Volatile, Uncertain, Complex And Ambiguous World Research Articles

Training Language Teachers in a Vuca World

Amidst today's rapidly changing and unpredictable world, the field of language teaching faces unique challenges. In a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) environment, language teachers need to possess a diverse skill set to effectively navigate the ever-evolving landscape of language education. This study delved into the significance of training language teachers in a VUCA world and highlighted key strategies training institutions need to equip teachers with the necessary tools for successful language education. A qualitative methodology underpinned the study, carried out through a case study investigation. Participants were purposefully selected and consisted of language lecturers and student teachers specialising in language education at the case study institution. Data were collected with open-ended questionnaires and analysed by establishing emerging themes. The study established that language teachers need to be trained with diverse skills to effectively teach learners during VUCA times. This can be achieved by equipping teachers with the necessary skills, knowledge, and adaptability to help learners improve their language proficiency and intercultural competence. To achieve this goal, teachers should be empowered and equipped with the latest teaching methodologies and technological advancements. Teachers should also create an engaging and inclusive language learning environments that prepare learners for the challenges and opportunities of the intercultural world.

Mixed messages in a VUCA world: How the New Zealand government altered its SARS-CoV-2 crisis communication messages

The SARS-COV-2 pandemic typifies a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) situation. For a time, Aotearoa New Zealand’s government was lauded for its quick and effective elimination response and clear communication strategy, which saw the citizens of the country enjoy months free from the trappings of SARS-COV-2. This changed with the arrival of Delta, a new variant of concern. It is against this context that we sought to analyse the two main speeches delivered by the prime minister of that time – Jacinda Ardern. The first, delivered on 17 August 2021, maintained the messaging of the previous years – let us eliminate the virus. However, the second speech, delivered on 4 October 2021, shifted to an emphasis on vaccination and living with the virus. Not unsurprisingly, the change in messaging prompted some factions of the public to express frustration and hostility towards Ardern and her government because of perceived inconsistencies and ambiguities in the messaging. Our findings highlight that while crisis communication in a VUCA environment needs to maintain consistency to garner trust, it also needs to be adaptive to respond to uncertainties. However, in being adaptive and engaging with the public to adjust their expectations, leaders can often be faced with resistance and even be perceived as failures. This adds further responsibility to the leader to address the adaptive challenges as effectively as possible. Our findings are a cautionary tale for scholarship and education in crisis communication to avoid emphasis on fixed solutions.

Skill Set required for 21st Century Student: Case study of University Level Student

The swift and extraordinary change in the world has left people with no surprise. Countries around the globe are working hard to maintain relevancy by reshaping themselves, and for doing so, they are adopting such policies that help them keep up with this ever-evolving change of the VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) world. It is essential to consider the implications this has for the education system. This new age of information demands that the education system evolve accordingly and face severe disruption. Hence, the critical skills required by 21st-century students to thrive in the professional world must be identified. The education system needs to focus on inculcating these skills into the students effectively. Researchers have accredited that, engaging students in the learning and innovating process with the help of enhancing creative and critical thinking has become an integral part (Trilling & Fadel, 2009, p.50). This research aims to aid this process by identifying the top five (05) skills required by 21st-century students. To evaluate those five skills, this research has incorporated a diversified sample size, which has included professional students (Business Graduates, Engineers, Doctors, and others) and the affiliated faculty to these areas of study for achieving the set target. The findings of the study have summarised that for preparation for the 21st century, today's students need more than just education. They are keener to learn skills that can help cater to the requirement of the coming time. These high skills not only help them during their studies, but they will also become lifelong partners in their success both academically and professionally. In coming times, those who recognize high in-demand skills are meant to serve as a possible benchmark for our education systemto reconfigure its broader policy framework and delivery mechanism. Additionally, students can benefit from these skills to prioritize the required skill set to increase their employability. The study's finding indicates that it has become inevitable for the education system of Pakistan to reorient, reorganize, and restructure the overall education system to meet the needs and requirements of the 21st century needs and demands.

