BRICS turn VUCA for Proctor and Gamble

KEITH HARRISON, global product supply officer for consumer goods giant Proctor and Gamble has coined a new acronym in his quest to expand operations. Harrison’s work takes him to many of the markets that are currently experiencing turmoil as a result of political or other instability. He refers to these as “volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous” or VUCA in his reports back to P&G headquarters in Cincinnati. Not that he sees this as negative claiming to get a real kick out of working in emerging markets. P&G’s long-term approach is to build manufacturing and supply operations closer to its customers which will see Harrison and his team increasingly on the road. - 8/3/2011