Scenarios: The Art of Strategic Conversation - Hardcover

by Kees Van Der Heijden (Author)

Scenario planning allows companies to move away from linear thinking and better understand external change. Eight years (and 30,000 copies) after publication Scenarios is still acknowledged as the definitive work in the field. Now, Kees van der Heijden brings his bestseller up to date, following up on his original case studies and adding significant new material. The Second Edition changes focus slightly by providing more in-depth analysis and application of the concept of the 'strategic conversation'. While maintaining the underlying rigour of the first edition, van der Heijden revisits the text to make it far more practical and accessible, and in doing so gives you the tools you need to set out and negotiate a successful future course for your organization in the face of significant uncertainty.

Front Jacket

The 'one perfect solution' does not exist. The world is too uncertain for that. But a solution that will work for you is out there, waiting to be discovered.

For many years now, certainly since Scenarios was first published, the only constants in the business environment have been turbulence and change. Today things are no different.

Scenario planning enables managers to face up to this uncertainty by evolving from the idea of finding the 'best strategy' to one of mobilising the 'best strategizing process'. In this long-awaited new edition of his bestselling classic, Kees van der Heijden shows you how to move your organization to meet the future by turning its ongoing 'strategic conversation' to its own advantage. Linking your organization's unique (but often tacit) business idea with scenario thinking, and building on the principles of organizational learning, he describes practical ways to develop those skills that will enhance the continuous scenario-based strategy process.

Kees van der Heijden has written the most comprehensive, detailed and insightful guide to understanding the business enviornment in a way most useful to business. No one has mastered the art of bringing that insight to bear in the real world of business with greater depth than Kees. Peter Schwartz, Chairman, Global Business Network; author of 'The Art of the Long View'.

The span of this book is unusually wide: it goes from the philosophy of scenario thinking to the minute practicalities of how to do it. This book is, in my view, the best field guide in a field where it is easy to go astray and where guidance is precious. Pierre Wack, Former Head of Scenario Planning, Royal Dutch / Shell

Back Jacket

The Second Edition features brand new material throughout, and places increased emphasis on the essential link between organizational success and unique insights and original ideas. In addition, the entire text has been rewritten to bring it up-to-date and make it more practical whilst retaining the underlying rigour. A new website offers support materials for tutors.

Scenarios: The Art of Strategic Conversation, Second Edition will help you:

• Break out of the organization's 'thinking box' and take a wider perspective
• Understand the unique drivers of an organization's success by articulating its central business idea
• Develop scenarios as alternative ways of making sense of what is happening in the business environment, and use them to become more secure with the future
• Gain new understanding of the organization in its 'playing field', using narrative and storylines to articulate the overall systemic framework and make it visible
• Do all of this as an organizational process, to impact thinking of the organization as a whole and to prepare it for action.

Author Biography

About the author

Kees van der Heijden is an Associate Fellow of Templeton College, University of Oxford, and a Visiting Professor at the Netherlands Business School, Nijenrode University. He is also Emeritus Professor of the University of Strathclyde Graduate School of Business, Glasgow, where he has taught General and Strategic Management since 1990. In addition, he is a co-founder of the Global Business Network. Before joining Strathclyde, he was in charge of scenario planning at Royal Dutch/Shell, as head of the Group's Business Environment Division. This involved advising top management on strategy, as well as development of the process of scenario planning in which Shell has taken a worldwide leading role.

He specializes in scenario planning, strategic change and institutional strategic management processes, and has consulted widely in these areas.