Introducing the IDDI System

Eastman Kodak: A Scenario Planning Case Study

Chermack (2004) defined scenario planning as a process for posing and ruminating upon a variety of future trajectories. Such an approach sets the stage for strategic conversations as it enables key decision makers to engage in a dialogue about organizational priorities, goals, and long-term plans. According to Verity (2003), scenario planning helps overcome some of the weaknesses associated with traditional forecasting and its strict reliance on the stability of past events. Companies that recognize, embrace, and confront the concept of uncertainty, instead of assuming a more simplistic continuation of trends, are equipped with a competitive edge, and well positioned for future success (Courtney, Kirkland, & Viguerie, 1997). Moreover, companies that resist widening their lens to incorporate paths of potential ambiguity risk staying afloat during times of societal change. The following discussion focuses on one such company, Eastman Kodak, and after highlighting its early achievem

The Prediction and Reality of Organ Transplants

Hancock and Bezold (2017) clarified that instead of studying the nonexistent future, futurists are concerned with studying ideas about the future and operate under the assumption that the future is a moldable thing that can be shaped by the decisive actions of today. The following discussion highlights a prediction within the medical community that eventually came to fruition. The original idea is introduced and the history of its subsequent origin and evolution is reviewed. Concluding remarks summarize the main discussion points. According to Northfield (2019), Robert Boyle’s scientific research conducted during the 1660s earned him the recognition of being hailed as the father of modern chemistry. Although he is most known for Boyle’s Law and its explanation of the behaviors of gas, Keller (2012) also emphasized his forward-thinking visions of a potential future. His futurist thoughts were penned in a private journal and itemized as a wish list of possibilities which at the time

Exploring the Collapse of Tower Records

As noted by Marks (2017), the “No Music, No Life” outlook of Tower Records, an international retail music chain, launched its brand into almost 200 locations and, at its peak in the late 1990s, yielded annual sales topping one billion dollars. In 2006, however, Tower Records filed for bankruptcy. The following discussion explores two of the external forces contributing to this demise, emphasizing the fact that deterioration sometimes occurs because of factors beyond the control of the organization. Concluding remarks focus on the relevance of the identified forces. Marks (2017) detailed the origin story of Tower Records and explained that it was the brainchild of Russell Solomon who opened the first location in Sacramento, California in 1960. While it started as a record retailer, it eventually grew to include posters, plants, books, DVDs, games, toys, and accessories. Stores popped up across the globe to respond to its increase in demand and, in addition to becoming a place to purch

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