Developing Scenarios example essay topic

731 words
This report demonstrates the practice of scenario planning on the problem situation How might managerial opportunities in the IS / IT industry develop and what is a robust strategy for exploiting this situation? To begin with, the reasons and rationale from completing this report are described in some detail. Then a brief description of the scenario planning process and how it is used in the situation is discussed. The main driving forces behind the scenarios are detailed along with supporting evidence where necessary.

Our four scenarios deal with the types of jobs that have been created as a result of the rapid advances in technology. In particular the technological advances in the IS / IT industry. From a number of sources available is it clear that improvements in communications technology have resulted in the increased use of handheld / wireless technologies. Teleworking has been the product of the evolution of the information economy, and in the future it is likely to spur the creation of jobs that offer an alternative to office-based work. Security jobs will always be in demand due to the constant threats posed by organisations on a daily basis. Internal auditing has also change dramatically in recent years with the introduction of new technology.

Internal auditing now deals with a range of issues that include examining an organizations information systems and making recommendations on areas where improvements can be made. These trends will be expanded on in the report. A strategic plan to try and meet the demands the jobs require is also planned out. When we face having to make decisions, there are numerous uncertainties that impinge upon the final outcome. These variables may either be controllable or uncontrollable and need to be recognised and accounted for in the decision-making process. When approaching these problems we are faced with a greater issue: trying to come to a balance between what can be predicted with some degree of certainty and those elements that cannot.

Overall, my research has to provide reader with clues about the steps that managers need to take in order to make important decisions more effectively. Making the right decision is essential for the organizations survival. Knowing how the future will pan out, would be of great assistance to a manager whose decision can affect the lives of many. In order to make the right decision, you will need to access information detailing current trends in a range of areas. This information needs to be current and reliable so that it can be used in the decision-making process. From this information, you can postulate what can happen in the future and come up with a list of possibilities on how the future will be played out.

It is vital that the manager look closely at the information and come to a decision without hesitation or reluctance. Is it important to focus your attention on the interaction between scenarios and the organisation as a whole. To be a good information systems manager or to think like one, we have been given the task of determining how career opportunities in the IS / IT industry develop in the short term and what is a robust strategy for exploiting this situation. The task is made difficult because predicting the future with any accuracy is difficult to say the least. In order to deal with this problem, a tool known as scenario planning has been developed to assist with coming with some sort of idea as to what the future may hold.

From developing scenarios you achieve the following objectives. First you develop an understanding of the major driving forces shaping an area. Second, you develop a sensitivity to the types of issues inherent in the problem situation. Lastly, you recognise the steps that need to be taken in order to meet the desired outcome. This is done by developing strategies which are robust that are beneficial over a set of possibilities. This activity is central to the notion of management in any area.

From undertaking the assignment, we have the opportunity to practice our critical thinking skills and come up with innovative solutions. The next section discusses the process of scenario planning in detail.