Under Pressure: Visioning in a Regulated Environment

Abstract

This paper describes four case studies of the practice of vision development in four utilities organisations. Important observations emerge about current practice; for example, tensions can be observed in organisations struggling to satisfy the expectations of a diverse range of stakeholders. Formal methodologies for visioning are rarely adopted in vision development; rather more informal processes of debate are preferred. Difficulties with internal communication and staff buy-in to the vision are also identified. Comparisons are drawn with the results of previous work on visioning in the financial services sector.