Keys to building a strategic vision: What every director should know

Abstract

The research presented in this article is entitled "Keys to Building a Strategic Vision: What Every Director Should Know." Its purpose was to investigate the level of mastery that directors of public technological higher education institutions possess regarding the institutional vision and mission, their leadership and management skills, understanding of technological and educational trends, and their capacity to foster innovation and collaboration in academic environments. To this end, qualitative research was conducted with a phenomenological and hermeneutic approach, using focus group strategies and an interview guide. The results were interpreted based on the discourses and cultural contexts of each director. These results denote a lack of skills and competencies in the normative management of a public institution, an ineffective allocation of resources, a lack of knowledge of concepts of governance and transformational leadership, as well as a significant deficiency in the management of soft skills. Using the resulting information, three strategies were designed to equip these executives with the necessary tools and knowledge of public administration to develop a solid strategic vision that integrates institutional foresight and the fundamental principles of governance and leadership.