Scenario Planning and the Art of Strategic Conversation Program - AIM WA UWA Business School Executive Education

Scenario planning is a powerful approach used to explore volatility, uncertainty, complexity and develop plausible futures that map out such issues. Scenarios, in combination with the organisation's business idea, facilitates a strategic conversation that helps to determine a course of action and assists in resource allocation in complex and rapidly changing environments.

The program is explored in the context of real organisational problems. Participants work in groups, focusing on a particular organisation of their choice. Through the implementation of scenario planning tools, participants develop a number of scenarios that explore the key concerns in the scenario agenda. Implications for the organisation are drawn out and considered in the context of strategic change. The process results in new insights about potential strategic risks for the organisation.

The program is designed for public and private sector practitioners who are involved in the development of policy and strategy. In particular, those who are concerned about the strategic future of their organisation will benefit greatly from the scenario planning approach.

As a result of this program, participants will:
• become aware of practical approaches to strategy in situations of uncertainty and ambiguity
• be able to explore and analyse the contextual environment through the development of a ‘set’ of scenarios
• establish the characteristics of success for an organisation, that is, its ‘Business Idea’
• consider issues involved in organisational perception and learning, as well as issues that limit learning
• develop awareness of intervention possibilities
• consider the relationship between scenario planning and strategy
• initiate a scenario-based planning exercise in a practical setting

About the presenters:
Professor George Burt
Professor George Burt is Deputy Head of School, Director of the Centre for Advanced Management Education, and Director of the Stirling MBA at the University of Stirling Management School. He moved to the University of Stirling Management School from Universty of Strathclyde Business School. Over the past 20 years, George has designed and facilitated a range of scenario and futures, both in an educational and a consultant capacity. These projects have been undertaken in the UK and internationally with organisations such as World Bank, Shell, ProRail Holland, PETRONAS Malaysia, de Beers, PayPal, DoosanBabcock, Lloyds Registry Quality Assurance, Caledonian Paper, the Edrington Group, Stirling Council, Dumfries & Galloway Council, and City of Glasgow Council. Prior to his appointment at the University of Stirling, George was the Director of Strathclyde’s MBA and MSc in International Management. During his 20 years at Strathclyde Business School, he established and developed the Centre for Scenario Planning & Futures Studies (CSP&FS). CSP&FS hosted several international conferences on organisational foresight; undertook several large research projects; and hosted a number of training workshops for those interested in scenario planning and futures studies.

To book onto this program, please visit www.execed.com.au/open/programs/program?number=017