Purposive Communication

Communication and Globalization

LIVING IN A VUCA WORLD*

RATIONALE

CULTURE is a total complex of values, beliefs, practices, behavior, and patterns shared
in common and transmitted by a group of people from one generation to the next (The U. P.
Cultural Dictionary for Filipinos, 2009). Pursuing a deep cultural understanding by global
leaders to overcome challenges can contribute to the creation of active collaboration. Their
awareness of one's cultural perspective and capability to shift and adapt attitudes and
behavior when encountering people with different values, beliefs, attitudes, and behavior
promotes cultural intelligence.
Now that we live in a world of information overload and fast-paced technology, our
environment changes rapidly. Complex environments combined with uncertainty can lead to
option overload and analysis paralysis. A new environment generated by the COVID-19
pandemic materializes. Indeed, the world in pandemic certainly is ambiguous because outcomes and
endpoints aren’t clear. But how could one be a culturally intelligent leader in our complicated and
complex world? How does the concept of VUCA is helpful to leaders of organizations and educational
institutions which have to deal with similar types of challenges caused by engaging with a complex and
volatile world?
Globalization and the digital revolution have created a VUCA environment, a Volatile,
Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous environment that requires new leadership qualities and
novel ways of doing business. Just as the nineteenth century was disrupted by the steam-
powered industrial revolution, 21st-century structures need to rejuvenate from industrial
management techniques and paradigms to adapt to those required for the knowledge era.
With the coming of the fourth industrial revolution, Education 4.0 emerged which focuses on
smart technology, artificial intelligence, and robotics.
Undeniably, the primary transformation we are likely to see as part of Education 4.0 is
a deeper fusion of technology into the teaching process. Utilizing technology and
implementing new teaching methods, higher education institutions are gearing towards a
more personalized way of learning through a learner-centered approach. Education 4.0 uses
technology in understanding that everyone’s learning needs and desired outcomes will be
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Communication and Globalization

different. Higher Educational institutions can identify and thereby potentially address the
VUCA effects that impact the sustainability components of education and culture.
The acronym VUCA was first introduced in 1991 by the U.S. Army as a result of the
extreme new conditions in Afghanistan and Iraq which changed the nature of Popularized by
the U.S. Army War College at the end of the Cold War, VUCA is a framework that leaders can
use to think about how to respond in conditions of the environments in the world today.
Social scientists have proposed the VUCA paradigm as a helpful concept to make sense
of some of the modern phenomena affecting leaders' behavior, style, decision-making, and
reasoning. They believe this is necessary because 21st-century factors influencing leadership
aren't accounted for, or given enough weight, in previous frameworks.
According to Claire Adamson (2013), VUCA is a way of assessing and providing for the
changeability of general situations and events which are completely unpredictable. Downie
and McCartney (2013) argue that the required changes need to be cultural.
The VUCA leader’s role is to create moments of clarity and focus, whilst at the same
time analyzing the shifting environment and preparing to react. Firmly following to current
approach means the risk of missing opportunities. VUCA leaders need to be flexible yet
sufficiently focused to keep people motivated. VUCA is complex and challenging, but it is also
an environment that can allow true leadership talents to evolve. This will permit VUCA leaders
to view VUCA as an opportunity for development and greater collaboration, rather than a risk
to be mitigated.
The exploration and application of VUCA force a sustainability framework to determine
the major areas of challenge. The Covid-19 crisis, for example, posed a tremendous challenge
for the entire Philippine educational system. Opening of classes is delayed, exam preparation
and administration are tough, type of assessment would be impacted, and challenging
teaching hours whether online or thru modular distance learning.
The VUCA world calls for innovative strategies and processes that can be used to cope
in any given situation, and if treated right, the VUCA world can be an opportunity for
knowledge workers to learn and develop effective agile, and flexible strategies. One of the
most important ways that knowledge workers can interact with the VUCA world is through
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Communication and Globalization

continuous learning and access to new information and new processes. This Covid-19 crisis
unlocks pathways to gather information and insights, determine necessary steps, and test
operational solutions. It seems that considerations about virtual classes, online collaboration,
webinars, and the emergence of new learning spaces are resonating from every corner of the
academe.
The recognition of a VUCA world presents both challenges and opportunities. Although
traditional trajectories to success are questioned in this new normal, systems are freed to
explore alternate models of national development. Perhaps in conquering the VUCA
challenges, organizations and leaders have to transform the acronym into vision,
understanding, courage, and agility. Success in a VUCA world is about a new kind of
leadership that is values-led and purpose-driven. Learning environments need to enable
knowledge workers and cultural warriors to develop and practice the skills and acquire the
knowledge they will need in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world.

*Adapted from a lecture

Group Activity

MEMBERS. This activity is limited to three (3) members only, so one member is tasked to interview two
interviewees belonging to one category (professor, practitioner/contractor, administrator: employed
or employer), write the discussion and implications for the chosen/assigned category, and plot the
details in the table.

TASK. Interview a group of experts in civil engineering (professor/instructor, practitioner/contractor,

administrator: employed/employer. Use the questions below and ask relevant follow-up questions for
a deeper and more meaningful inquiry.

VOLATILITY. What are the conventional approaches that were not relevant during the COVID -19
pandemic? and the coming of new realities such as robots and AI? in your operation and in delivering
value to clients.

UNCERTAINTY. What steps should you take to ensure teaching/business survival? And Thrival in
uncertain futures?
How do/will you combat future uncertainties in the teaching profession/in business so you can stay
relevant? survive and thrive?

COMPLEXITY. What were the communication challenges that your job/organization faced during the
global health crisis? How did you simplify the issues brought about by the pandemic and make these
easier to process? What tools, activities, and actions did you use to drive changes that are simple,
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Communication and Globalization

seamless, and straightforward?

AMBIGUITY. How did you/your organization adapt to adjust to the quick transformations and/or
instant migration to online/hybrid work arrangements without compromising the company’s vision?
What flexible measures did you/your organization administer?

PRESENTATION. Present your output in a narrative form. Use a table to present the raw information
you have gathered.

Narrative template
INTRODUCTION (briefly explain VUCA and its connection to organizational communication;
state also the most volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous events/times in engineering; state the
summary of the rationale of the task, the methodology you employed in collecting data, and the
choice of interviewees). Limit to one paragraph.

Presentation of data (use the VUCA acronym as your side headings; add implications to each
section)

Table template

VUCA Professor/Instructor Practitioner/Contractor Administrator

V
U
C
A

CONCLUSION (synthesize your discussion)

PROFILE OF INTERVIEWEES. Present the profile of your interviewees.

Sample profile

Name:
Brief Job Description:
Number of years in the service/company:
Contact number:

Format

Title Page: The topmost presents the TITLE; the middle part shows your names, and the bottom
part presents the Course Title, and Course Schedule. Construct a catchy/snappy title

Discussion Page/s: Presentation of the results and implications, and conclusion (Page 2-n)

Profile of the Interviewees: separate page after Discussion Page/s

References: (if there are, they should be presented on a separate sheet after the profile page/s
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Communication and Globalization

Paper Size: A4
Typeface: Arial
Margin: the default setting of MS Word