both in the organization and in the society.
3. Mission statement empowers individuals and confers status on employees because they see themselves as a apart of a worth while enterprise.
4. It results in a clear definition of the business of a company.
5. Mission statement helps in modifying, extending and developing the existing ongoing business.
6. A mission statement makes everybody imbibe the spirit and inspires employees.