Scenario-based strategizing done well can be very compelling. Often the initial reaction of an executive familiar with such a management tool is to ask if the current corporate strategy works in different scenarios. Scenario-based strategizing helps to start a conversation about the current strategy and its robustness in different scenarios, but it can also do much more.

For example, if an unexpected scenario occurs an organization, that regards only the most likely future, will realize this too late and will be unprepared. Scenario-based strategizing provides a remedy for this:

• It enables decision makers to adapt strategies to a changing environment as soon as the first early warning signals appear
• It helps to develop strategies that robustly work in different future environments.