Foresight & Strategy in the Asia Pacific Region: Practice and Theory to Build Enterprises of the Future

213 Pages·2016·4.778 MB·English

by  Luke van der Laan, Janson Yap (auth.)

Management for Professionals
Luke van der Laan
Janson Yap
Foresight
& Strategy in
the Asia
Pacifi c Region
Practice and Theory to
Build Enterprises of the Future
With Asia Pacifi c business insights by:
Chaly Mah
Management for Professionals
More information about this series at h ttp://www.springer.com/series/10101
Luke van der Laan (cid:129) Janson Yap
Foresight & Strategy in the
Asia Pacifi c Region
Practice and Theory to Build Enterprises
of the Future
With Asia Pacifi c business insights by
Chaly Mah
Luke van der Laan Janson Yap
Director, Professional Studies Regional Managing Director
University of Southern Queensland Risk Consulting Division
Toowoomba , Queensland , Australia Deloitte (Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacifi c)
Singapore , Singapore
ISSN 2192-8096 ISSN 2192-810X (electronic)
Management for Professionals
ISBN 978-981-287-596-9 ISBN 978-981-287-597-6 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-981-287-597-6
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015945339
Springer Singapore Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London
© Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2016
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Let this belief and spirit burn
bright in each one of us, and
guide us forward for another
50 years and more. Together, let
us be the pioneers of our
generation. Together, let us create
a better future for all
Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister
(Singapore), 2014

Foreword
The global economy has created a complex and competitive landscape, where
change is constant and unpredictable.
Organisations seeking to develop into successful enterprises of the future in this
environment of fl ux requires the fortitude to embrace fl exibility. They must antici-
pate, envision and challenge strategic norms.
The readiness to seek new opportunities and navigate risk in an unknown future
must be developed and enabled by an institution’s strategic leaders. The capacity of
leaders to ensure co-creative collaboration, providence and transparency while
engendering foresight and authenticity in their leadership has never been as critical
as it is now.
As the gaze of the world’s eye continues to examine the unprecedented social
and economic development in Asia-Pacifi c, leaders across disciplines in politics,
business and academia are debating how our institutions can best engage and adapt
to benefi t from and contribute to this globally dynamic and pivotal region.
FORESIGHT & STRATEGY IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION makes an impor-
tant and timely contribution to this discussion. It is especially pertinent how the
book highlights the importance of leaders recognising that change has changed
while embracing the shifting purpose of business in the twenty-fi rst century, creativ-
ity in building an innovative future workforce, the value of foresight and promise of
sound strategy. The balance of practical and theoretical insights offered is unique
and promises to provide a meaningful guide to leaders, academics and professionals
alike.
I congratulate Dr Luke van der Laan, Dr Janson Yap and Chaly Mah for publish-
ing a text that challenges readers to confront the diffi cult questions of our age, so
that new perspectives on doing business can be realised.
Federal National Party Whip
Australian Senate Senator the Hon Barry O’Sullivan
May 2015 Australian Federal Senate
vii

Authors ’ Note
T here is no shortage of management and leadership literature. Books on strategy, in
particular, are abundant. Despite this, the demand for relevant, practical and con-
temporary strategy literature continues to grow in times marked by uncertainty,
shifting prosperity and unprecedented human capabilities.
A sian perspectives on strategy are not as abundant and mostly follow Western-
centric models of thinking about and doing strategy. Yet, it is broadly acknowledged
that strategy and innovation in Asia-Pacifi c is at its most crucial stage in promoting
global economic growth. Understanding the Asia-Pacifi c business environment and
the uniquely diverse Asian leaders’ mindset and having an ‘insider’s view’ of this
globally critical economic region is rare.
B y combining a unique blend of research and practice insights, the book seeks to
provide a valuable and well-founded view on making strategy and innovation work.
The book introduces the TripleV strategy model. Based on sound theoretical under-
pinnings and rigorous research, the model refl ects a more ‘cognitively intuitive’
understanding of strategy that mirrors innate human capabilities and everyday
thinking. It provides a rare insight into the ‘black box’ of what precedes strategic
success and draws on the disciplines of leadership, foresight studies and strategic
management (strategic thinking) in providing a valuable new perspective on doing
business in a time where ‘change has changed’.
I n addition to an international perspective related to the concepts of foresight and
strategic thinking, the book also provides sound research and practice insights into
making strategy happen. Good and bad strategy, coupled with good and bad imple-
mentation, brings the end-to-end understanding of the strategy process together.
The book is supported throughout by the unique insights of leaders in Asia-Pacifi c
business.
R eferences to ‘the future’ or ‘futures’ are prolifi c. However, these rarely move
beyond mere predictions or popular extrapolations of current trends. In many cases,
they have become mere clichés lacking meaning and understanding. Similarly,
many organizations, governments and businesses refer to foresight and innovation
as key capabilities they are committed to and practice. Both these terms, too, have
become clichés both wittingly and unwittingly. This book seeks to contextualize the
importance of foresight and strategy in Asia-Pacifi c, de-mystify foresight and the
role of human agency in ‘creating a better future’ and present an Asia-Pacifi c–spe-
cifi c guide to achieving strategic success.
ix