The VMOST Analysis is a tool that allows a business to evaluate its core strategies in terms of whether the supporting activities of that strategy are being carried out. The VMOST analysis tries to answer that by looking at five core elements: vision, mission, objectives, strategies, and tactics.
VMOST Analysis | Description | Analysis | Implications | Applications | Examples |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Vision | Vision represents a compelling and aspirational statement of the future state or long-term goals that an organization aims to achieve. It serves as a guiding image of success. | – Define the organization’s vision statement, outlining the desired future state and overarching goals. – Ensure that the vision is inspiring and aligns with the organization’s purpose. | – Provides a clear and inspiring picture of the desired future. – Motivates and guides the organization and its stakeholders toward a common goal. | – Developing a visionary statement that inspires employees and stakeholders. – Revisiting and updating the vision as the organization evolves or faces new challenges. | Tesla’s Vision: “To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.” |
2. Mission | Mission defines the core purpose, values, and identity of an organization, answering the question, “Why do we exist?” | – Define the organization’s mission statement, encompassing its purpose and values. – Ensure that the mission aligns with and supports the vision. | – Provides a sense of direction, purpose, and identity. – Guides decision-making and aligns actions with organizational values. | – Developing a clear mission statement for a startup or established organization. – Revisiting the mission when undergoing strategic changes or growth. | Google’s Mission: “To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” |
3. Objectives | Objectives are specific, measurable goals derived from the vision and mission that the organization aims to achieve within a defined timeframe. | – Establish clear, specific, and measurable objectives aligned with the vision and mission. – Set a timeline for achieving these objectives. | – Provides clarity and focus by quantifying what the organization aims to achieve in pursuit of its vision. – Enables measurement of progress and success. | – Defining objectives for revenue growth, market expansion, or customer acquisition. – Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) objectives for project management. | Objective Example: “Achieve a 20% market share in the electric vehicle industry within five years.” |
4. Strategies | Strategies are high-level plans outlining how the organization intends to achieve its objectives and vision, involving key decisions about resource allocation and approach. | – Develop strategies that outline the broad approaches and methods to achieve the defined objectives and vision. – Allocate resources effectively to support the chosen strategies. | – Provides a roadmap for achieving objectives and realizing the vision by defining the overarching approach. – Informs resource allocation and decision-making aligned with the vision. | – Creating a market entry strategy for a new product or geographic region in pursuit of the vision. – Developing marketing strategies to increase brand awareness and market share in line with the vision. | Strategy Example: “Leverage sustainable and innovative technologies to become a global leader in eco-friendly transportation.” |
5. Tactics | Tactics encompass specific actions, initiatives, and detailed steps for implementing chosen strategies and accomplishing defined objectives and the vision. | – Identify and plan specific tactics, activities, and projects that support the execution of chosen strategies and objectives. – Define timelines and responsibilities for tactics. | – Translate high-level strategies into practical actions and initiatives to progress toward objectives and the vision. – Enable step-by-step execution and progress tracking. | – Implementing a content marketing campaign to support a brand awareness strategy aligned with the vision. – Executing a product launch plan to achieve sales objectives and contribute to the vision. – Organizing training programs to enhance employee skills in line with the vision of becoming an industry leader. | Tactical Action Example: “Launch a nationwide advertising campaign targeting eco-conscious consumers to promote sustainable transportation options.” |
Understanding the VMOST analysis
The VMOST analysis divides a strategy into five different elements. Each element is analyzed individually based on how well it aligns with the overall business strategy.
In most cases, VMOST analyses are performed so that a business can define current and future strategies, organizational units, projects, and programs.
Employees – as a part of the business or as individuals – can also be assessed using this technique.
Here is a look at each of the five elements that give the VMOST analysis its name.
Vision
Vision encompasses ideas that summarize where a business sees itself in the future.
Where will it operate? Which target audience will it serve? How will it position itself against the competition? What does the business want to be known for?
The answers to these questions should inspire and challenge the business do to better without being completely unattainable.
Mission
Mission is the series of steps that guide a business to carrying out its vision. To change old and outdated ways of operating, missions must be adopted from senior management down to the entry-level employee.
Objectives
Objectives define whether a mission has been accomplished, usually quantified in the form of key performance indicators (KPIs).
To maximize the chances of meeting certain objectives, businesses can adopt the SMART goal attainment strategy.
In other words, is the objective:
- Smart?
- Measurable?
- Attainable?
- Realistic?
- Time-sensitive?
