This Masterclass will introduce participants to the practical use of scenario planning as a strategic tool for navigating uncertainty. You will explore how organizations apply scenario thinking to address climate risks, supply chain disruptions, technological shifts, and evolving market conditions.
A key message of this Masterclass is that scenario planning is not about predicting the future, but about preparing for a range of possibilities. By the end of the session, participants will gain a clear understanding of how scenario planning supports better decision-making, strengthens sustainability efforts, and enables organizations to remain agile in a rapidly changing world.
Dr Shardul Phadnis is a Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management at the Asia School of Business. His research explores the intersection of supply chains and strategic management: (a) how organizations create value by orchestrating supply chain operations and (b) how strategy processes, such as scenario planning, influence the adaptability of supply chain infrastructures and processes.
His research has been published in leading journals in both disciplines, such as Strategic Management Journal, Academy of Management Perspectives, Technological Forecasting & Social Change, Production and Operations Management, Journal of Business Logistics, MIT Sloan Management Review, and several others. His book “
Strategic Planning for Dynamic Supply Chains: Preparing for Uncertainty Using Scenarios” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022) describes first-hand accounts of scenario planning applications in three in-depth cases of strategic/long-range planning in business and governmental planning organizations. Shardul is a member of the editorial board of Futures & Foresight Science and regularly peer-reviews research for leading management journals and academic conferences.
Shardul received the Giarratani Rising Star Award (2015) from the Industry Studies Association for his research in apparel supply chains. He has also been honored with the Best Reviewer Award for his reviews of papers submitted to the Academy of Management’s annual meeting (Operations and Supply Chain Management Division, 2020).
Applying his expertise in strategic supply chain management to contribute to the greater good, Shardul serves as the President Emeritus (after serving as the President of the board of directors for 2.5 years) of The Lost Food Project – a sustainability-focused Malaysian food bank that rescues surplus food from going to the landfill to provide nutritious meals.
Shardul holds a PhD in Engineering Systems from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He teaches graduate-level courses in Operations and Strategic Supply Chain Management, and Scenario Planning in executive education. Before beginning his academic career, Shardul worked in manufacturing firms for seven years and led the Continuous Improvement program at a design-to-manufacture firm.
