Hr587 Change Analysis - Vision

Managing Organizational Change

Keller Graduate School of Management

HR587

Change Analysis - Vision

“Vision Statements and Mission Statements are the inspiring words chosen by successful leaders to clearly and concisely convey the direction of the organization” (John Kotter). A vision statement is a description of what and where you want to be. It provides direction and inspiration for organizational goal setting. It describes aspirations for the future, without specifying the means that will be used to achieve those desired ends.

Warren Bennis, a renowned writer on leadership, says: "To choose a direction, an executive must have developed a mental image of the possible and desirable future state of the organization. This image, which we call a vision, may be as vague as a dream or as precise as a goal or a mission statement."

A mission statement is an organization's vision translated into written form. It makes concrete the leader's view of the direction and purpose of the organization. It should be a short and concise statement of goals and priorities. In turn, goals are specific objectives that relate to specific time periods and are stated in terms of facts. It is a vital element in any attempt to motivate employees and to give them a sense of purpose.

A strategy statement is the proposed plan on how an objective is to achieve. The strategy links the mission and vision together, and communicates how the present (mission) connects to the future (vision).

Dell was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell, who started selling personal computers out of his dorm room as a freshman at the University of Texas in Austin. Dell bought parts wholesale, assembled them into clones of IBM computers, and sold them by mail order to customers who did not want to pay the higher prices charged by computer stores.

Dell has now grown into a global computer and components manufacturer; and has now started selling in retail chains such as Wal-Mart. Dell pride itself on...