Cultural change in organisations through the use of scenario analysis: some research findings

Organisations of tomorrow are likely to be places where leaders and staff have an agreed vision of a different kind of workplace and also possess knowledge and skills to achieve that vision. However, many external and internal influences facilitate and obstruct cultural change in organisations. The future culture of an organisation is influenced by the mindsets of present day staff. Scenario analysis is a methodology that can assist staff to think about the future. Scenarios consist of descriptions of different futures specifically designed to highlight the risks and opportunities inherent in specific strategic issues. This paper outlines the findings of research carried out in a large metropolitan university in Sydney where scenario analysis was operationalised.