274 Handbook of research on strategy process
Mission
To serve all the people of the state, and indeed the nation, as a center for scholarship and creative endeavor
Attract and Inspire
Recruit and Support
We must serve and elevate our region, state and beyond. Work with our colleagues in local governments to support our local community. Work closely with President Bowles, update our Academic Plan, and we will partner more with our UNC sister institutions Serve and Elevate
Raise funds for merit and need based aid to make Carolina even more financially attractive. Inspire students by looking carefully with the faculty at our academic programs to make them more attractive to students' interests while enhancing their academic rigor
We need to support our gifted teacher- scholars and attract their new colleagues to inspire our students. We must do more – with professorships, funds for research and support for graduate students
Source: UNC Undergraduate Bulletin; Chancellor Holon Thorpe, Installation Address.
Figure 12.4 UNC mission and priorities
UNC campus operationalized as one action learning project a year for the UNC system. Next, I set out to understand the strategy of the UNC KFBS, my direct business unit. I met with the Dean several times, as he was in the process of crafting the strategy for the business school at the same time, as this was his first year in the leadership position. I learned quite a bit from his expe- riences, especially with regard to the importance of connecting with all relevant constituents (for ideas and buy-in), taking it slow (offering bits of the strategy over the course to gauge reactions) and the need for strategic communication (simple and repetitive). One interesting footnote was that over the course of the year, the Dean referred to the vision statement as ‘his’ vision statement for the school, which was normally followed up with, ‘and I hope you can make it yours as well’. This may have been strategic communication or his humility or both. Figures 12.5 and 12.6 show the Dean’s vision statement and strategy summary presented to the faculty over the course of the year. The pri- orities were announced early and he assigned taskforces to each of them. The vision statement violates the aforementioned guidance of 35 words (over twice that at 73 words); so while it seemed to successfully guide the activities of key lieutenants in the process it is unlikely that the majority of faculty could recite it (it is a busy T-shirt). There are also four priorities, rather than the ‘rule of thumb maximum’ of three, but I still found it very
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