Strategic Intent

Vision, Mission, Objectives and Goals

Strategic Intent


The word intent in general means an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides our planned actions.

Strategic intent is the leveraging of firm s internal resources, capabilities and core competencies to accomplish the firm s vision, mission and objectives in a competitive environment.  It is all about winning competitive battles and gaining leadership position by putting organizational resources to best use.
 

According to R Howard, strategic intent tries to establish the parameters that shape the values, motives and actions of people throughout their organization.

Hierarchy of Strategic Intent

Most Integrative Fewest in Number

Vision Mission Objectives Goals

Most Specific

Plans

Greatest in Number

Vision


Vision refers to an inspirational picture of a future that can be created, offering clarity amidst confusion, hope against despair, and unity of purpose amidst diversity of personal causes. Basic elements of a Vision:Vision:An organization s fundamental reason for existence beyond just making money Its timeless, unchanging core values. Huge and audacious but achievable aspirations for its future.

Examples of Vision


BHEL:- A world class innovative, competitive and BHEL:profitable engineering enterprise providing total business solutions. Colgate - Palmolive:- To be the company of first Palmolive:choice in oral and personal hygiene by continuously caring for consumers and partners. NTPC:NTPC:- To make available, reliable and quality power in increasingly large quantities.

Mission
   

Mission provides the fundamental philosophy that what is the firm in reality and what it wants to be. It clarifies the very purpose of the corporation. It also represents the corporation s guiding principles. Pearce and Robinson say that the company mission is defined as the fundamental, unique purpose that sets a business apart from other firms of its type and identifies the scope of its operations in product and market terms. Hunger and Whalen have defined mission as purpose or reason for organization s existence.

Examples of Mission


Cadbury India:- To attain leadership position in the India:confectionery market and achieve a strong national presence in the food drinks sector. Ranbaxy Laboratories:- To become a researchLaboratories:researchbased international pharmaceutical company. ONGC:ONGC:- To stimulate, continue and accelerate efforts to develop and maximize the contribution of the energy sector to the economy of the country.

Features of Mission
       

Mission is the basic reason of existence and legitimization of an organization. It is defined in terms of benefits which are provided by the firm to society. It is defined from the outside of an organization. It shows long-term commitment of an organization. longIt is dynamic and can be changed according to change in environment. It is a fundamental work and responsibility which is given by society to an organization. It is very comprehensive term which is the basis of objectives goals and strategies. It shows philosophy, values, character and principles of an organization.

Qualities of Mission
Feasible  Precise  Clear  Motivating  Distinctive  Specific  Dynamic  Values, beliefs and philosophy


Objectives
   

 

An objective indicates the result that the organization expects to achieve in the long run. It is an end result, the end point, something that you aim for and try to reach. McFarland defines that Objectives are the goals, aims or purposes that organization wish to achieve over varying period of time. According to Glueck and Jauch , Objectives are those ends which the organization seeks to achieve through its existence and operation. Thus, it is clear that objectives are that requisite result which an organization want to achieve in fix time duration. These are the end results which are explained in qualitative and quantitative form. Every organization s members make efforts to achieve them.

Features of objectives
   

  

Objectives are that result which every organization and its member want to achieve together. They are based on organization s mission and purpose. They are related to future but which are determined in present. They are determined not only for an organization but also for every part (department, employees etc.) of an organization. They have certain time duration. They are inter-related. interThey remain according to organization hierarchy.

Classification of objectives
         

Primary Objectives Secondary Objectives ShortShort-term Objectives LongLong-term Objectives Equilibrium Objectives Improvement Objectives Individual Objectives Social Objectives Performance Objectives Official Objectives

Goals


Goals are those basic plans that directs final results of projected action of any unit. Every organization has multiple goals that can be personal, organizational, or can be on official level. According to Peter Brian Quinn, goals state what is to be achieved and when results are to be accomplished. According to Ansoff, Goals have the following features, Ansoff, they (i) are derived from objectives, (ii) offer a standard (i for measuring performance, (iii) are expressed in concrete term, (iv) are time-bound and work-oriented. timework-

Importance of goal setting

Help in decision making  It gives base to a company for long term existence  Stability  Provide guidelines  Support in control.  Define responsibilty


Vision, Mission, Objectives and Goals: Mutual relationship

Vision Mission Objectives Goals Contribute at societal level At enterprise level At top management level At corporate and strategic Business Unit level