Have you noticed the rush of companies going agile? The many calls for transformation? As we enter an age of uncertainty, firms are desperately searching for the tools to keep pace. The problem is that most of our existing frameworks, developed during a more stable era, don’t work as well in dynamic conditions. This isn’t to say the old frameworks and the tools that went with them are completely irrelevant. There will always be a need to understand industry structure or to use your resources to create new advantages, but when the world is changing fast, we need different tools.
John Scott/Getty Images
Summary.
Most existing strategy frameworks, developed during a more stable era, don’t work well in dynamic conditions. We need new frameworks to guide companies through uncertainty. And three key features emerge as common to these frameworks: the individual’s ability to cope with uncertainty; the organization’s ability to experiment; and recognizing that strategy is a creative exercise.
New!
HBR Learning
Strategy Planning and Execution Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Strategy Planning and Execution. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
How to develop a winning strategy—and put it to work.
Learn More & See All Courses
New!
HBR Learning
HBR Learning
Strategy Planning and Execution Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Strategy Planning and Execution. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
How to develop a winning strategy—and put it to work.