DSI Quick Poll: Business Leaders Highlight Vulnerability in Future Planning

CONSHOHOCKEN, PA--(Marketwire - Apr 25, 2012) - In an era where the average corporation has a life expectancy of only 40 or 50 years, business leaders continue to plan for "more of the same," according to a survey released today by DSI, a leading future-centered consulting firm. Compounding this, the survey revealed that more than three out of four (76 percent) of today's leading business professionals believe their organizations are unprepared for a radically different future. This lapse highlights the need for a drastically different approach to opportunity and risk in order to help organizations increase longevity.

Nearly 30 percent of those polled identified industry uncertainty as the most difficult issue, or force, to manage within their organization. This was second only to technology evolution. Studies from the Society for Information Management show that technology has been the top management concern among executives since 2007, and yet uncertainty is quickly gaining on technology as the greatest challenge to organizations.

"While technology and innovation have been the major source of disruption over the past 20 years, that's all changing. We've seen numerous examples of former business powerhouses struggling, and in some cases failing, to cope with the uncertain future," said Steve Krupp, CEO, at DSI. "The recent economic volatility has really highlighted the need for long-term, adaptable business plans that can prepare organizations for vastly different futures. Yet, these plans continue to fall short."

In a positive step, the survey results show that business leaders recognize the need to prepare for and focus on the future, as nearly 40 percent of respondents characterize their current approach to planning as "future-centered." Business leaders have recognized the need for a more future-centered approach in order to foresee industry shifts and adapt to changes. However, only 23 percent of respondents are currently planning for a radically different future, illustrating that leaders have yet to close the gap that will enable them to better prepare for the future.

The online survey was sent to top business professionals in a variety of industries around the world, including pharmaceutical, consumer, academic and more. To learn more about DSI's future-centered consulting services, please visit www.decisionstrat.com.

About DSI (http://www.decisionstrat.com)
Founded in 1990, DSI is a recognized leader in future-centered consulting. It provides adaptive planning and executive development to help some of the world's leading organizations excel. DSI has helped more than 200 organizations around the globe, including nine of the Fortune 10, through uncertainty mapping, risk mitigation, critical decision-making, change management and innovation.