Application of Visionary Concepts for Institutional Development: A Case of University of Arusha

Abstract

Although the future is normally uncertain, to a leader the future must be certain and very clear. For organizations to survive for 100 years and more, leaders need to understand the essence and application of vision to enhance organizational development.There is a difference between vision and visionary vision. Vision is static while visionary vision is dynamic. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether leaders apply visionary concepts and enhance organizational development at their place of work. The population of the study was purposive and entailed the University of Arusha leaders in various capacities from the past and present within the church sphere. The questionnaire was employed to collect data, and data were analyzed with SPSS. The main results of the research on descriptive analysis indicated core value, core purpose, vivid description, Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) were significant. Using data triangulation method which incorporated open ended questions and interview, were analyzed using the technique of content analysis which included open coding and axial coding as delineated by Strauss and Corbin and on the interview part. Collecting and thinking about interesting things by Seidel was incorporated and analyzed. The results revealed that there is a misalignment of core ideology and envisioned future and uncertainty to apply visionary concepts.

Keywords: Vision, visionary, core ideology, envisioned future, core value, core purpose, BHAG, vivid description.