NEP 2020 and Evolution of Holistic Individual

The chapter 11 of NEP 2020, states ‘Towards a More Holistic and Multidisciplinary Education’.
 In this VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world, nothing can be preplanned but being proactive for different situations can help make a better world of tomorrow. For this, an individual should be economically independent, he should be composed of humanistic, ethical, constitutional and universal human values of truth, righteous conduct, peace, love, non-violence, scientific temper, citizenship values and also life- skills; lessons of seva/service and participation in community service programmes should be made compulsory for him.
 Efforts are made always to make a schematic representation of a model to implement for the attainment of holistic individual where the start of the day is with the meditation and physical exercise. The time for academics is the University hours where apart from the academics, certain soft skills like communication, debates, discussion will be made compulsory for each course. Rigorous specialization for the chosen field will be followed. Compulsory physical work for developing the dignity of labour will be incorporated. Work experience course should be introduced to make understand the practical knowledge of the subject. Opportunities will be provided to the students to pursue internships with the local industry, businesses, artists, crafts persons, etc. as well as research internships with faculty and researchers at their own, of a defined duration.
 Further, A university is required so that human beings are nurtured in such a way where all round development is being taking place with value based education. It should be model to make the policy perspectives to be viewed with one’s eyes and easy to understand.
 For the evolution of a holistic individual, a holistic model is necessary where it takes into account all the relevant ideas mentioned in the said policy.

Prospects of governance 4.0: Moving beyond directors’ networks to the networked board

The problem that this paper addresses is growing evidence that conventional board models (especially the unitary board version) are approaching their use-by-date and may no longer be fit-for-purpose. This paper follows the published research by Ernst & Young (EY, 2021) with Dean Blomson as the lead researcher on board operating models of the future. One model was the ‘networked board operating model’; but its operation was not outlined in any detail. This conceptual paper examines the relevance, contribution, role and operation of a networked board. Methodologically, it draws on existing governance and networks’ literature and extrapolates that abductively to consider the applicability of a networked board/governance model. This paper outlines the design logic, construct, features and possible operation of such a model; and the key conditions for its success. The conclusion is that a networked board (governance) model for an enterprise (as opposed to multiple enterprises): 1) has interesting, relevant features worthy of consideration and adoption; 2) is not simply an abstract, theoretical construct but could be pragmatically applied and ‘operated’; and, therefore, 3) should have a place as an ‘alternative’ governance model (recognising that what is unconventional today may be mainstream tomorrow). The relevance of this paper is that it provides a foundation for further contemplation and critique of the model — as a viable alternative governance construct that is likely to be far more responsive to the vagaries of a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world, where ‘always on’ vigilance and heightened stakeholder engagement will be governance imperatives, for growing numbers of enterprises.

Towards a New Paradigm: Employee Development through OD

Employee development is focused on training, education, coaching and on-the-job learning experiences for strengthening the competencies and improving the confidence of employees to deliver the needs of organisations. Organisation development (OD) is a planned process of organisation change based on the current situation and the desired future. Employee development has been significantly impacted by the VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world created by the pandemic, remote working, and a significant reduction in training budgets. This is further amplified by the changing nature of employer–employee relationships. Hence, it is important to redefine the vision, strategy and approach to employee development and situate it in the reality of the current context. The author recommends that employee development should be seen through an OD perspective rather than as a standalone function. The focus should be on building a learning culture and envisioning employee development as a subset of the OD process.

Road Infrastructure and Matatu Crew Character on Customer Satisfaction in VUCA Public Road Transport Sector in Kenya; A Case Study of Nairobi County

