Basically, the mission statement describes the fundamental purpose of the organization and its answer the question

why the organization is exists. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a sense of direction, and guide decision-making. It provides the framework or context within which the company's strategies are formulated. Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States. Barnes & Noble originated in 1873 and the company is known for large, upscale retail outlets, many of which contain a cafe serving Starbucks Coffee, and for competitive discounting of bestsellers. . Most stores also sell magazines, newspapers, DVDs, graphic novels, gifts, games, and music. The company operates 717 stores in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia in addition to 636 college bookstores, which serves nearly 4 million students and 250,000 faculty members across the country. The mission statement of Barnes & Noble Booksellers is state that Our mission is to operate the best specialty retail business in America, regardless of the product we sell. Because the product we sell is books, our aspirations must be consistent with the promise and the ideals of the volumes which line our shelves. To say that our mission exists independent of the product we sell is to demean the importance and the distinction of being booksellers. As booksellers we are determined to be the very best in our business, regardless of the size, pedigree or inclinations of our competitors. We will continue to bring our industry nuances of style and approaches to bookselling which are consistent with our evolving aspirations. Above all, we expect to be a credit to the communities we serve, a valuable resource to our customers, and a place where our dedicated booksellers can grow and prosper. Toward this end we will not only listen to our customers and booksellers but embrace the idea that the Company is at their service.

When they selecting a mission Mission statements should be developed with awareness of: the served community; the broader society; the primary activities of programs, staff, and volunteers; the history of the issue(s) that you are addressing in your community; the values held by your staff and volunteers. Avoid long statements. Mission statements should not be highly specific, and clarity is not necessarily improved with length. Make sure your mission statement is no more than one or two sentences. Use active verbs that distinguish your organization but do not limit the scope of your programs and services. For example: enable, build, dedicate, grow, serve, or engage. Re-examine the mission every five years to maintain relevance to the

served community and its needs.

Mission statement is a very important component to an organizations existence because it clearly defines the fundamental purpose of the organization. This purpose of existence will be the uniting factor for the human resource of the organization that will direct them towards the achievement of the organizational goals. Every organization (regardless if they are in the same business/industry) should have a unique mission for its existence. No organization should have the same mission statement. Thus, it is a must for the brain thrust of the organization to create its own unique Mission that will serve as the identity of the organization. Organizational Mission is almost synonymous with organizational objective and goal. Without Mission theres no defining reason for the employees to rally behind except to earn their salaries. This kind of situation is a threat to the fundamental existence of an organization. However, if every organization will create a Mission for its existence it will ensures direction and relevant existence for the organization. This is the importance of having a unique Mission statement for your organization.