Which of the following is not a characteristics of an effective vision statement?

Mission statements are not one-size-fits-all, although there are some guidelines that can help you craft one that effectively captures the purpose and goal of your business. The general rule for these statements is that you can’t confuse your audience, because that defeats the purpose of trying to communicate the reasons your business exists. However, there are nine characteristics common in effective mission statements that provide the parameters under which you can craft a statement that not only sells the “what” of your company but also the “why.”

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They Are Short
They Are Unique to Your Business
They Create Expectations
They Are Realistic
They Are Memorable
They Are Active
They Are Positive
They Are Adaptable
They Are Targeted
Which of the following is not characteristic of a vision statement?
What are the characteristics of a vision statement?
What are the 5 characteristics of visioning?
Which one is not a characteristic of a good mission statement?

They Are Short

The U.S. Navy adopted an adage in the early 1960s that said, “Keep it simple, stupid,” also known by the acronym KISS. The idea behind that adage is that systems work better when designers keep things simple, and the same applies to your mission statement. Shorter is better because you want to convey the purpose and goal of your business in a way that is simple, clear, and easy to understand. The more words you use, the more likely it is that you’ll send out a garbled message to your audience.

They Are Unique to Your Business

Mission statements should never be generalized in such a way that any other company could steal what you wrote and use it as their own. When crafting these statements it’s vital to remember what makes your company different, unique, and special.

They Create Expectations

A good mission statement embraces the expectations of a target audience for something they truly crave. For example, Zappos’ mission statement is “To provide the best customer service possible.” That creates the expectation in Zappos’ customers that they will deliver superior customer service each and every time.

They Are Realistic

Some companies fall into the trap of crafting mission statements that are so grandiose and philosophical that they lose all touch with reality. Mission statements must be grounded in what your company provides customers in the present. Save the inspirational and future-based language for your vision statement.

They Are Memorable

What are the key phrases and terminology you can use in your mission statement to make it memorable? That doesn’t mean that readers must be able to recite your mission statement in whole as if it’s a catchphrase, but it does mean that people should be able to associate key aspects of that statement with your company.

They Are Active

The word “active” in this context refers to active verbs that make readers feel as if something is happening now rather than in the past. For example, instead of writing, “These products are made by our company to improve your life,” you should write, “Our company makes these products to enhance your quality of life.” Notice how the transition from passive to active verbs, and substituting “enhance your quality of life” for “improve your life” conveys a stronger message?

They Are Positive

It’s important that you avoid negative messages because mission statements are all about how your business solves a problem, fulfills a want or need, or makes life easier for your target audience.

They Are Adaptable

A strong mission statement is something that your marketing and product development teams can also use for motivation and direction. For example, eyeglass brand Warby Parker’s mission statement is, "Warby Parker was founded with a rebellious spirit and a lofty objective: to offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price, while leading the way for socially conscious businesses." The concepts of “rebellious spirit,” “revolutionary price,” and “socially conscious businesses” are all a marketing department’s dream because they are sellable concepts.

They Are Targeted

It’s important to remember that mission statements are expressed to your target audience, so the message must match the wants and needs of that audience. Going back to the Zappos example, the company knew that customer service was a huge deal among women who shopped for shoes, so it tailored its statement to match the desires of that audience.

1.
Which one of the following is not one of the five basic tasks of the strategy-making, strategy-executing process?
- A.
  Forming a strategic vision of where the company needs to head and what its future business make-up will be
- B.
  Setting objectives to convert the strategic vision into specific strategic and financial performance outcomes for the company to achieve
- C.
  Crafting a strategy to achieve the objectives and get the company where it wants to go
- D.
  Developing a profitable business model
- E.
  Implementing and executing the chosen strategy efficiently and effectively
2.
Which of the following is an integral part of the managerial process of crafting and executing strategy?
- A.
  Developing a proven business model
- B.
  Deciding how much of the company’s resources to employ in the pursuit of sustainable competitive advantage
- C.
  Setting objectives and using them as yardsticks for measuring the company’s performance and progress
- D.
  Communicating the company’s values and code of conduct to all employees
- E.
  Deciding on the company’s strategic intent
3.
Which of the following are integral parts of the managerial process of crafting and executing strategy?
- A.
  Developing a strategic vision, setting objectives, and crafting a strategy
- B.
  Developing a proven business model, deciding on the company’s strategic intent, and crafting a strategy
- C.
  Setting objectives, crafting a strategy, implementing and executing the chosen strategy, and deciding how much of the company’s resources to employ in the pursuit of sustainable competitive advantage
- D.
  Coming up with a statement of the company’s mission and purpose, setting objectives, choosing what business approaches to employ, selecting a business model, and monitoring developments
- E.
  Deciding on the company’s strategic intent, setting financial objectives, crafting a strategy, and choosing what business approaches and operating practices to employ
4.
The strategy-making, strategy-executing process
- A.
  