Rapid innovation is an important tool to maintain leadership in a volatile environment. VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world examples have shown how challengers within an organization must be developed and encouraged to create disruptive services and products that can replace existing ones. In road transport sector, customer satisfaction has been recognized as the most powerful competitive weapon that many leading service organizations possess .While this is so many public transport companies have not addressed the factors that affect customer satisfaction in the VUCA public transport sector.The study objectives were to determine how road infrastructure and matatu crew character affect customer satisfaction in the ever changing public road transport sector in Kenya with reference to Nairobi County. The study employed a descriptive research design. A sample size of 148 respondents were selected out of the target population of 344 that included the County Transport Department Staff, the Traffic Officers and the Matatu Owners Association and Matatu Crew that operate at various city stations and dropping and picking points. Data was collected through a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive analysis were used to analyze the collected data and were presented through charts, frequency tables and graphs. Conclusions and recommendations were drawn from the findings.The findings of the study showed that road infrastructure and matatu crew character all affected customer satisfaction in road transport sector in Kenya.The study recommended that there is need for improved road connectivity across the city especially in areas that are under serviced and connectivity is poor; and that it is necessary to enhance existing disciplinary procedures for offenders as this is appropriate in achieving high levels of customer satisfaction. Also, there is need to improve personal conduct of the sector players as some Matatu Crew behave in a manner that does not appeal to customers and that where the SACOOs do not have an existing code of conduct for matatu crew, there is need to develop one in order to provide guidelines on the matatu crew conduct. The study recommended further research on effect of training on matatu crew conduct in the Public Transport in Kenya.

Evidence-based policymaking in a VUCA world

In a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world, responses by governments to global shocks will vary in substance and rate of success. We argue that policymakers can make better decisions when high-quality evidence is incorporated into an evidence-based policymaking (EBP) process. To generate high-quality evidence for analysing shock events, researchers should use event analysis, a methodological approach for exploring research questions such as the timing, frequency and patterns of events and their antecedents and consequences. We discuss four types of research methods used in event analysis and their relative appropriateness for analysing different categories of events. In particular, we argue that one method – the event study – is well suited for analysing crises, i.e. shock events that involve high threat, short decision-making time and surprise. We conclude that understanding and using the tools of event analysis is key to successful EBP in a VUCA world.

Personal Development Planning and Vertical Leadership Development in a VUCA World

To explore how personal development can be utilized as a tool for leaders to adapt to our VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) world, a qualitative study was conducted on the narrative experiences of eight leaders who had successfully completed personal development plans. The emerging field of vertical leadership development, recognized as a unique developmental approach towards overcoming complexity and uncertainty, was connected to the key themes of personal development planning. Vertical leadership development and personal development planning were united across five conceptual themes: development and application of skills, self-awareness, self-efficacy, self-exploration, and continuous improvement. The experiences of the participants helped to inform how their plans connected with these themes, and how plan success and retention can be ensured overall. The study found that plans are at their most successful when they are thoroughly structured with the individual’s personal goals in mind, have direct application to the participant’s working life, and are supported by some degree of accountability and/or reflection. The study observed thematic connections between conventional personal development plans and vertical leadership development, highlighting potential connections between developmental approaches that are focused on boosting skills competency and capacity in times of VUCA. The findings help to inform how personal development plans can best serve as a resource towards managing complexity, uncertainty, and change.

Leadership in the Context of a NewWorld: Digital Leadership and Industry 4.0

This paper attempts to address and critically examine a current concept of leadership in business studies: digital leadership. Researchers often say that this is a new leadership style and that there is a necessity for such a new style because the entrepreneurial environment has changed considerably with digitisation, but also with Industry 4.0, which to a certain extent coincides with digitisation, and the concept of a so-called VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Com-plex and Ambiguous) world. The conclusion drawn here could be summarised as follows: a changed business environment forces companies to react, namely with a new way of leading – digital leadership. This study will show that such a concept is by no means new, as research claims, but ratherhas been inexistence formore than 150 years. What many researchers understand by digital leadership, apart from the demand for driving forward digitisation, coincides with the leadership principle introduced by Prussian General Moltke, known as ‘mission-type tactics.’ One of the aims of this paper is to demonstrate this. It will also be shown that digital leadership, in contrast to transformational leadership, can be acquired and that digital leadership cannot be classified in the opposition to transformational or transactional leadership, but is rather to be held and understood as a third variant. Only a prescriptivemethod based on understanding seems to be a suitable method.

