STRATEGIC INTENTION

Prof.Dr.Dr.Dr.H.C. Constantin Bratianu

Faculty of Business Administration
Academy of Economic Studies
Bucharest, Romania

Strategic

Strategic

Strategies

Strategies

Intention

Analysis

Elaboration

Implementation

Strategic management
process

Strategic Intention

Vision

Mission

Strategic
Objectives

The Vision
The vision of an organization represents an ideal state
projected in the future and which shapes a desirable
development of that particular organization.
The vision implies a dynamic way of thinking capable
to evaluate the real chances of development of the
organization on the long term.
Not anyone has this ability to see the development of the
organization in time.
The vision represents one of the most essential
qualities of leaders.

Simon Wootton & Terry Horne, Strategic thinking, Kogan

Page, London, 2010, p 67.

Without a great dream, nothing great will be achieved. But

great dreams are not sufficient. There must be the
means of delivery key resources, key skills and key
actors to deploy them.
An organization without a shared vision that is positive and
hopeful is more likely to have people with the thinking
skills needed to turn that vision into reality. Your best
hope must be realistic.

GENERAL MOTORS (GM)

Vision:
General Motors vision is to be the world leader in
transportantion products and related services,
earning its customer enthusiasm through
continuous improvement driven by the integrity,
teamwork and innovation of GM people
GM has defined 6 core values:
1.Customer enthusiasm
2.Integrity & accountability
3.Teamwork
4.Innovation
5.Continuous improvement
6.Individual respect and responsability

Timken Company
We are dedicated to improving our customers
performance by applying our knowledge of friction
management and power transmission to deliver
unparalled value and innovation all around the
world.
TIMKEN: Where you turn
Our friction management and power transmission
products are found wherever machines turnfrom
industrial equipment and precision instrumentation
to household appliances and vehicles.

Kings College of London

Kings will built on its numerous accomplishments and
formidable current advantages to become an
outstanding university institution comparable in all
respects with the best in the worlds
For Kings the overarching vision over the next decade is
one of quality and distinction. Already a momentum is
being created in the last 12 months the College has
climbed up the Times Higher Education Supplement
World League Tables from 73rd to 46th. This is an
outstanding achievement.

John P. Kotter, Leading change, Harvard Business School

Press, 1996, pp.67-84

Vision refers to a picture of the future with some implicit or

explicit commentary on why people should strive to
create that future.
A good vision has 3 main purposes:
- To show the direction of action
- To motivate people for change
- To align all forces and resources for change

John P. Kotter, Leading change, Harvard Business School

Press, 1996, pp.67-84

Characteristics of an effective vision:

Imaginable: Conveys a picture of what the future will look
like.
Desirable: Appeals to the long-term interests of employees,
customers, stockholders, and others who have a stake in
the enterprise.
Feasible: Comprise guidance in decision making.
Focused: Is clear enough to provide guidance in decision
making.
Flexible: Is general enough to allow individual initiatives.
Communicable: Is easy to communicate and explained.

The Mission
The mission of an organization represents its reason of
being and creating value for consumers and society.
The mission integrates the fundamental law of the
organization and clarifies its vision.
The vision focuses on the internal image of the
organization, while the mission focuses on the external
image of the organization.

Mission statement (I)

A general statement of the vision.
A communication of the fundamental values that the
top management assumes
A clear presentation of the fundamental or strategic
objectives of the organization
A correlation with the social responsibility of the
organization.

Mission statement (II)

Profit maximization does not represent the primary
dimension of a mission.
All companies wish to maximize the profit, but this does
not distinguish them among others
The mission statement has to distinguish companies
among each other
Value creation for consumers and the way of
obtaining competitive advantage represent long term
priorities
Profit becomes a consequence of the performances of
the company and not a driving force

Peter Drucker, Management: Tasks, responsibilities,

practices, Harper Business, 1993 (p.17)

Management has to give direction to the

institution it manages. It has to think
through the institutions mission, has to set
its objectives, and has to organize
resources for the results the institution has
to contribute

Peter Drucker, Management: Tasks, responsibilities,

practices, Harper Business, 1993 (pp. 60-61)

Another conclusion is that a business cannot be defined or

explained in terms of profit. Asked what a business is,
the typical businessman is likely to answer, An
organization to make a profit. The typical economist is
likely to give the same answer. This answer is not only
false, it is irrelevant.
To know what a business is we have to start with its
purpose. Its purpose must lie in society since business
enteprise is an organ od society. There is only one valid
definition of business purpose: to create a customer

Examples of missions
Mission for Maytag Company:
Improvement of quality of life of citizens households by
designing, executing and sale of the best home
appliances in the world.
Mission for the Electricity Company of Seattle City in
Washington state:
To be the private municipal company most focused on
customers, the most competitive, efficient, innovative
and environmentally responsible, in the U.S.A.

Coca-Cola Company (I)

Everything we do is inspired by our enduring mission:
To refresh the worldin body, mind, and spirit.
To inspire moments of optimismthrough our brands
and our actions.
To create value and make a differenceeverywhere
we engage.

Coca-Cola Company (II)

Values:

Leadership: The courage to shape a better future.

Passion: Committed in heart and mind.
Integrity: Be real.
Accountability: If it is to be, its up to me.
Collaboration: Leverage collective genius.
Innovation: Seek, imagine, create, delight.
Quality: What we do, we do well.

Strategic objectives
Strategic management is a major goals oriented
process for which the achievement is projected in time.
The achievement of these strategic objectives
represents in the same time the achievement of the
organizations mission for a certain time scale.
The strategic objectives must be:
- very clearly and realistically formulated
- accepted by all employees
- action oriented
- joined by metrics/ assessment systems