We are currently experiencing an unusual conglomeration of momentous events and developments that pose significant challenges to businesses (but also to all of us). These include, for example, the unavailability of key industrial and consumer goods due to the Ukraine war, lockdowns in China, lack of personnel, disruptions to logistics chains and extreme weather; the geopolitical turning point in relations with Russia and China; changes in consumer and work behavior as a result of the Corona pandemic; the fundamental shift in the economy to sustainable energy; the ongoing digitization of wide areas of life and companies; and many more. We are experiencing a VUCA world, characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.
Mark Ebers shows under which conditions companies can succeed in shaping their path in a VUCA world through strategic foresight and adaptation, agility and flexibility. Quite often, however, these courses of action convey nothing more than the imagination of control over future corporate development. Instead, under VUCA conditions, companies could also try to shape their future through controlled imagination. This way of acting does not guarantee success either, but it allows companies to make well-founded decisions despite VUCA conditions and offers the chance to realize competitive advantages.
Professor Ebers received his doctorate and habilitation from the University of Mannheim under Alfred Kieser. He held the Chair of General Business Administration, Corporate Development and Organization at the University of Cologne until 2022. He is a member of the presidium and the board of the Schmalenbachgesellschaft für Betriebswirtschaft e.V. and of the Review Board for Economic Sciences of the German Research Foundation (DFG).
The lecture will be followed by a commentary by Günther Ortmann and an opportunity for discussion. The event will be moderated by Hendrik Wilhelm and Guido Möllering. The event will conclude with a small reception for further exchange.
Participation is free of charge. Registrations are requested at rmi@uni-wh.de.