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Planning For Uncertainty

West Monroe

We’re a global business and technology consulting firm passionate about creating value with our clients.

发布日期: 2023年10月23日

A dozen different scholars over history have been cited as the having authored the phrase “the only certainty is uncertainty.” Regardless of who you attribute it to, its meaning has never felt more relevant than it does right now. Multiple wars, economic turbulence, and unstable job markets—as we enter an election year, nonetheless—mean it’s difficult to plan for what the world might look like even six months from now.

And yet, corporate planning season is in full force, requiring decision-makers to take pulse of what’s happening around them as they finalize budgets and strategies. There’s a reason Harvard Business Review’s cover story in its fall edition is titled, “How to make decisions amid chaos.”

West Monroe’s own research, which surveyed 700 C-suite executives revealed a shift toward microtransformations to generate ROI, results, and momentum—and to hedge against some of that inevitable uncertainty.

Our survey also found that companies are more willing to put money behind short-term ROI investments (51%) than long-term (30%) due to cost constraints, data quality, and disruption.

But ROI is also changing rapidly. The ROI approach needs to move from a focus on activities and deliverables—where far too many focus today—to a more urgent need on actual demonstration of ?value. This change is driven by factors such as time scarcity, the need for faster decision-making, and the importance of partners who understand a business's needs once you’re ready to execute. Forrester recently listed 38 notable digital transformation providers to help with ROI goals.

Though uncertainty lingers, we know a few key themes will define the year to come:

Outsourcing doesn’t have to be a dirty word and can to enhance—not diminish, as it’s typically perceived—the employee experience;
The world is becoming more data-driven, and yours must be accessible and actionable;
While you’ve read and heard enough about AI over the last six months to last a lifetime, it’s really about finally putting it into action—and don’t forget to infuse it into your sales and marketing plans.

Those themes mirror what we’ve heard and discussed during a busy events month, including Salesforce ’s Dreamforce , Axios ’ #BFD, HR Tech , and the Private Equity International Operating Partners Forum in NYC (see our Getting Social section for more analysis). They’re also themes we’ll be analyzing from an industry perspective in our annual Outlooks, which will publish in December.

Proactive planning and adaptability are crucial amid constant uncertainty. Success depends on—and likely requires—requires adaptability and focus on the right priorities. Keep it simple, but keep it focused as we enter the new year.