The Economist: Managing Uncertainty : Strategies for Surviving and Thriving in Turbulent Times

Managing uncertainty has become a new business imperative. Technological discontinuities, regulatory upheavals, geopolitical shocks, abrupt shifts in consumer tastes or behavior, and many other factors have emerged or intensified in recent years and together conspire to undermine even the most carefully constructed business strategies. Managing Uncertainty: Strategies for Surviving and Thriving in Turbulent Times addresses these new challenges, assessing the sources of business turbulence, how to classify uncertainty, and the different ways in which uncertainty can be embraced to allow greater innovation and growth. Drawing on examples from around the world, the book presents the most recent ideas on what it means to manage uncertainty, from practitioners, academics, and consultants. Addresses the challenges of managing uncertainty in business Presents a step-by-step guide to managing business uncertainty Draws examples from major international companies, including Intel, Procter & Gamble, Siemens, Boeing, Quinetiq, Philips, China Telecom, Ford, Apple, Shell, Glaxo SmithKline and many more Written for business leaders and managers looking for new ways to ensure that their businesses continue to thrive in a world of increasing complexity, Managing Uncertainty presents new and innovative ideas about reducing risk by understanding difficult-to-predict shifts. Global recession, rebellion in the Middle East, and heartrending natural disasters in places as far apart as Japan and Haiti highlight how devastatingly surprising the world we live in can be. So how does a business construct and implement a strategy and embed a management approach that will enable it to get through uncertain times successfully? This book looks at managing uncertainty as a new business imperative. It analyses the sources and triggers of business turbulence, and explores different models for classifying uncertainty explores the cost of uncertainty in the shape of business disruption and lost opportunities - as well as the price paid by staff in the shape of psychological stress, diminished job satisfaction, trust and commitment, shows how embracing uncertainty can lead to greater innovation and business growth draws on new thinking from practitioners, academics and consultants and the experiences of a wide variety of organisations including Intel, Procter & Gamble, Siemens, Boeing, Qinetiq, Philips, China Telecom, Ford, Apple, Nokia, Mars, Shell and Glaxo SmithKilne. Managing Uncertainty is aimed at business leaders and managers who are looking for new ideas and approaches that will help them to succeed in the highly uncertain times we live in today "This book looks at managing uncertainty as a new business imperative. It analyses the sources and triggers of business turbulence, and explores different models for classifying uncertainty; explores the cost of uncertainty in the shape of business disruption and lost opportunities - as well as the price paid by staff in the shape of psychological stress, diminished job satisfaction, trust and commitment; shows how embracing uncertainty can lead to greater innovation and business growth; draws on new thinking from practitioners, academics and consultants and the experiences of a wide variety of organisations including Intel, Procter & Gamble, Siemens, Boeing, Qinetiq, Philips, China Telecom, Ford, Apple, Nokia, Mars, Shell and Glaxo SmithKilne. Managing Uncertainty is aimed at business leaders and managers who are looking for new ideas and approaches that will help them to succeed in the highly uncertain times we live in today."--Publisher description Technological discontinuities, regulatory upheavals, geopolitical shocks, abrupt shifts in consumer tastes or behavior, and many other factors have emerged or intensified in recent years and together conspire to undermine even the most carefully constructed business strategies. Syrett and Devine address these new challenges, assessing the sources of business turbulence, how to classify uncertainty, and the different ways in which uncertainty can be embraced to allow greater innovation and growth.