Why mission statement is like a x-ray report of your organization?

 Mission statements are the objectives or purposes of organizations or companies, and they differ broadly from one organization to another. Wheelen and Hunger (2008) claim a good mission statement “defines the fundamental, unique purpose that sets a company apart from other firms of its type and identifies the scope of the company’s operations in terms of products [including services] offered and markets served. It may also include the firm’s values and philosophy about how it does business and treats its employees. It puts into words not only what the company is now but what it wants to become—management’s strategic vision of the firm’s future” (p. 13). In other words, mission statement not only upholds and advances organization’s expectations, and shares it with all employees, but also, at the same time, it promotes a well image to stakeholders in the firm’s undertaking and responsibility environment. However, Andrew Campbell, top executive of the Ashridge strategic management centre, and a contributor to Long range planning (LRP), an international journal of strategic management, analyzes and argues that mission statement “can be more than just an expression of a company’s purpose and ambition… They can also be a company flag to rally around, a signpost for all stakeholders, a guide to behavior, and a celebration of a company’s culture” (Wheelen & Hunger, 2008, p.13).
 
Reference

Wheelen, T., and Hunger, J. (2009). Concepts in Strategic Management and
Business Policy (11th Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice 
Hall.