Strategies
As objectives guide missions, so too do strategies guide objectives. If the goal of a taxi company was to increase revenue by $10 million annually, a potential strategy may include expanding the service into five new cities by the end of the year.
Tactics
Tactics encompass the specific, low-level actions that are taken for strategies to be fulfilled. If we return to the example of the taxi company, possible tactics for expanding into five new cities might include:
- Identifying competition in the form of ride-sharing across the proposed cities.
- Identifying areas in smaller cities where there are gaps in taxi coverage.
- Acquiring a fleet of new vehicles at a cost-effective price.
Advantages of the VMOST Analysis
- Given the somewhat hierarchical nature of the VMOST structure, the analysis is easily understood by various employees and stakeholders.
- The VMOST analysis provides clarity, agreement and focuses on the future direction of the company. This discourages the formation of weak and vague strategies which encourage disharmony and malaise within a company.
Disadvantages of the VMOST Analysis
- A well-constructed VMOST analysis does not guarantee employee buy-in. Strategies that are created by upper management with little employee involvement may be met with inertia when presented to the whole company. Input must be sought by multiple levels of the organization to counter this.
- Some organizations start with a mission or vision that is simply unachievable. Despite perfectly sound objectives and strategies, they will find that they lack the necessary resources to achieve their goals.
VMOST analysis examples
In this section, we will work through a VMOST analysis using The Coca-Cola Company as an example.
Vision
The mission of The Coca-Cola Company is described on its website as follows: “Our vision is to craft the brands and choice of drinks that people love, to refresh them in body & spirit. And done in ways that create a more sustainable business and better shared future that makes a difference in people’s lives, communities and our planet.”
Mission
In recent years, The Coca-Cola Company dropped its mission statement in favor of the vision statement seen above. However, elements of the original mission statement which read “To refresh the world, To inspire moments of happiness, To create value and make a difference” have been retained.
While not exactly equivalent to a mission statement, the company also notes the following purpose statement: “Refresh the world. Make a difference.”
Objectives
According to the investor relations section of its website, the company has five key objectives to navigate the pandemic and drive a subsequent growth trajectory:
- Win more customers.
- Gain market share.
- Strong system economics.
- Strengthen stakeholder impact.
- Equip the organization to win.
Strategies
Coca-Cola has various strategies that are described in the context of its vision statement. We have included a few of them from each area of focus below:
Loved brands
- Powerful partnerships with its bottling system to bring brands to life.
- Excellence in product ingredients, design, marketing, and innovation.
- Maintain a focus on both local and global actions.
Done sustainably
- Improve water security where it is needed most.
- Reduce the carbon footprint of the company.
- Contribute to a circular economy with a focus on recycling all waste.
For a better, shared future
- Support local communities, particularly when it is most needed.
- Build an inclusive society characterized by equal opportunities.
- Invest in the personal growth and unique talents of employees.
Tactics
Tactics in The Coca-Cola Company help it create a culture with a passion to make a difference and refresh the world. The company defines tactics in terms of these behaviors:
- Mindset – an expansive, creative, and growth-oriented mindset that believes in continuous learning and values the way work is performed.
- Curious – this means never becoming too comfortable and consistently searching for new possibilities or horizons.
- Empowered – employees must be accountable for their actions and believe that they can make a difference to the success of the company.
- Inclusive – it is also important Coca-Cola leverages its broad employee diversity and global network to facilitate success. What’s more, the company believes that most of the time, two brains are better than one.
- Agile – the best way to learn is by doing and there is nothing wrong with iterating until something is perfected. Agility also means acting with a sense of urgency.
Case studies
- Online Retail Store:
- Vision: To be the top online retail destination for sustainable products by 2030.
- Mission: Offer a wide variety of quality sustainable products, ensure a seamless online shopping experience, and promote eco-friendly practices.
- Objectives: Increase the number of sustainable products by 50% in two years and achieve a customer satisfaction rate of 95%.
- Strategies: Partner with eco-friendly brands, implement a user-friendly interface, and launch a marketing campaign promoting sustainable shopping.
- Tactics: Offer discounts on eco-friendly products, optimize the website for mobile use, and collaborate with influencers for sustainable product promotions.
- Healthcare Startup:
- Vision: Revolutionize healthcare delivery through technology by 2025.
- Mission: Provide affordable and easily accessible telehealth services to patients globally.
- Objectives: Serve one million patients and expand operations to five countries in three years.
- Strategies: Develop a robust telehealth platform, collaborate with renowned doctors, and offer competitive pricing.
- Tactics: Offer free initial consultations, ensure platform security, and engage in targeted online marketing.
