Business Plans For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

Chapter 12. Preparing for Change

In This Chapter

• Defining the dimensions of change

• Tracking economic, government, technology, and cultural trends

• Anticipating changes

• Using trend forecasting and scenario planning

• Assessing the effects of change

• Making use of probabilities and impacts

Life is defined by change. When we get up in the morning, we expect to live through a day that's different in all sorts of ways from the day before. As far as we know, only Bill Murray in the film Groundhog Day ever had to live the same day over and over again, and it almost drove him crazy.

All of us expect change. At one time or another, no doubt, each of us has said, 'I really need a change.' But you don't often hear people say that they want a change or like change. Change makes things uncertain, uncertainty makes planning difficult, and people like to plan. (After all, you are reading this book.)

Companies don't want or like change, either, and they have come up with hundreds of excuses for trying to keep things just the way they are. Following are some of the top excuses:

• It's never been tried before.

• We tried it before.

• It's too radical.

• It's working fine as it is.

• We don't have the time.

• We're not ready for it.

• We can't take a chance.

• Our company's different.

• We should, but . . .

• It's impossible.

Although companies try to avoid change, they can never escape it, because change is what makes a market work in the first place. Change is the necessary evil that allows companies to form and grow, products and services ...