  Is usually delegated to members of a company's board of directors so as not to infringe on the time of busy executives.
- B.
  Includes establishing a company’s mission, developing a business model aimed at making the company an industry leader, and crafting a strategy to implement and execute the business model.
- C.
  Embraces the tasks of developing a strategic vision, setting objectives, crafting a strategy, implementing and executing the strategy, and then monitoring developments and initiating corrective adjustments in light of experience, changing conditions, and new opportunities.
- D.
  S principally concerned with sizing up an organization's internal and external situation, so as to be prepared for the challenge of developing a sound business model.
- E.
  Is primarily the responsibility of top executives and the board of directors; very few managers below this level are involved.
5.
A company’s strategic vision concerns
- A.
  Who we are and what we do.”
- B.
  Why the company does certain things in trying to please its customers.
- C.
  Management’s storyline of how it intends to make a profit with the chosen strategy.
- D.
  A company’s directional path and future product-market-customer-technology focus.
- E.
  What future actions the enterprise will likely undertake to outmaneuver rivals and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage.
6.
A company’s strategic vision
- A.
  S management’s story line for how it plans to implement and execute a profitable business model.
- B.
  Sets forth what business the company is presently in and why it uses particular operating practices in trying to please customers.
- C.
  Delineates management’s aspirations for the business, providing a panoramic view of “where we are going” and a convincing rationale for why this makes good business sense.
- D.
  Defines “who we are and what we do.”
- E.
  Spells out a company’s strategic intent, its strategic and financial objectives, and the business approaches and operating practices that will underpin its efforts to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.
7.
Developing a strategic vision for a company entails
- A.
  Prescribing a strategic direction for the company to pursue and a rationale for why this strategic path makes good business sense.
- B.
  Describing its business model and the kind of value that it is trying to deliver to customers.
- C.
  Putting together a story line of why the business will be a moneymaker.
- D.
  Describing "who we are and what we do."
- E.
  Coming up with a long-term plan for outcompeting rivals and achieving a competitive advantage.
8.
The managerial task of developing a strategic vision for a company
- A.
  Concerns deciding what approach the company should take to implement and execute its business model.
- B.
  
  Entails coming up with a fairly specific answer to "who are we, what do we do, and why are we here?"
- C.
  Is chiefly concerned with addressing what a company needs to do to successfully outcompete rivals in the marketplace.
- D.
  Involves deciding upon what strategic course a company should pursue in preparing for the future and why this directional path makes good business sense.
- E.
  Entails coming up with a persuasive storyline of how the company intends to make money.
9.
Which one of the following is not an accurate attribute of an organization's strategic vision?
- A.
  Providing a panoramic view of "where we are going"
- B.
  Outlining how the company intends to implement and execute its business model
- C.
  Pointing an organization in a particular direction and charting a strategic path for it to follow
- D.
  Helping mold an organization's character and identity
- E.
  Describing the company’s future product-market-customer-technology focus
10.
Management’s strategic vision for an organization
- A.
  Charts a strategic course for the organization (“where we are going”) and provides a rationale for why this directional path makes good sense.
- B.
  Describes in fairly specific terms the organization’s strategic intent, strategic objectives, and strategy.
- C.
  Spells out how the company will become a big moneymaker and boost shareholder value.
- D.
  Addresses the critical issue of “why our business model needs to change and how we plan to change it.”
- E.
  Spells out the organization’s strategic intent and the actions and moves that will be undertaken to achieve it.
11.
What a company’s top executives are saying about where the company is headed and about what the company’s future product-customer-market-technology will be
- A.
  Indicates what kind of business model the company is going to have in the future.
- B.
  Constitutes their strategic vision for the company.
- C.
  Signals what the firm's strategy will be.
- D.
  Serves to define the company’s mission.
- E.
  Indicates what the company’s long-term strategic plan is.
12.
One of the important benefits of a well-conceived and well-stated strategic vision is to
- A.
  Clearly delineate how the company’s business model will be implemented and executed.
- B.
  Clearly communicate management’s aspirations for the company to stakeholders and help steer the energies of company personnel in a common direction.
- C.
  