- Fitness Gym Chain:
- Vision: Be the preferred fitness destination for families by 2030.
- Mission: Offer diverse fitness programs catering to all age groups in a safe and motivating environment.
- Objectives: Open 50 new branches and achieve a member retention rate of 90% in five years.
- Strategies: Offer family packages, introduce innovative fitness programs, and maintain high hygiene standards.
- Tactics: Organize monthly family fitness events, collaborate with celebrity trainers for special sessions, and implement a strict cleaning schedule.
- Eco-friendly Travel Agency:
- Vision: Promote sustainable tourism and be the go-to agency for eco-conscious travelers by 2028.
- Mission: Offer travel packages that ensure minimal environmental impact and contribute to local communities.
- Objectives: Increase bookings by 70% and establish partnerships with 100 eco-resorts in the next four years.
- Strategies: Curate unique eco-friendly travel experiences, collaborate with sustainable accommodations, and promote responsible tourism.
- Tactics: Offer carbon offset options for flights, provide eco-travel tips to clients, and host webinars on sustainable travel practices.
- Educational Tech Platform:
- Vision: Bridge the global education gap through technology by 2032.
- Mission: Offer quality online educational resources and tools for students and educators worldwide.
- Objectives: Reach 10 million users and collaborate with 500 educational institutions in six years.
- Strategies: Develop a comprehensive online curriculum, offer multi-language support, and collaborate with renowned educators.
- Tactics: Offer free trial periods, integrate AI-driven personalized learning paths, and host international educational webinars.
- Organic Food Cafe:
- Vision: Be the leading organic cafe chain championing health and wellness by 2030.
- Mission: Serve fresh, organic, and tasty meals that contribute to the well-being of customers.
- Objectives: Open 20 outlets and maintain an average customer rating of 4.8/5 over the next three years.
- Strategies: Source locally produced organic ingredients, introduce diverse menus, and focus on customer feedback.
- Tactics: Offer loyalty programs, introduce seasonal specials, and engage with customers on social media for feedback and promotions.
Key takeaways
- The VMOST analysis is a strategic planning tool that helps businesses focus on activities that are aligned with their core visions.
- The VMOST analysis is comprised of five separate elements that together, deconstruct how a business can align its words with actions.
- The VMOST analysis is a simple and effective framework that all key stakeholders can understand. But it is nevertheless vulnerable to a lack of employee buy-in.
Key Highlights
- VMOST Analysis: A tool to evaluate business strategies by analyzing the alignment of vision, mission, objectives, strategies, and tactics.
- Vision: The future state a business aims to achieve, inspiring and challenging but attainable.
- Mission: The steps that guide a business towards its vision, adopted from top management to entry-level employees.
- Objectives: Quantifiable goals that determine mission success, often framed using SMART criteria.
- Strategies: Guiding plans that lead to objectives’ achievement, driving the mission.
- Tactics: Specific actions and low-level steps that support the implementation of strategies.
- Advantages: Clarity, agreement, and focus on the company’s future direction, discouraging vague strategies and promoting harmony.
- Disadvantages: May lack employee buy-in if not involving multiple levels of the organization, and vision or mission may be unachievable.
- VMOST Analysis Example: Applying VMOST analysis to The Coca-Cola Company, examining its vision, mission, objectives, strategies, and tactics.
- Importance: VMOST analysis helps businesses align their strategies and actions, ensuring that core elements of the business work together to achieve their goals. It provides a clear roadmap for decision-making and goal attainment.
