The first step in the strategic management process is to identify the organization's current mission, vision, objectives, and strategies. The mission statement outlines the basic purpose and reason for the organization's existence, while the vision statement looks ahead to the future goals. Goals and objectives are then formulated to be in sync with the mission statement, with goals establishing where the organization intends to go and objectives providing yardsticks to measure performance. Together, the mission, vision, goals and objectives guide the organization and provide a framework for the remaining steps in the strategic management process.