Is VUCA the end of organisational strategy? By Caroline Burns, PhD. 

Why should we care about strategy? Why bother working on sophisticated strategies when everything around us is changing all the time? Countless articles are published every day highlighting how Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) the world has become.

Further, most models and processes used by organisations were developed during the 20th century - were they made for a different time when we could plan 3 or 5 years out, when our competitors were as familiar as our own products and services, when taking a year to perfect a new product or implement a major IT system was ok?

In this week's DD, we will explore the relevance of common strategic planning models, the challenges facing organisations in strategic planning and alternative approaches that might yield better outcomes by asking:

• Why do we need a strategy? Does anybody actually know or care what our strategy is?
• Does our planning methodology produce a strategy that’s “real” or even useful?
• Is there a better way or is strategic planning an act of futility?

Caroline has a 30+ year entrepreneurial career, specialising in business growth, market share capture, and competitive edge. With 17 years of experience in Asia, she focuses on sustainable growth and resource capability. Caroline's doctoral research emphasises the importance of a "one size fits all" approach to creating value. She actively participates on private company boards and nonprofit boards, promoting collaboration, innovation, and critical thinking.

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