Related Frameworks | Definition | Focus | Application |
---|---|---|---|
VMOST Analysis | A strategic planning tool that evaluates and aligns key elements of an organization’s strategy, including Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics. VMOST helps organizations clarify their purpose, set strategic goals, and identify the actions needed to achieve them. | Focuses on assessing and aligning the vision, mission, objectives, strategies, and tactics of an organization to ensure coherence and direction in strategic planning and execution. | Strategic Planning, Organizational Alignment, Goal Setting |
SWOT Analysis | A strategic planning tool used to identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to a business venture or project. SWOT analysis helps organizations assess internal capabilities and external factors to formulate strategies and make informed decisions. | Focuses on analyzing internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats to develop strategies that leverage strengths, mitigate weaknesses, capitalize on opportunities, and address threats effectively. | Strategic Planning, Business Analysis, Decision-making |
Balanced Scorecard (BSC) | A strategic performance management framework developed by Robert Kaplan and David Norton. The Balanced Scorecard translates an organization’s strategy into a set of balanced performance measures across four perspectives: Financial, Customer, Internal Processes, and Learning & Growth. | Focuses on aligning strategic objectives and performance measures across multiple dimensions to monitor and manage organizational performance effectively. | Strategic Performance Management, Strategy Execution, KPIs |
OKR (Objectives and Key Results) | A goal-setting framework popularized by John Doerr and widely used in organizations, including Google. OKR involves setting ambitious yet achievable objectives and defining measurable key results to track progress and ensure alignment towards strategic goals. | Focuses on setting clear and measurable objectives and key results to align teams and individuals, drive focus and accountability, and track progress towards strategic goals and priorities. | Goal Setting, Performance Management, Alignment |
PESTLE Analysis | A strategic tool used to analyze and understand the external macro-environmental factors that impact an organization or market. PESTLE stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental factors, providing insights into the broader context of business operations. | Focuses on identifying and evaluating external factors and trends in the business environment to anticipate opportunities, threats, and regulatory challenges, guiding strategic planning and decision-making. | Strategic Planning, Risk Assessment, Environmental Scanning |
Porter’s Five Forces | A framework developed by Michael Porter to analyze the competitive forces within an industry. Porter identified five forces: Threat of New Entrants, Bargaining Power of Buyers, Bargaining Power of Suppliers, Threat of Substitute Products, and Intensity of Competitive Rivalry. | Focuses on assessing the competitive dynamics and attractiveness of an industry by analyzing the forces that shape competition, helping organizations understand their competitive position and formulate strategies for sustainable competitive advantage. | Industry Analysis, Competitive Strategy, Market Positioning |
McKinsey 7S Framework | A management model developed by McKinsey & Company that identifies seven internal elements critical to organizational effectiveness: Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Skills, Style, and Staff. The 7S Framework helps organizations diagnose alignment issues and drive change. | Focuses on analyzing the interrelationships between strategy, structure, systems, shared values, skills, style, and staff within an organization to diagnose alignment issues and drive organizational change and performance improvement. | Organizational Development, Change Management, Performance Improvement |
Blue Ocean Strategy | A strategic planning approach that emphasizes creating uncontested market space by innovating and offering unique value propositions. Blue ocean strategy focuses on simultaneously reducing costs and increasing value for customers to create new demand and unlock new market opportunities. | Focuses on identifying and tapping into new market spaces with limited competition, allowing companies to differentiate themselves and capture uncontested market share, driving sustainable growth and profitability. | Strategic Planning, Innovation Management, Market Creation |
Theory of Constraints (TOC) | A management philosophy developed by Eliyahu Goldratt that focuses on identifying and mitigating constraints (bottlenecks) in processes to improve overall performance. TOC emphasizes the importance of focusing efforts on resolving the most critical constraints to achieve organizational goals. | Focuses on identifying and addressing constraints that limit organizational performance, enabling organizations to optimize processes, improve throughput, and achieve strategic objectives more effectively. | Process Improvement, Performance Optimization, Constraint Management |
Connected Analysis Frameworks
Failure Mode And Effects Analysis
Agile Business Analysis
Business Valuation
Paired Comparison Analysis
Monte Carlo Analysis
Cost-Benefit Analysis
CATWOE Analysis
VTDF Framework
Pareto Analysis
Comparable Analysis
SWOT Analysis
PESTEL Analysis
Business Analysis
Financial Structure
Financial Modeling
Value Investing
Buffet Indicator
Financial Analysis
Post-Mortem Analysis
Retrospective Analysis
Root Cause Analysis
Blindspot Analysis
Break-even Analysis
Decision Analysis
DESTEP Analysis
STEEP Analysis
STEEPLE Analysis
Activity-Based Management
PMESII-PT Analysis
SPACE Analysis
Lotus Diagram
Functional Decomposition
Multi-Criteria Analysis
Stakeholder Analysis
Strategic Analysis
Related Strategy Concepts: Go-To-Market Strategy, Marketing Strategy, Business Models, Tech Business Models, Jobs-To-Be Done, Design Thinking, Lean Startup Canvas, Value Chain, Value Proposition Canvas, Balanced Scorecard, Business Model Canvas, SWOT Analysis, Growth Hacking, Bundling, Unbundling, Bootstrapping, Venture Capital, Porter’s Five Forces, Porter’s Generic Strategies, Porter’s Five Forces, PESTEL Analysis, SWOT, Porter’s Diamond Model, Ansoff, Technology Adoption Curve, TOWS, SOAR, Balanced Scorecard, OKR, Agile Methodology, Value Proposition, VTDF Framework, BCG Matrix, GE McKinsey Matrix, Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model.
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