More than ever in an age of rapidly evolving technologies and global expansion, sustainable competitive advantage depends above all on a clear sense of organizational purpose (mission) and gives a compelling vision for success (Campbell & Alexander, 1997). Together, these two key elements define the guiding framework for intuitive value creation (Campbell & Alexander, 1997) that differentiates an organization from its competitors (Porter, 1996). Therefore, knowledge of the critical elements that make up meaningful mission and vision statements (Aguinis, 2009) becomes essential to achieving sustainable competitive advantage. As evidence, this paper evaluates the strategic direction provided by Starbucks Coffee Company's mission and vision statements. More specifically, the discussion defines the characteristics found in good mission and vision statements, describes salient features of Starbucks' mission and vision, and concludes with a concise assessment of their relative effectiveness as a guiding framework for strategic decision making in developing and implementation of a business organization. competitive strategy that links organizational priorities with performance. Characteristics of an Ideal Mission Statement In its broadest sense, a mission statement defines an organization's economic and social roles and the expected contributions of its existence (Campbell & Alexander, 1997). Most important for strategic decision making is that a good mission statement provides “long-term directional stability without pushing the organization into an unrealistic box” (Campbell & Alexander, 1997, p. 8). In essence, a mission statement defines the confluence of the organization's core competencies with the needs of its stakeholders (Ba...... middle of document...... Journal of Business Strategy, 31(1), 37 -45. doi:10.1108/02756661011012769Our Starbucks Mission Statement (2011. Retrieved from http://www.starbucks.com/about-us/company-information/mission-statementPorter, M. (1987, November). .Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org/1987/05/from-competitive-advantage-to-corporate-strategy/ar/1Porter, M. (1996). 1996/11/what-is-strategy/ar/1Rohm, H. (2008) Is There a Strategy in Your Strategic Plan Balanced Scorecard Institute 2012, from http://www.balancedscorecard.org/BSCResources/StrategicPlanningBasics/tabid/459 /Default.aspxSchultz, H. (2011 Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life Without Losing Its Soul). New York: Rodale.