| "However good our futures research may be, we shall never be able to escape from the ultimate dilemma that all our knowledge is about the past, and all our decisions are about the future." - Ian Wilson, American Scenario Planning Expert and Strategy Consultant |
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In his book, A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking the celebrated physicist conclusively argues the arrow of time points only in the forward direction. That explains why we can remember the past, but not the future. This existentialist dilemma is exacerbated by the fact that all our knowledge is about the past, and all our decisions are about the future (Ian Wilson). In a change prone and future-uncertain environment, businesses need to prepare themselves for circumstances they cannot predict and over which they have little control. That is why the ability to anticipate and prepare for the future creates sustainable competitive advantage. Scenario Planning provides a robust methodology for preparing the organisation for the uncertainties and unknowns beyond the horizon. |