Strategy in Complexity: A Pragmatic Guide to Strategy in VUCA-BANI

By Mehaad A. Tegally

Complex adaptive issues and wicked problems in general can be distressful and disheartening, and reductionist policies or compartmentalized strategies can lead organizations to collapse in VUCA-BANI situations. By understanding and embracing complexity, uncertainty, emergence and chaos, an organization can purposefully shape its future despite the unknown unknowns.

But our future is what we can make of it today; it is linked to our current state-of-affairs, our creative imaginations, and the purposeful journey we undertake to go there. Hence, in today's world, an organization (or a country) must be able to concurrently address its persistent, recurring, adaptive, entangled and/or multi-layered complex issues and, above all, its systemic weaknesses. It must have a holistic strategy to anticipate and tackle risks and other looming dangers, while journeying to the future it seeks, that is, one in which it will thrive. Moreover, in VUCA-BANI, strategy is not about long-term and scenario-planning, or executing deterministic plans and roadmaps with pre-set goals, but rather about leading with purpose, learning with intent, adjusting with resolve, and creating adaptive ways forward while journeying to the desired future. Any strategy falling short of these broad imperatives would be incomplete, vain, and possibly harmful. Therefore, to maneuver along these lines, a S-A-F-E (Systemic, Adaptive, Foresightful, Endogenous) Purposeful Strategy is called for.

Accordingly, 'Strategy in Complexity' has been designed as a three-tier construct to continually manage the present/short-term, address the medium term, and shape the long-term (the organization's, or the country's, future) in a continuum. With an Applied Systems Thinking methodology SOSI], 'Strategy in Complexity' continually addresses the known unknowns as well as unknown unknowns. The focus is on the approach and its underlying principles. Guided steps to create and trek Pathways, which are better suited than Roadmaps, are developed. The KYO (Know Your Organization) exercise, which provides more context-related insights that a SWOT-Analysis, is illustrated. The concept of 'Strategic Opportunities', which reframes the notion of future-competition, is introduced. The book thus redefines strategy and competition, shows how to articulate the future one seeks, with strategic and critical thinking guidelines, and explains how to shape it. The need for Systemic Leadership is also explained. In effect, it is a pragmatic guide to leading and future-proofing organizations, and shaping one's desired future, in VUCA-BANI environments. It thus provides sense-making and actionable insights to business owners, strategists, leaders, managers, and thinkers. It is intended for private, public, and plural organizations alike, and is expected to resonate well with an audience seeking forthright implementation. Academics in the Management and Strategy fields can also benefit from its underpinnings and context-related approach. It is, therefore, suitable for any organization or institution confronted with complex, disruptive, entangled, or emergent challenges, and looking for an appropriate strategy, ways, and means to navigate the chaos toward a safer tomorrow.

SOSI - the 'Sustainable Operating System Initiative(R)' - was developed by the author, and its underpinnings presented in his book "Managing Multi-Dimensional Complexities in Organizations" (2025, Routledge)]

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GF279CT4
• ISBN13: 9798242157835
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 100 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"