Leading in the certainty of uncertain times

This research focused on the potential for Christ-following leaders to develop a theological and missiological posture in response to the current volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world context. This research looks at how the attitudes and actions of the corporate world have influenced those of Christian organisations and Christian leadership. The corporate world primarily focuses on strategies for overcoming the challenges of the VUCA environment, but this research explores how Christ-following leaders might benefit from looking more deeply at what VUCA represents, rather than merely accepting and reacting to it. The research used a literature review to develop the groundwork for an increased understanding of how God and VUCA relate and how Christ followers can develop a perspective in keeping with an understanding of God’s mission, their calling and the VUCA world mindset. Although some research has been done regarding spirituality as part of a response to the VUCA world, it has often focused on the outward expressions (morality, values, collaboration and service) with little attention to the Christ follower’s source of spiritual life, the trinitarian God. This research integrates recognition of the character of God, evaluation of VUCA realities and rhetoric, and the responsibilities and opportunities of leaders who desire to participate in God’s mission. In this process, the research explores strategy metaphors, missional thinking and leadership implications. Contribution: This research encourages greater theological and missiological exploration of the Christian leader’s posture and response to the VUCA world mindset. The research engages with corporate thinking regarding strategy and the implications of VUCA and with theological and missiological thinking regarding God’s role, the leader’s role and the nature of current contexts, both local and global.

Designing remote education in a VUCA world

The goal of this article is to identify and share the best practices and innovations to enable teaching and learning to take place during times of VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) such as the coronavirus pandemic. This will help lay the foundations for more inclusive and equitable approaches to education when the crisis subsides. The main response to school closures is to dive headlong into academic cyberspace and remote learning, creating a human-machine symbiosis. Ideally, specific contents, learning outcomes, and a set of instructions are desirable. Different media and technologies can be used to assist students to learn in different ways and achieve different outcomes, thus also individualizing learning more. Technologies can be compared along several characteristics. These characteristics form a basis for analyzing new technologies, to see where they fit within the existing environment, and to evaluate their potential benefits and limitations. Nowadays, technologies have a tendency to become more ‘communicative’ and ‘media rich’, thus offering educators and students powerful tools to attain desired learning outcomes.

Gender Inclusion in an Indian VUCA World

One of the most crucial talent identity strands (also referred to as a human resources dimension) in India Inc. is gender. Given that the rate of change in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment is much faster (and less predictable) than in the past decades, corporate efforts towards managing this dimension of gender have a strong bearing on their ability to effectively combat VUCA. These efforts include those directed towards talent management—attracting, hiring, retaining and developing talent, catering to the differences in aspirations and working styles of men and women. Against this backdrop, this article draws insights from corporate India’s most comprehensive gender analytics exercise—The Working Mother and AVTAR 100 Best Companies for Women in India study—to shed light on the interlinkage between the intent and commitment in employing diversity and inclusion as a culture strategy towards thriving in a VUCA environment.

Voluntary Turnover Factors in Georgia

The contemporary world has become VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous). In the modern world people are quick to change and think quickly. In VUCA world personnel retention is one of the key points for effective, measurable, and successful results of the company’s activity. In rapidly changing environment talents' recruiting and attraction in long-term cooperation is more difficult. Employee resources should be used effectively for the business success and contrary it is important employees’ satisfaction for bilateral relationship and psychological contracting process. The companies should constantly pay attention how to detect personnel drain process effectively to increase business profitability. The best way to avoid personnel job leaving is to identify, analyze, and eliminate the reasons that caused it and try to prevent it. In this research reviewed all the reasons that might have prompted employees to leave the job. In Georgia financial growth and stability of firms depends on the country economic situation. It should be noted that employee financial dissatisfaction is not always the basis searching for a new job. In Georgia environmental macro factors affect to the institutional structure of companies. As time passes the private financially independent companies have staff crisis. The companies have a shortage of qualified candidate in the long run. At the same time continuously search for a new employee, development and professional growth is associated with the new financial expenses. There are different kinds of impact for human encouragement and motivation. The organizations should constantly control how stable human capital they have. There are researchers' opinions that personnel engagement in the modern world has a particular importance and it is easier to keep the employee engaged than satisfied.

