This Element infuses established scenario planning routines with an exploration of cognitive reasoning, by contextualising scenario thinking within the wider human endeavour of grappling with future uncertainties. A study of ancient civilisations shows that scenario thinking is not new, but has evolved significantly since ancient times. By de-coupling scenario thinking from scenario planning, it is elevated as the essential ingredient in managerial foresight projects. The historical theme continues, focussing on the evolution of modern scenario planning, by way of the French and Anglo-American schools of thought, using the intuitive logics methodology. Archival research has discovered early contributions in the UK around the development and use of scenario thinking in public policy, which has been overlooked in many received histories. Finally, the usefulness of scenario thinking for strategic management is challenged here and the argument that it is a heuristic device for overcoming cognitive biases and making better strategic decisions is refined.
This is a concise, thematic strategy text which will help students to see organizations from the perspective of the Chief Executive and to understand and debate the challenges, opportunities and issues which constitute the role of the CEO.
This book analyses the determining factors behind productivity and innovation amongst Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore, and within the context of South East Asia, in order to offer recommendations for increasing productivity and aiding economic growth. SME firms are an influential driver of economic growth in advanced world economies like the USA, Germany, Japan and South Korea. Throughout the 2000s, Singapore experienced a decline in economic growth which was linked to decreasing productivity in its SMEs. The decline triggered a transformational policy by a Government intent on forging a ‘high skill–high productivity’ future. Given substantial evidence that low productivity growth occurred in sectors where immigrants dominated the workforce, the seeds of recovery focused on improving productivity and innovation amongst SMEs in those sectors. Hence, this book investigates the factors determining productivity amongst SMEs across the manufacturing sector. It utilises personal interviews with global experts and CEOs, combined with primary data collected from a major international Delphi survey, and interviews with 215 SME owners and managers in Singapore. This data helps us to better understand how these productivity-enhancing factors can be used to increase performance amongst SMEs. By investigating the nature and process of total factor productivity in Singapore’s SMEs, this book tells the policy story behind the revolution. To provide a comparative analysis, Singapore’s story is placed within a South East Asian context. The unfolding narrative contains important lessons for policy makers and industry globally, as they assess the strategic choices available to them for improving productivity and innovation. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of innovation and productivity, as well as economic development officers, government policy advisors, SME business managers and sustainable businesses.
Innovation maybe the ultimate driving force of a nation's economic growth and prosperity. According to Porter's theory of national competitive advantage, a nation's economic development typically goes through the following several stages: resource driven, investment driven and innovation driven (Porter, 1998). Since China embarked on the road of economic reform and opening up to the world in late 1970s, several decades of economic development have achieved astonishing accomplishments, known as the China Miracle. The major engine for economic growth has been the huge investment infused into the.
The book that bridges the chasm between communication and understanding in negotiations For years Peter Nixon worked with people from all walks of life, teaching them the art of negotiation. But it soon became apparent that the issue was not negotiation itself, but dialogue between parties. We have become experts at sending information—via email, text message, Internet, TV, and other forms of media, communicating, but not engaging, in an active dialogue defined by collaborative thinking. In Dialogue Gap, Nixon explores this growing disconnect and its significance in an increasingly globalized world where the ability to engage with others—in order to address issues like climate change, cultural differences, etc.—has become essential. Helps the reader differentiate communication and dialogue Explores the make-up and causes of the "Dialogue Gap" and what constitutes "good" dialogue (the right people talking about the right issues in the right way at the right time and in the right place) Identifies the most common reasons people don't dialogue effectively and provides helpful tips on how to engage in more effective, productive dialogues Effective dialogue is essential for general success, ensuring that all key stakeholders—in business, politics, or elsewhere—get what they want in the most efficient and productive way possible. Looking at successful and failed dialogues the author has experienced first-hand in Asia, Europe, North America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East in both the public and private sector from across industries, Dialogue Gap provides essential information for making the most of your interactions with others.
An accessible introduction to the history, fundamental concepts, challenges, and controversies of the fMRI by one of the pioneers in the field. The discovery of functional MRI (fMRI) methodology in 1991 was a breakthrough in neuroscience research. This non-invasive, relatively high-speed, and high sensitivity method of mapping human brain activity enabled observation of subtle localized changes in blood flow associated with brain activity. Thousands of scientists around the world have not only embraced fMRI as a new and powerful method that complemented their ongoing studies but have also gone on to redirect their research around this revolutionary technique. This volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series offers an accessible introduction to the history, fundamental concepts, challenges, and controversies of fMRI, written by one of the pioneers in the field. Peter Bandettini covers the essentials of fMRI, providing insight and perspective from his nearly three decades of research. He describes other brain imaging and assessment methods; the sources of fMRI contrasts; the basic methodology, from hardware to pulse sequences; brain activation experiment design strategies; and data and image processing. A unique, standalone chapter addresses major controversies in the field, outlining twenty-six challenges that have helped shape fMRI research. Finally, Bandettini lays out the four essential pillars of fMRI: technology, methodology, interpretation, and applications. The book can serve as a guide for the curious nonexpert and a reference for both veteran and novice fMRI scientists.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by a sea of revision, let OUP's Questions and Answers series keep you afloat Written by experienced examiners, the Q&As offer expert advice on what to expect from your exam, how best to prepare, and guidance on what examiners are really looking for. Revision isn't always plain sailing, but the Q&As will allow you to approach your exams with confidence. Q&As will help you succeed by: - identifying typical law exam questions - giving you model answers for up to 50 essay and problem-based questions - demonstrating how to structure a good answer - helping you to avoid common mistakes - advising you on how to make your answer stand out from the crowd - teaching you how to use your existing knowledge to convey exactly what the examiner is looking for - directing you to related further reading
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