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Businesses Industry uses mediated modeling for strategic and integrated project management. Mediated modeling as a tool is, among other things, inspired by the modeling efforts that Royal Dutch Shell developed in the '80s for strategic management. Shell and other organizations used modeling (often qualitative modeling) to bring different departments within the company together to discuss strategic issues in a structured manner. Different departments of a company may be considered as stakeholders. The stakeholder concept may also be expanded to include external parties. Scoping for strategic trends Mediated modeling can be used as a tool to explore the business environment in relation to natural resources and environmental conflicts. Mediated Modeling Partners LLC specializes in strategic environmental management. Conflicts may be anticipated or acute. Mediated modeling helps to lift a (potential) conflict to a higher conceptual level. Specific interests will find their rightful place under the umbrella of a dynamic picture. Constructing a more complete picture rather than a direct confrontational dialogue over relatively small issues opens the road towards innovative solutions. When a broad representation of views contributes to consensus-based solutions, it is more likely that the solutions will be implemented and accepted. Partnering for sustainability is increasingly interesting to all involved. It's pro's and con's are nicely described in Stern & Hicks, 2000. Integrated project management Once a group has committed to an innovative solution, more specific and detailed information may be needed to substantiate the assumptions in the scoping model. The scoping model than becomes an instrument to guide integrated project management. Summarized data from specific studies can easily be integrated. All stakeholders will be able to understand the place and validity of the new information. The model continues to be simple but elegant and therefore flexible. It is relatively easy and inexpensive to change the model, if needed. It functions as the backbone for a multi-disciplinary project. Reference: Stern, A.J. and T. Hicks. 2000. The Process of Business / Environmental Collaborations: Partnering for Sustainability. Quorum Books. |