Wicked Strategies

In business, some problems are so complex, intractable and threatening to organizations-or entire industries-that they are best described as "wicked." These problems appear to be unsolvable and they render traditional analytical tools of strategy virtually impotent. Wicked Strategies offers a comprehensive framework for identifying, responding to and profiting from wicked problems. John C. Camillus, drawing on detailed, real-life examples from companies across the globe, has skillfully woven together the analytical techniques, processes and organizational designs that will enable managers to navigate a disruptive marketplace. His feed-forward framework for fashioning wicked strategies empowers firms to presciently transform their business models before they are made obsolete by the competition. Wicked Strategies is a practical and evocative guide that demonstrates how business leaders can profitably capitalize on unknowable futures.

"This book is a must read! Wicked Strategies is truly useful for enlightened practitioners as well as academics." -- Prof. Dr. Peter Lorange, Honorary President, Lorange Institute of Business "Wicked Strategies offers innovative and powerful prescriptions to some of the most challenging and confounding business problems of our time." -- Ira J. Gumberg, President & CEO, J.J. Gumberg Co. "John's advice and this book have enabled me to identify 'wicked problems' and how to managerially attack them, not as a problem but, in fact, as an opportunity." -- William E. Hunt, President & CEO, Elmhurst Group "Professor John Camillus's ability to translate complexity into actionable guidance for executives continues to amaze me." -- Dr. Luis Maria R. Calingo, President, Holy Angel University, Philippines "Wicked Strategies addresses an important practitioner challenge, which is how to develop strategies in a fast-moving, uncertain world. John C. Camillus has written a work that builds upon concepts and frameworks that are accessible to general readers interested in business and management." -- Brad Mackay, Director of Corporate Management and Chair in Strategic Management, University of Edinburgh "I specifically urge you to embrace the recommended feed-forward approach - unless you want to end up in the list of disrupted companies!" -- Dr. N. Venkatraman, David J. McGrath Jr. Professor in Management, Boston University Questrom School of Business

John C. Camillus is the Donald R. Beall Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Pittsburgh. He earned his doctorate at Harvard Business School, his MBA at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and his B.Tech. degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He has served as consultant on strategic management to over 100 organizations on four continents, including many Fortune 500 companies.