Which five elements are included in a mission statement?

Which five elements are included in a mission statement?

• A. Who, What, When, Where, Why
• B. How, When, Where, Why, Which
• C. Who, Where, Why, How, When
• D. What, When, Where, How, Why

Answer: (A)

A mission statement communicates purpose and scope by answering five core questions: who, what, when, where, and why. Who identifies the audience or the people the organization serves or who is involved. What describes the products, services, or activities offered. When sets the time frame or horizon for the mission—when the organization aims to make an impact or operate within a certain period. Where indicates the geographic reach or the operational realm. Why explains the underlying purpose—the reason the organization exists and the value it seeks to create. Together, these elements give a compact, action-guiding picture of the organization’s reason for being. Other elements like how or which tend to describe methods or choices rather than the core purpose, so they don’t fit as cleanly into a mission statement.

A mission statement communicates purpose and scope by answering five core questions: who, what, when, where, and why. Who identifies the audience or the people the organization serves or who is involved. What describes the products, services, or activities offered. When sets the time frame or horizon for the mission—when the organization aims to make an impact or operate within a certain period. Where indicates the geographic reach or the operational realm. Why explains the underlying purpose—the reason the organization exists and the value it seeks to create. Together, these elements give a compact, action-guiding picture of the organization’s reason for being. Other elements like how or which tend to describe methods or choices rather than the core purpose, so they don’t fit as cleanly into a mission statement.