As part of the Institute of Policy Studies’ interest in studies about the future facing Singapore, it is pleased to present a lecture and discussion on Shell’s latest scenario work released in February 2013.
Shell’s Global Business Environment team has been developing “big picture” global scenarios since the early 1970s, setting out alternative views of the future of the world. These global scenarios aim to give business leaders a deeper understanding of the world in which they operate, and support them in their decision-making. Shell’s scenarios have also gained a keen following among governments, academia and opinion-shapers around the world.
Called the New Lens Scenarios, Shell’s latest’s set of “big picture” scenarios suggest that the world is moving into an “era of volatile transitions” that are driven by “times of paradox”. These are the Prosperity Paradox – the world may be getting more prosperous, but not every individual is better off; the Connectivity Paradox – connectivity drives globalisation, but connectivity also enables greater control; and the Leadership Paradox – we demand more from our leaders, but they are increasingly powerless to act. The scenarios provide new lenses by which to analyse trends that will shape societies and the world’s long term global energy future.
Chief Political Analyst at Shell International, Dr Cho-Oon Khong will provide an overview of the New Lens Scenarios. Shell has a 40-year history of using scenario planning to explore possible future landscapes and aid strategic decision-making. This lecture continues a tradition of sharing summaries of the scenarios to contribute to the public debate about possible ways to tackle some of society’s long-term challenges.
This will be followed by commentary from a panel of speakers. They will discuss possible long-term challenges that Singapore might face and how these might be tackled.
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