Optimising learning outcomes through social co-creation of new knowledge in real-life client challenges

People are naturally creative, subjective creatures who (when engaged well) love to learn. However, traditional education is about transferring known content rather than stimulating the co-creation of new knowledge and insights to generate future value in unknown situations. Too often, in this misaligned traditional approach, there is an overemphasis on quantitative assessment of ‘remembered facts’ and insufficient attention given to demonstrated capabilities to apply the learned insights to a range of possible future scenarios. The outcome of this can be graduates who are not ready for the VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world. This conceptual article describes an experiential learning programme in which there is no teaching of content. Instead, learners experience a range of real project challenges in contexts where the clients genuinely want well-informed, relevant advice to implement recommended options. Learners collaboratively interact in an Applied Social Learning Ecosystem (ASLE) to build content that is relevant to the external clients’ challenges and resources. Learners co-create a range of prioritised options for their client to adopt, adapt and apply and build a compelling argument to engage them to do so. The course was designed with a wide range of learning theories embedded and facilitated in a way where these have been applied in practice rather that taught as models. The course has received positive feedback from all parties – the learners, the clients, the business mentors and the school. The “Co-created Projects Worth DOING” generated by the learners in the process of their learning activities have generated significant social benefits for the clients. The experience has been consistently enjoyed by all, including the learning facilitators and mentors. It continues to evolve as feedback from the participants informs the next iterations.

CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS AND LEADERSHIP STYLES

In today VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world, every organization or institution is susceptible to change wave. Any organization that fails to positively respond to change will surely go to extinction. However for successful initiation and implementation of change initiatives, there is need for diligence and skillfulness from the part of organizational leaders especially those from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Several studies have confirmed that seventy percent of change initiatives fail and the failure has been largely attributed to leaders’ ineffectiveness in anchoring change programme. Through extensive analysis of findings of several case studies, failure to gradually institutionalize change initiatives and inappropriate leadership styles are found to be part of the reasons why change initiatives fail in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). This paper therefore discusses change management process and leadership styles. Turning institutions to learning organization and adoption of transformational leadership style are recommended for effective change management process.

Leading innovation, creativity and enterprise

Purpose – Less than 50 per cent of global Chief Ecology Officers believe their enterprises are adequately prepared to handle a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. The purpose of this paper is to examine how leaders encourage ideas that turn into profitable and sustainable innovations in a VUCA world, especially in what the author calls “Brain Based Enterprises” (BBEs). Design/methodology/approach – Through case studies, focused interviews. Findings – BBEs need more leadership than management and they use more collaborative approaches to business, working with colleagues, customers, even competitors in some areas to produce ingenious ideas for a sustainable world. Originality/value – The research from which this paper is written has matured for nearly 20 years, having written my first book on the topic in 1996. This represents tens of thousands of hours of diverse experience, working as a business practitioner across a wide range of sectors. The author has accelerated my thinking via the work as an MBA academic and mental adventurer, working on the flagship creativity, innovation and change programme. During that time, the business environment we live and work in has become more VUCA. This demands that individuals and enterprises become more ingenious to ride the turbulence that this produces, in order to be resilient and antifragile when challenged.

We live in a VUCA World: the importance of responsible leadership

Purpose This paper aims to describe the role of responsible leadership in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world. Design/methodology/approach This paper explains how responsible leadership is aligned with the critical success factors necessary to thrive in a VUCA world. Findings Critical success factors in the VUCA world are: sound business principles, a firm’s agility to respond speedily, strong collaborative networks, innovation and ethical practices. These are aligned with a responsible leadership style, which is a combination of transformational, servant and authentic leadership. Socialimplications This paper argues that responsible leadership embraces the broader societal issues and concerns based on ethical judgment. Originality/value This paper provides insights on how responsible leaders can meet the requirements of VUCA world.