Grappling With the Unknown in Global Business Planning

Can we ever really know the Unknown? Or are we doomed to be forever surprised by economic, political and diplomatic upheavals? History suggests the latter. We never seem to have a grip on events that appear obvious in retrospect. Still, global business planners need to understand what might happen in crucial markets. It's a constant struggle to reach an impossible goal, but there are certain steps that managers can take to alleviate the pain, and maybe even be ready for some curve balls. Joining us on this episode is Amanda Mattingly, senior director of The Arkin Group, an international risk consulting and intelligence firm. A former foreign affairs officer at the U.S. State Department, Mattingly offers advice to companies on how they might cope with – and possibly even foresee – unexpected events. The future will forever remain unknown, but businesses can do a better job of preparing for it.