Organizational Visioning as a Four-Stage Model. A Systematic Review and Research Agenda

The articulation of a compelling organizational vision is considered as a sine qua non of successful organizations. Challenging the prevailing top-down perspective that emphasized the role of leaders in organizational visioning, we propose a systematic review to offer a novel, processual perspective on organizational visioning in which multiple phases and actors are involved. Drawing on a review of 155 articles, our aims are to define the main phases through which the visioning process unfolds (formation, communication, assimilation, and implementation) and develop a nomological network that accounts for different levels of analysis. Based on the integrative insights gained, we outline a research agenda that highlights opportunities for theoretical advancements in organizational visioning research.