Out of the ordinary: Understanding the role of improvisation in planning

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds his/her own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Findings

Are we entering the next stage of organizational development? It could be argued that the learning organization, by necessity, follows macroeconomic and wider environmental concerns, and certainly the first 20 years of the 2000s has seen a thirst for growth through unregulated markets quelled following the global financial crisis (GFC). The search for new growth after that readjustment does, however, seem at odds with the need for a more sustainable development path. If markets still require growth, but organizations are less able to produce it, what is the next stage? It is hard to argue that it will have to factor in the so-called “VUCA” environment.

Practical implications

This paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

Originality/value

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Citation

(2020), "Out of the ordinary: Understanding the role of improvisation in planning", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 33-35. https://doi.org/10.1108/DLO-11-2019-0271