Mission Statements

A mission statement is a written articulation of the purpose and focus of an entity such as an organization, a group, or a person. With descriptions of peripheral components, it serves internally to guide the priority of activities and allocation of resources to achieve long-term goals or a vision of the entity. A mission statement provides guidelines and goals for everyday behavior, shaping power relationships that exist between people within an entity. It also defines the interdependence with external constituencies by communicating an assurance of certain expectations about the entity. In doing so, it creates a framework for all constituents and can reduce political wrangling. However, it is not a legal claim, and the promise is not binding. Stakeholders have no indemnity against the entity’s ...