Futures Thinking: Strategy Used by Trust Bank to Survive Global Economic Collapse During the Great Recession of 2008

Abstract

This case describes how a leader of a financial institution used systems thinking as a foresight tool to help survive global economic crisis during the Great Recession of 2008. Due to the leader’s systems thinking perspective, several behavioral themes emerged. Organizational policies were then developed to help institutionalize these behaviors. The outcome for the organization was successful response to an oncoming global economic catastrophe. Strategic management strategies, supporting futures thinking, ultimately guided and stabilized the organization throughout this economic crisis, effectively leading to future growth.