Mission Statement Vs. Vision Statement

Every organization, in essence has some mission and vision, that are key factors in sustaining it in the business. Mission and vision statements give purpose to the firm in attaining a significant goal. Without a mission or a goal, it's impossible for any business entity to succeed in the long run.

Mission statements are the main objectives of an organization. They inform the readers and customers about core values of your firm. They are like your business priorities, your methods and values of working that your firm will follow to achieve its objectives.

Vision statements, on the other hand, are your long-term goals that you have envisioned for the growth of your firm. Vision is your future and mission is your present, your reason for existence.

Some companies tend to use both the terms without any change in meaning. For example, Google's mission statement, as stated on their website is: "To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible."

If we reflect upon the aforementioned statement, we will realize that it should indeed be the vision statement, because that is what Google ultimately aims to achieve- make search easier, faster and universally accessible.

Similarly, if you go through the official website of Amazon, you will find that for the answer to the question, "Does Amazon have a Mission or Vision Statement?", their answer is, "Our vision is to be earth's most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.".

Which again highlights the fact that even Amazon tends to treat vision and mission on almost the same scale. Nevertheless, this should not restrict us to consider the difference between the two terms, as I have highlighted it earlier in the story.

Now, let's have a look at some examples of various popular corporate firms that are world leaders in their respective businesses. These statements are just a few examples to make you understand the components of such statements. Moreover, they have been directly picked from the official websites of the respective companies.

Vision: "Connecting People. Our goal is to build great mobile products that enable billions of people worldwide to enjoy more of what life has to offer.

Our challenge is to achieve this in an increasingly dynamic and competitive environment. Ideas. Energy. Excitement. Opportunities. In today's mobile world, it feels like anything is possible-and that's what inspires us to get out of bed every day."

Mission:

• "Build a new winning mobile ecosystem in partnership with Microsoft.
• Bring the next billion online in developing growth market.
• Invest in next-generation disruptive technologies. increase our focus on speed, results and accountability"

Vision: "Our vision serves as the framework for our Roadmap and guides every aspect of our business by describing what we need to accomplish in order to continue achieving sustainable, quality growth.

People: Be a great place to work where people are inspired to be the best they can be.
Portfolio: Bring to the world a portfolio of quality beverage brands that anticipate and satisfy people's desires and needs.
Partners: Nurture a winning network of customers and suppliers, together we create mutual, enduring value.

Planet: Be a responsible citizen that makes a difference by helping build and support sustainable communities.
Profit: Maximize long-term return to shareowners while being mindful of our overall responsibilities.
Productivity: Be a highly effective, lean and fast-moving organization."

Mission: "Our Roadmap starts with our mission, which is enduring. It declares our purpose as a company and serves as the standard against which we weigh our actions and decisions.

• To refresh the world.
• To inspire moments of optimism and happiness.
• To create value and make a difference."

Vision: "To be the most successful and respected car company in America."

Mission: "To attract and attain customers with high-valued products and services and the most satisfying ownership experience in America."

As we can decipher from the above examples, it must be clear to you that a mission statement is your method, objective and plans you're going to carry out in achieving your goal, and your vision is your dream, your holistic aim that encompasses the ultimate philosophy of your enterprise.

While there may be some ambiguity in the usage of both these terms, especially when they are used interchangeably, we can ignore them, as in the broader definition and general company setup, there are indeed differences between the two.