Managing in a VUCA World, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2016

This book examines volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) and addresses the need for broader knowledge and application of new concepts and frameworks to deal with unpredictable and rapid changing situations. The premises of VUCA can shape all aspects of an organization. To cover all areas, the book is divided into six sections. Section 1 acts as an introduction to VUCA and complexity. It reviews ways to manage complexity, while providing examples for tools and approaches that can be applied. The main focus of Section 2 is on leadership, strategy and planning. The chapters in this section create new approaches to handle VUCA environments pertaining to these areas including using the Tetralemma logics, tools from systemic structural constellation (SySt) approach of psychotherapy and organizational development, to provide new ideas for the management of large strategic programs in organizations. Section 3 considers how marketing and sales are affected by VUCA, from social media?s influence to customer value management. Operations and cost management are highlighted in Section 4. This section covers VUCA challenges within global supply chains and decision-oriented controlling. In Section 5 organizational structure and process management are showcased, while Section 6 is dedicated to addressing the effects of VUCA in IT, technology and data management. The VUCA forces present businesses with the need to move from linear modes of thought to problem solving with synthetic and simultaneous thinking. This book should help to provide some starting points and ideas to deal with the next era. It should not be understood as the end of the road, but as the beginning of a journey exploring and developing new concepts for a new way of management.

Oliver Mack is Researcher, Entrepreneur, Coach and Consultant located in Salzburg and Vienna, Austria. He studied Business Administration and Law at the University of Mannheim and got his PhD in Political Science at Johannes-Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Germany. He is author of several publications and speaker at international conferences and meetings and he is academic teacher in international organizations. Mack is founder of mack:consulting, a consulting company helping companies and organizations in the “3rd mode of consulting”,  combination of traditional top management consulting and systemic change consulting in the main areas of Project Orientation, New Organizational Design and Restructuring/Change. Oliver Mack is Network partner of osb international Vienna, a leading Systemic Consulting companies in Europe. He is also founder of the xm:institute, an organization doing applied research and application of “Ideas for Management & Leadership in the Next Society”. He is active in various associations, like Board Member at GLOBArt, a leading Austrian Think Tank for the Future Society.

Anshuman Khare is Professor in Operations Management at Athabasca University, Canada. He joined Athabasca University in January 2000. He is a MBA and PhD from Allahabad University, India. He is an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow and has completed two post-doctoral terms at Johannes Gutenberg Universität in Mainz, Germany. He is also a former Monbusho Scholar, having completed a postdoctoral assignment at Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan. He has published a number of books and research papers on a wide range of topics. His research focuses on environmental regulation impacts on industry, just-in-time manufacturing, supply chain management, sustainability, cities and climate change, etc.  Anshuman serves on Athabasca University General Faculties Council representing Faculty of Business Faculty Council as a full-time academic faculty member. As his commitm

Examines concepts, tools and frameworks for management to deal with volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA)

Showcases VUCA from different perspectives including marketing, information technology, and sustainability management

Offers approaches that can be applied to help managers cope with the increasing speed and complexity in their work