PurposeRecent decades have seen a change in the environment of business schools. These changes place great responsibility on deans as the leaders of schools to act. To date, there has been a dearth of literature dealing specifically with visionary responses on the part of the deans of business schools to those changes in the institutional environment. The purpose of this paper is to address the most recent institutional pressures in the business education field and present a framework linking it to the visionary leadership deans may demonstrate.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is conceptual in nature and bases its analysis on institutional theory. The use of an institutional lens offers a new perspective on possible visions deans may lead and on the nature of their leadership.FindingsThe article proposes an institutional framework of visionary leadership in business schools and suggests that vigorous visionary leadership among deans is required in order to generate a unique school identity and reputation. The paper concludes by outlining steps leaders can take while shaping their vision in order to create a unique organizational identity.Originality/valueThe institutional framework has a central place in organizational and educational literature. So far, the literature has not dealt with the links between institutional theory and visionary leadership as a whole, or in business schools in particular. The present paper addresses this gap and offers new insights for researchers and practitioners alike.

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to illuminate a crucial component missing in the education of MBA students. This component involves awareness translated into skills that would enable leaders to narrow the gap between vision and practice.Design/methodology/approachAn analysis of MBA curricula shows that the ability to exploit intangible assets has not been explored sufficiently as well as why this ability is instrumental for leadership.FindingsThis study emphasises how crucially important it is for leaders to be able to consolidate a vision and lead change derived from that vision as reflected in their daily managerial practice, and argues that current MBA students need to develop additional unique skills that will enable them to diagnose problems related to the assimilation of change and to measure the effectiveness of this process.Originality/valueThis paper offers an original approach to the link between theory and practice and to the importance of developing a vision that challenges the way this topic is generally taught in MBA programs.

PurposeThe purpose of this issue is to provide an overview of the special issue on practical wisdom for management from the Jewish traditions.Design/methodology/approachThe guest editorial introduces the papers in this special issue, focusing in practical wisdom for management from the Jewish traditions.FindingsThe question on the relationship between the Jewish tradition and practical wisdom for management is answered in two different ways: first, providing a particular Jewish answer to managerial problems and second, presenting how Judaism can be a field of reflection learning for managerial praxis at both organizational and individual level.Originality/valueThe paper shows that the special issue offers insights into the value of practical wisdom of the Jewish traditions, from two particular points of view, as a guide for action and as an ethical approach to management.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore how culture influences organizational behavior by connecting elements stemming from individuals’ social habitus with other elements pertaining to the organization itself; rejecting a “new age” approach, the paper studies how references drawn from Judaism can feed an organizational reflection process that impacts management practice.Design/methodology/approachThe paper centers on a case study about the Graduate Unit of an academic institution, which trains in the field of educational leadership.FindingsDeveloping a common social habitus during the formative years makes it more likely that compatible projects can be implemented within various complementary organizations to achieve significant impact. In this case, the common knowledge of Jewish philosophy, the common “Jewish wisdom,” served as a catalyst. Creating a common organizational culture without such common elements would be impossible.Research limitations/implicationsThe research presented here in the non‐profit field suggests that belief in a possible creation and sharing of an organizational culture to further a company's objectives is largely illusory.Originality/valueThe paper studies organizations in the third sector to understand elements in the business sector.

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