  Set forth the firm's strategic objectives in clear and fairly precise terms.
- D.
  Help create a “balanced scorecard” approach to objective-setting and not stretch the company’s resources too thin across different products, technologies, and geographic markets.
- E.
  Indicate what kind of sustainable competitive advantage the company will try to create in the course of becoming the industry leader.
13.
The defining characteristic of a well-conceived strategic vision is
- A.
  What it says about the company’s future strategic course—“the direction we are headed and what our future product-market-customer-technology focus will be.”
- B.
  That it not stretch the company’s resources too thin across different products, technologies, and geographic markets.
- C.
  Clarity and specificity about “who we are, what we do, and why we are here.”
- D.
  That it be flexible and in the mainstream.
- E.
  That it be within the realm of what the company can reasonably expect to achieve within 2-4 years.
14.
Which one of the following questions is not pertinent to company managers in thinking strategically about their company’s directional path and developing a strategic vision?
- A.
  Is the outlook for the company promising if it continues with its present product-market-technology-customer focus?
- B.
  Are changing market and competitive conditions acting to enhance or weaken the company’s prospects?
- C.
  What business approaches and operating practices should we consider in trying to implement and execute our business model?
- D.
  What are our ambitions for the company—what industry standing do we want the company to have?
- E.
  What, if any, new customer groups and/or geographic markets should the company get in position to serve?
15.
Which one of the following questions is not something that company managers should consider in choosing to pursue one strategic course or directional path versus another?
- A.
  Are changing market and competitive conditions acting to enhance or weaken the company’s business outlook?
- B.
  Is the company stretching its resources too thinly by trying to compete in too many markets or segments, some of which are unprofitable?
- C.
  Will our present business generate sufficient growth and profitability in the years ahead to please shareholders?
- D.
  What emerging market opportunities should the company pursue and which ones should not be pursued?
- E.
  Do we have a better business model than key rivals?
16.
Which of the following are characteristics of an effectively-worded strategic vision statement?
- A.
  Balanced, responsible, and rational
- B.
  Challenging, competitive, and “set in concrete”
- C.
  Graphic, directional, and focused
- D.
  
  Realistic, customer-focused, and market-driven
- E.
  Achievable, profitable, and ethical
17.
Which one of the following is not a characteristic of an effectively-worded strategic vision statement?
- A.
  Directional (is forward-looking, describes the strategic course that management has charted and the kinds of product-market-customer-technology changes that will help the company prepare for the future)
- B.
  Easy to communicate (is explainable in 10-15 minutes, can be reduced to a memorable slogan)
- C.
  Graphic (paints a picture of the kind of company management is trying to create and the market position(s) the company is striving to stake out)
- D.
  Consensus-driven (commits the company to a “mainstream” directional path that most all stakeholders will enthusiastically support)
- E.
  Focused (is specific enough to provide guidance to managers in making decisions and allocating resources)
18.
Which of the following is not a common shortcoming of company vision statements?
- A.
  Vague or incomplete—short on specifics
- B.
  Too narrow—doesn’t leave enough room for future growth
- C.
  
  Bland or uninspiring
- D.
  Not distinctive—could apply to most any company (or at least several others in the same industry)
- E.
  Too reliant on superlatives (best, most successful, recognized leader, global or worldwide leader, first choice of customers)
19.
Which of the following are common shortcomings of company vision statements?
- A.
  Too specific, too inflexible, and can’t be achieved in 5 years
- B.
  Unrealistic, unconventional, and un-businesslike
- C.
  Too broad, vague or incomplete, bland/uninspiring, not distinctive, and too reliant on superlatives
- D.
  Too broad, too narrow, and too risky
- E.
  Not customer-driven, out-of-step with emerging technological trends, and too ambitious
20.
A company's mission statement typically addresses which of the following questions?
- A.
  "Who are we and what do we do?"
- B.
  "What objectives and level of performance do we want to achieve?"
- C.
  "Where are we going and what should our strategy be?"
- D.
  "What approach should we take to achieve sustainable competitive advantage?"
- E.
  "What business model should we employ to achieve our objectives and our vision?"

Which of the following is not characteristic of a vision statement?

Answer and Explanation: The correct answer is A. The strategic vision statement of an organization need not be consensus driven. The vision statement of a company does not give a mainstream direction to the company but gives it a general direction in which the business should be taken.

What are the characteristics of a vision statement?

Brevity. A good vision statement is succinct, which makes it easy for managers and leaders to communicate and employees to remember. ... .

Clarity. ... .

Abstract and Challenging. ... .

States the Organization's Purpose. ... .

Future Focused. ... .

Sets a Desirable Goal. ... .

Matches the Organization's Success Measures..

What are the 5 characteristics of visioning?

What are the main characteristics of a vision? Research on visionary leader- ship suggests that visions have five characteristics: a picture, a change, values, a map, and a challenge (Nanus, 1992; Zaccaro & Banks, 2001).