Visions exist on different levels of the organization's identity. Every telephone organization, for example, is tied to the original vision of Graham Bell - to provide a tool for universal communication. To become more aware of an organization's vision, one must ask the members and learn to listen for their answers.
People sometimes say that it is pointless to develop a sense of purpose for a company.
Obviously, making money is important. But to confuse the essential requirement for advancing in the game with the deeper rationale, is a profound confusion. Focusing on the purpose of making money at the expense of other purposes, will naturally distract an organization's competitive advantage. A vision shared by the members of an organization helps people to set goals to advance the organization and is an important key for motivation and empowerment. Without an understanding of the organization's purpose, its actions are confined to management by objectives, i.e. the goals that have once have been set by the higher management level or, often in the case of public institutions, by outsiders.