Understanding Company Mission vs. Vision: Can You Help Clarify the Difference?

Hi All,

Could anyone please help me by providing any information on what exactly is the difference between a company's mission statement and its vision?

Regards,
Neha

Hi,

Mission is short-term, changeable, definite, usually in numbers, values.

Vision is long-term, more focused on quality, shows benefits to society, etc.

Thanks,
Nidhi

I always had this question in mind. I did a lot of reading on this in books like "Winning" by Jack Welch and "Strategy Maps" by Robert S. Kaplan, David P. Norton. And I am sharing what I have come to understand:

MISSION: A concise internally focused statement of the reason for the organization's existence, basic purpose, values that guide employee activities. Mission should also describe how the organization expects to compete and deliver value to customers.

VISION: A concise statement that defines the mid to long-term (3-10 year) goals of the organization. Vision is external and market-oriented and should express—often in colorful or visionary terms—how the organization wants to be perceived by the world.

Hope that helps.

Hi,

Vision is what you foresee your company wanted to be. Mission is the path to achieve that vision. Means... The method and ways (Mission) you take to achieve the Vision.

Thanks,
Sandhya

It's very simple, just keep in mind the following:

Vision: WHAT does a company want to BE?

Mission: HOW does a company want to BE?

Regards,
Khalid
+971 55 7901111

I was just doing some research on the net while came across your question. So just wanted to make it more clear.

Difference :

• A mission is what an organization does, its action; a vision is what an organization would like to happen as a result of the action that it does.

• Mission equals the action; vision is the ultimate result of the action.

• Mission answers the question “What would not happen if we were not here as an organization?” Or more positively, “What change is achieved because we exist?

• Vision answers the question: “What are the results, the ends, the consequences of our action?”

• Vision looks forward; mission looks at today.

I hope its more clear now..
Good luck!:)

Hi all,

As per my understanding, everything in life has a purpose. Our birth had a purpose so we can come into the human race, joining our school had a purpose so we can get a good education, or anything in life we do has a purpose which we can call the ultimate goal. Vision, we can say, is the future of any organization, what the organization wants to achieve, become, or we can say setting up an organization keeping in mind to achieve something. Like a coaching institute has been set up in a rural area for the purpose of imparting cheap and best knowledge and education to the rural people, this purpose becomes the vision of that coaching institute.

Coming to the mission, a mission is short-term and long-term activities involved in achieving the future or purpose of anything. Taking the same example of a coaching institute, hiring the best faculty members, opening up branches in various rural cities, and making the institute equipped with all modern facilities can be its mission.

I would like to hear your comments regarding the same....