As the world becomes increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA), humanity faces grand challenges such as climate change, poverty, food security, migration, pandemics, and resource scarcity. Addressing these challenges requires business leaders capable of envisioning and imagining multiple futures, actively preparing for uncertain and emergent long-term conditions. However, skepticism about future-oriented thinking remains strong, with many prioritizing incremental changes and short-term gains. This mindset has hindered organizations from continuously creating novel and transformational impacts.
This course aims to provide MBA students with theoretical and practical knowledge of anticipatory leadership, a concept developed through the activities of our UNESCO Chair in Futures Literacy. During this GNAM Week, we will offer participants diverse perspectives from business, design, engineering, and social sciences, focusing on how and why they think about and use the future to improve their business decision-making in the present. We will do these by integrating tools and frameworks from futures thinking, innovation, and emerging technologies.