We need strategy. The world is changing, the future uncertain. What is required is vision: What might the future bring? Where is our business going? What are our fundamental business values? This book is a manual for all those who want to apply strategy in organisations. It is intended for everyone who wants to put the future on the agenda, to look beyond the short term and beyond mere profit. It describes in practical terms the eight questions we must continually discuss in order to pursue a future-proof strategy in a dynamic and uncertain world: mission, trends, scenarios, options, vision, roadmap, action and monitoring. If you are dissatisfied with an approach to strategy based on simple backward looking analysis, management controls and problems solving after the fact, but would like to make a positive contribution to thinking about the future, Scenario-based Strategy offers the instruments to turn your intention into practice. The text provides examples from commercial to government and trade organizations; showing how others have undertaken future explorations and how they used these explorations to create a dynamic strategy. Paul de Ruijter has a deep insight into the theory, alongside practical experience working with some of the most highly regarded and resilient organizations. The result is a rich combination of methodology and practical, engaging examples that shows you how to go about creating an agenda for the future.
Biography
Paul de Ruijter is Managing Director of De Ruijter Strategy, and he has been involved with scenario based strategy projects with clients ranging from cities, NGOs, ministries, trade associations, multinationals and global institutions. Paul is Executive Lecturer at Nyenrode University, Delft University and the University of Amsterdam and is a renowned speaker at international congresses and seminars. He is co-author of a book about business opportunities in South-Africa (1992), a book about Industrial Policy in the Netherlands (1999) and a book about scenarios at Rabobank (2004). He has written a chapter in Scenarios for Success (2008) and was the lead author of a handbook on using scenarios in the public sector (2004) and of a book about scenarios and strategy for trade associations (2006).
’If all you have to guide you are ... evolutionary skills, you'll be in deep trouble. Hence you must build up your skills of foresight. Paul's book is the best I know that teaches you how to do this. Read it carefully, Paul's insights will keep you out of a lot of the trouble that merely reacting has in store for you.’ Ulrich Golüke, former Head of the Scenario Unit, World Business Council for Sustainable Development ’In this book, Paul clearly explains how everyday tools such as visions, mission statements, budgets, scenarios and roadmaps can be combined in new ways to create a coherent and dynamic strategy appropriate to the needs of any organisation.’ Peter Taylor, University of Leeds, UK ’Paul de Ruijter's deep insight into the theory, and practical experience in its application, come together in this excellent tool for charting the future of any company.’ Jeff Westphal, President and CEO of Vertex Inc. ’This book has helped me to develop a new generation of strategic thinkers and leaders within IHC Merwede. Strategy is too important to leave to the few at the top. We need more eyes to see what is coming, more brains to imagine the future and more guts and hands to actually create it.’ Govert Hamers, former CEO of IHC Merwede, President and CEO of Vanderlande Industries ’Paul de Ruijter presents a rich combination of methodology and practical, engaging examples that show us how to go about creating an agenda for the future. I only wish he had written it 20 years ago when I was a scenario planner in Eastern Europe.’ Hadley Williams, Managing Director of Human Productivity, LLC ’A practical book that takes the reader by the hand into the essence of strategic thinking in an understandable way, but that also has a lot to offer the experienced strategist. A must read!’ Freek van Essen, Director of Corporate Strategy at Air France-KLM ’Few people dare to think the unthinkable and are able to translate this into consequences for
