Page 5 - VUCA CHRONICLES SEPTEMBER 2019 EDITION

What is VUCA?

VUCA is an acronym ‒ first used in 1987, by the US Army War
College - to reflect on the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and
What is ambiguity of a multilateral world.

VUCA? The War College drew lessons from the Vietnam War , The Cold

War , the War in Afghanistan etc to create strategies to deal with
Conflicts of the future.

The VUCA approach has also been picked up by Business
Leadership to tackle the increasingly unpredictable

challenges being faced.

VUCA is also getting more prevalent in
the domain of Education.

Volatility generally refers to frequent ,
? ? rapid and significant changes in

the eco-system.
VOLATILITY UNCERTAINTY COMPLEXITY AMBIGUITY

Uncertainty refers to unpredictable
events and consequent outcomes.

Complexity involves a multiplicity of intricately

interconnected factors and issues.

Ambiguity is about lack of clarity and inadequate
understanding of situations.

VUCA is certainly a reality of contemporary world given Big
Data , AI, Robotisation, Digitalisation, Terrorism, Climate

Change , Global shifts in Power , Migration etc.

v o l a t i l e U n c e r t a i n C o m p l e x A m b i g u o u s

S o u r c e : F O R B E S S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 9