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Strategic vision or strategic con?: Rhetoric or reality?
Long Range Planning
|January 9, 1992
Summary
Corporate communication efforts often fail, creating a disconnect between vision and reality. Addressing this requires stronger leadership commitment and improved communication strategies for effective change.
Area of Science:
- Business Strategy
- Organizational Communication
- Corporate Governance
Background:
- Companies invest heavily in communicating vision and mission statements.
- Recent surveys indicate these efforts are frequently counter-productive.
- A significant gap exists between stated corporate rhetoric and actual practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the causes and consequences of the disconnect between corporate vision and reality.
- To identify barriers to successful corporate transformation.
- To propose solutions for more effective communication and leadership in organizational change.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of three recent surveys on corporate communication effectiveness.
- Examination of inter-departmental and inter-hierarchical conflicts.
- Review of leadership roles and communication strategies.
Main Results:
- Significant confrontation arises between different levels and units within organizations.
- Lack of top management commitment and poor communication skills are key barriers to change.
- There is a widespread desire for corporate transformation without a clear understanding of implementation.
Conclusions:
- More competent directors and effective boards are essential for successful change.
- The chairman and chief executive play crucial roles in guiding transformation.
- New attitudes and approaches to communication are required to share a compelling vision effectively.