Businesses can exist for a long time without a vision. However, without direction businesses cannot exist for a long time. Direction is the cake. Vision is the icing on the cake.

excellent points Dr. Bell.

Reginald L. Bell have given most appropriate answer. Both are important Vision says where to while Direction says How to....

Professor Mohiuddin,

Your welcome. Your question is very interesting and not easy to answer in practice. It is easier to answer in theory.

Vision should have some (reflections of the ) direction of Management. Is not it? Both are important (and interrelated). Some also believe (after having all necessary ingredients/ factors) in the last factor: 'luck'.

To me the first challenge is to complete the vision piece , this needs to be clearly articulated after rigorous discussions within the Management layer at the start of the biz. This needs to be immediately followed by the next challenge - directions piece to ensure the vision is converted to goals. The operations team would next formulate the plan based on the goal and generate implementation strategies.

So yes both are important challenges that needs to be addressed for successful biz

I think a lack of clear direction of management leads to a lack of clear vision of management. GIGO.

It depends on how big the business. If you're looking at the problem from the point of an employee; whether it is a smaller or bigger company, 'lack of clear direction from the management' might be a challenging issue. Vision per se is a corporate strategic objective. It is something to do with the employer. They have to decide where they want to be in the next 5 years.

First, senior management should have aclear vision.

Then, clear direction of management

In my opinion, both are important, but one comes first. a business must have vision before direction can chase the vision. when the vision is poor, it affcets mission and consequently affect direction. a right direction in the wrong endeavour will only tantamount in nothing.

The biggest challenge is maintaining a clear direction in management. The reason for this is because losing a clear direction in which to steer a business inevitably leads to business failure. Changing the direction of the business does not necessarily mean changing the vision of the business. However, it can cause confusion in employees, management, and shareholders. Therefore, to create a stable, trustworthy business atmosphere, it is essential that a clear direction be maintained at all times by management. This will result in better employee motivation and will also convince shareholders that their investments are safe. 

For a capable management, vision will lead to direction in which the management should drive the organization in vibrant, dynamic and competitive business environment. Stagnant management system is likely to move the organization in a fixed direction, whereas dynamic management system is adaptable to feel the pulse of change in the business environment and will strategically plan the direction. Hence vision and direction are inter-related to face the business challenge.

Managers deal with COMPLEXITIES so what they need a clear DIRECTION , Leaders deal with change so they need clear VISION

it can be sequential and starting with clear vision and then we need managerial vision to realize those missions. Clearity can be in shortage at both point and managers should overcome them in a systematic way.....

in my opinion its not about the direction its about the strategic intention of administrators in organizations, if top management has intention to spread overseas then they will line the mission and the vision of organization with  the strategic intention and direct the whole organization to follow it.

It is lack of clear vision.

top management self interest and not organization interest. TOP management commitment and support.

In brief, setting organizational culture for excellent strategy creation in order to produce excellent behaviour of all human resorces when dealing with stakeholders for mutual goals of economic, social, environment perspectives in global market is needed.