The strategic plan of companies is a map that allows them to direct their actions at all times, both to the company in general and to its managers. Said plan must be congruent with the organizational values, with the business philosophy and culture. One of the critical aspects in the formulation of the strategic plan is the corporate mission statement, which must be aligned with the organizational values.
It is very common to find that most companies have a corporate mission that is generally displayed in the corridors of the company with the aim that locals and strangers know and become familiar with it, but, in general, vision does not mean a lot for those who work in firms. For them, the mission is nothing more than a sentence that occurred to those who drew up the company's strategic plan, which in itself is not well known among employees or managers. Thus it is found that the mission is nothing more than a beautiful phrase without any significance, inside and outside the company.
If the mission is observed in greater detail, it can be said that yes, it is a beautiful sentence (generally) but it does not only intend to stay there, it aims to become a guide when making decisions, it is a compass in the strategic orientation of the firm
When you want to develop the concept of the business mission, it is not enough for the planning team to ask the following questions:
- What functions does the organization perform and how does it perform them?
The mission is more than the business function, in addition to considering the driving forces and competitive advantages of the organization, the planning team must ask the following four basic questions:
- What does your company do that is unique and that nobody else does in its field of action? How does your institution work: is there something different in its method, in the way or in the way of reaching its objectives? The mission must contemplate the strengths of the company, it should be supported by its competitive advantages, only then will it be a source of motivation. Who does your institution work for?
Involving the focus on the client creates the precise stimulus so that all members of the organization feel committed to him.Why does he do what he does, what is it that he could never stop doing, what is the social justification of his Existence? If the sense of existence of the company is understood, there are greater possibilities that the mission really works as an instrument of strategic orientation in decision-making.
The mission is more than the definition of what the company does, it is a strategic orientation tool that is used when you want to evaluate a decision that affects important company resources
A vision that rests on a sheet of paper is not useful, the mission must be clear in the head of each of the members of an institution, only then will it be useful, only then can it be called a tool. When the organization is not aware of its mission, the tool simply becomes a phrase that is out there but that no one applies, it will not be able to collect institutional values nor will it be a source of inspiration for people.
The mission of a library is not only to serve a community of readers or users in the search for information, but also to create mechanisms for them to come freely and spontaneously to acquire knowledge, then, the mission of the library is to contribute to intellectual enrichment of people
Some examples of business mission statements, well structured, poorly structured or used as a tool in decision making, I do not know, they are only examples, the reader will determine their usefulness or frivolity:
“Our mission is to be the No. 1 in the West in personal care products, food and services to our clients, and to provide our shareholders with a superior long-term average return on their investment ”Comercial Delgado (Venezuela)
“Our mission, within a framework governed by quality and excellence, is: To transform our capabilities and potentials, creating a living company that is continuously moving forward, to become without delay and doubt the world reference in the field of dermatology. Thus satisfying the needs of our clients, and researching and offering products and services with an optimal quality index, which allow us to prosper as a business, contribute to the development of the country and thus be able to provide our shareholders with a reasonable profit on their investment. " Galderma (Mexico)
“The mission of the Catholic University of Temuco is to promote human dignity and the development of peoples, in a process marked by the search for truth and knowledge in science, arts and culture, in the light of the Gospel, producing teaching, research and extension as basic services ”Universidad Católica de Temuco (Chile)
References
- Enrique Ogliastri, «WHAT IS THE MISSION FOR?«
