Developing future robust visions and strategies with scenarios

Strategy leads the way to the future. Every company and each organization is in need of a strategy. In order to remain competitive, strategies do not only need to be visionary, but especially robust. With respect to this, scenarios are an extremely important tool of strategic planning and enable the development of robust strategies. 

The use of scenarios in the context of future oriented company leadership

We see scenarios as a driver for future success. Therefore, we place scenarios in the center of our future oriented leadership model: Based on the scenario technique, the external scenario development thinks changes of company environments ahead. Based on rather generic external scenarios, company specific options can be systematically identified within the scope of strategy scenarios. These results are than illustrated in a strategy-map.


Nevertheless, strategy development is more than taking a glance into possible futures. It includes further aspects where customers benefit from ScMI’s extensive consulting and methodological expertise:

Business Model Development
Nowadays, a strategy consists of various business models which need to be linked to one another. At the same time, business models are the initial point of most strategic innovations which go clearly beyond new products or new markets. Insofar two questions occur: How do our future business models look like – and how can they be linked to a robust strategy?
Company and Business Strategies
On basis of a vision or a strategic direction the core of a company or business strategy can be developed. These are for example guiding principles, a strategic positioning and strategic competences. Besides that, strategies include first implementation impulses – for example in terms of activities, projects and programs.
Vision and strategic direction of impact
The initial starting point of each strategy is a vision. This fundamental objective is often concretized in a strategic direction. The basis for that is an understanding of the future. Hence, we need to bring together external and strategy scenarios in a future matrix. This is how a real strategic dialog can be initiated and guided.
Strategy Scenarios
In order to be able to make long-lasting strategic decisions all different options need to be taken into account. One valid instrument are strategy scenarios. They are – similar to the classic external scenarios- systematically developed. During this process, decision makers need to open their minds towards different possibilities and with the strategy map they obtain from this process, they receive a suitable tool for pursuing these options continuously.
Strategic Analysis
Strategy development rarely starts on a ‘greenfield site’. Those who want to determine the future course should know where they come from and where they currently stand: how their business is structured, on which strengths they can rely and which weaknesses need to be removed. For such a characterization of the initial situation the suitable tools need to be chosen.

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