Vision-based leadership: The answer to the fast changing retail industry in Thailand?

Abstract

Leaders are widely exhorted to espouse vision, but very little is known about how effective visions are characterized and realized. Extending previous research, the present study tests a proposed vision theory in Thai apparel retailers, taking into consideration effects from vision communication, organizational alignment and motivation of staff. Visions characterized by brevity, clarity, abstractness, challenge, future orientation, stability and desirability or ability to inspire are directly predictive of enhanced customer satisfaction and indirectly predictive of enhanced staff satisfaction. Such visions and their being communicated are directly predictive of increased motivating behavior among store managers, in turn positively affecting staff and customer satisfaction. Organizational alignment is indirectly predictive of enhanced staff and customer satisfaction. © Sooksan Kantabutra, 2008.