Mintzberg defines a mission as follows:
•A mission describes the organization’s basic
function in society,in terms of the products
and services it provides for its customers.
Mission
The organization’s reason for existance
A clear business mission should have each of the
following elements:
Purpose
Why the business
exists
Strategy & Scope
Values
What business and
how
What management
Believes in
Standards &
Behaviours
The rules that guide
How the business
operates
A company’s mission is concerned with:
• Who we are
• What we are
• What we do
• Why we are here
A mission statement
focuses on current
business activities
--“who we are and
what we do”–Current
product and service
offerings–Customer
needs being served–
Technological and
business capabilities
A strategic vision
Concerns a firm’s
Future business path
--“where we are going”–
Markets to be pursued
–Future technologyproduct-customer focus
–Kind of company that
management
is trying to create
A mission statement usually provides
information about:
• Company’s present products
• Company’s present services
• Types of customers it serves
• Technological and business capabilities
• By offering our drinks;
• To Refresh the World...in body, mind, and spirit.
• To Inspire Moments of Optimism...through our brands and our
actions.
• To Create Value and Make a Difference...everywhere we engage.
Ford Motor Company (early 1900's)
Ford will democratize the automobile"
Ford t-model
Oasis
Sony (early 1950's)
"Become the company most known for
changing the worldwide poor-quality image
of Japanese products"
Boeing (1950)
"Become the dominant player in commercial
aircraft and bring the world into the jet age"
BOEING 787
Google's mission is to organize the
world's information and make it universally
accessible and useful.
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream:
"To make, distribute & sell the finest quality all natural ice cream
& euphoric concoctions with a continued commitment to
incorporating wholesome, natural ingredients and promoting
Business practices that respect the Earth and the Environment
Sun Microsystems:
Solve complex network computing problems
for governments,enterprises, and service providers
Otis Elevator
Our mission is to provide any customer a means of
moving people and things up, down, and sideways
over short distances with higher reliability
than any similar enterprise in the world
Warning
Making profit is the obvious intent of every
commercial enterprise, and mission statements
structured around making a profit reveal nothing
valuable about a company’s business or the
market arena in which it operates.
3 Keys of Meaningful Mission Statements
• Pass the Mother Test
• A mission statement must be a concise paragraph describing what
your company does and for whom. Show your mission to your
mother, if she does not understand it, start again.
• Self-Igniting:
• Your mission is for you and your business. It does not have to be an
earth moving statement. It can be whatever inspires you.
• Value Alignment:
• Forget the money. A meaningful mission goes beyond the dollars
and cents. If your small business is creative, focus your mission on
creativity. Try to be what your core competency is.