Shifting from a V.U.C.A. to W.I.S.E World - White Paper #1

Shifting from a V.U.C.A to a W.I.S.E World

V.U.C.A. has become the acronym of choice to describe the turbulent times in which we all live today. Digitalization, climate change, viral pandemics, financial crises – these are just some of the forces that seem to be turning our world upside down. Many reputable companies such as Kodak, Nokia and ToysRUs have been ravaged. The emerging response is a growing fear of the future and the disruption it may bring.

It has been more than 35 years since the term V.U.C.A. was coined:

It's time to embrace a new concept for the 21st century

Volatile Uncertain Complex Ambiguous – these four words which make up the acronym V.U.C.A. has become a dominant description of our times. It was first coined by the leadership theorists Warren Bennis and Burton Nanus in 1985 in their book "Leaders. Strategies for Taking Change". The term was later adopted by the U.S. Army to describe the lack of clarity which they experienced as the world shifted from the Soviet Union with one unambiguous enemy to a post-Soviet-World which was characterized by multiple threats.

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