What Are Mission and Vision, and What Are Their Differences?

Mission and Vision are terms that are frequently mentioned in today's business world. Almost all companies with a certain customer potential include these two headings in their corporate information texts. In this case, the meanings of these expressions, as well as the differences between mission and vision, attract the attention of those who are not familiar with the topic.

What Does Mission Mean?

The term mission, derived from the English word "mission," refers to the purpose of an organization's establishment, its current reason for existence, its history, information about its founder, its fundamental responsibilities, and the people and areas it serves. It is often found in the headings of texts and is commonly expressed as "Our Mission". A company's vision encompasses the basic information about its current status.

What Does Vision Mean?

The term vision, derived from the English word "vision" (sight, imagination, broad view, foresight, seeing ahead, prediction), is often seen in the pages where companies introduce themselves, usually as "Our Vision". Under this heading, information is provided about the point the company hopes to reach in the future.

What Are the Differences Between Mission and Vision?

The fundamental difference between these two terms is that the mission expresses the current position, while the vision refers to the future. Companies with a vision are those that want to remain in their fields in the long term and make future-oriented plans for this purpose. A well-defined vision and mission statement is a sign of respect for a company and also motivates its employees.

Mission is the work you will do best and most accurately every day. Vision, on the other hand, is the result that will be achieved if the continuity of working within the framework of the mission is maintained.

The mission is the current situation and purpose, while the vision serves as a guide for the goals set for the future. A well-defined vision has an inspiring effect.

Mission is generally short, while vision is long-term, often presented as a list of future-oriented goals.

The similarity between these concepts is that both have the potential for development; the work done needs to evolve as it progresses. However, the mission is more variable among them. It may need to be reshaped according to changes in society and the industry. Vision, being related to long-term goals, shows less variation compared to the mission.

It is not recommended for the definitions of mission and vision to be very long and detailed. The content underlying these words should be prepared in a way that everyone who contributes to the operation and progress of the business can easily remember. Texts prepared in this way are more easily understood by both the employees of the company or institution and other readers. Additionally, they are beneficial in terms of providing an encouraging effect when there is not enough energy to take action.

One of the main conditions for creating a corporate culture is that employees and customers understand and adopt what the organization's mission and vision are. When employees are aware of the short and long-term goals of their workplace and perform their tasks accordingly, it facilitates the organization’s achievement of its future goals.