Mission statements and objectives in strategic planning processes

Planning Strategies in an Organization

Planning Strategy in an Organization

Strategic planning in a corporate organization is the process by which the latter defines its schemes, flow of work or organizational functionality and its decision making process. This is done by allocating necessary resources to quest after in the strategy. A planning strategy is enhanced by various components that include comprehension of the organization. They include the organization's vision, mission, values and strategies. A deeper and participatory planning strategic process connects the tactical vision to execution of organizations' strategies (Sinofsky & Iansiti 2009). This context majorly discusses the implications of having a mission statement and objectives in strategic planning processes.

Mission Statement

A mission statement is a concise description of an organization's elementary purpose. It mainly answers the question "why are we established?" It enunciates a company's purpose for its members and for the entire targeted public. A notable organization that addresses its mission statement to attract its customers is the British-American Tobacco. It is a business-oriented company in world production and sale of the finest tobacco and the second largest tobacco company in market share. The company does not have a specific mission statement but it achieves to sustain its corporate brand dominance furthering to enhance its brand market presence.

b) Relation of mission statement to planning strategy

A mission statement is an essential aspect in strategic planning. An organization should have a vivid conception of its overall purpose prior addressing the task of the planning and situational objectives (Seker, 2007). It is the first developmental process of a business operation. The experience of the resultant business is greatly attributed to the mission statement.

Objectives

In comparison to the mission statement, objectives are explicit or quantifiable, realistic and with a definite time schedule. Objectives need to well stipulate so as to produce the relative results being pursued by the organization. Research studies to the British-American Tobacco shows that its objectives are focused on prioritizing its customers. Among its top objectives are

i) To drive consumption by increasing usage

ii) To create demand in the market for Dunhill and encourage sales

iii) To retail the penetration and opening up new markets

iv) To grow brand awareness level, especially for Dunhill

v) To build loyalty through rewarding the customer

vi) To collect trade and consumer feedback at all levels

a) Purpose of organizational objectives

An objective to an organization is vital in explaining to customers why the company is being established. The objectives are far much detailed and most importantly define the course followed in planning strategies of an organization. It is the definitive structure of having qualitative and quantitative operations of an organization. In the B.A.T structure, the main purpose of the objectives stated above is to target consumers for the products produced world wide as the working young professionals 19-30 years, though the older generation has a percentage of potential consumers. Having such targeted customers, the prices on the products are sensitive since the latter has to inquire on the value for their money and the brand given to them.

b) Problems associated in planning objectives

Few companies have been conjoined with the problem of having objectives that do not confer with the latter's progress. One of the issues is that most management comes up with conflicting objectives. This affects the process of decision-making. Establishing many objectives has proven to mal organizational structures that raising awareness to the targeted clientele (Singh & Singh 2011). Selection of these objectives as the main priority of the company is also a problem associated with the latter's strategic planning. The implementation and follow up of these objectives becomes faulty since the management encounters lots of problems while addressing these objectives. The British-American Tobacco, however, has not encountered such problems. The different positions of the organizational structure are on the lime light of ensuring that all the objectives are being implemented.

Conclusion

Sustainable strategies through planning are vital in the development of an organization. Just as the British-American Tobacco Company, its development and spread all over the world. Due to the strategic follow of mission statements and the objectives, many companies, such as B.A.T continue to enjoy a maintained global structure as well as a social, environmental and developmental organization profile.