Introduction

Writing a mission statement means stating the purpose of a corporation or nonprofit organization. This statement may be a brief line-of-business description or it may even be expanded to include the goals, aspirations, and beliefs of a particular organization. Defining a mission in writing is one element in the larger context of strategic management. Proper strategic management includes defining long-range objectives, motivating employees to work toward these objectives, organizing work to reach these goals, and evaluating performance along the way. This introductory section to Mission Statements: A Guide to the Corporate and Nonprofit Sectors is a concise look at the mission statement document. Defining what a mission statement is, exploring the history of this document, drafting one for a particular organization, and looking at the future of this important document is the mission of this introductory section.