Product Description

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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #53218 in Books
• Published on: 2004-11-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 380 pages

Review
“…all important subjects for the modern manager are covered in 5 parts…” (Business Books – web)

Review
“…all important subjects for the modern manager are covered in 5 parts…” (Business Books – web)

From the Inside Flap
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.

Customer Reviews

A powerful and well-considered book
This is an interesting and thought provoking book by a strategist and planner of many years experience. van der Heijden develops a useful way for managers to think about their business and its possible futures.

Many interesting concepts are considered to improve the "fitness" of the organisation. At times it can be challenging but developing a "learning organisation" should not be considered an easy exercise

Packed with Knowledge!
Many business books provide just enough information to whet executives' appetites for more advice accompanied by high consulting fees. Author Kees van der Heijden has written an exception. His comprehensive volume puts scenario building in historical context, explains its relationship to forecasting and tells you how to introduce scenario planning to your organization. Once you understand your corporate identity and your fundamental "Business Idea," he says, you can establish and enact informative scenarios that will prepare your company for several different versions of what lies ahead. In that way, scenario planning generates better decision making. We strongly recommend this book to top managers, strategists and planners, especially those who sense they're making decisions on the fly without having a structure for thinking deeply about future implications.