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Assumptions—Strategic Assumption Surfacing and Testing (SAST)

In: Business Strategies for a Messy World: Tools for Systemic Problem-Solving

Author

Listed:
  • Vincent P. Barabba

    (Market Insight Corporation)

  • Ian I. Mitroff

    (University of Southern California)

Abstract

Examining important arguments as we did in Chapter 2 is at best only half of the job facing organizations. Knowing the key assumptions that enter into arguments is the other half. Even more, knowing the key assumptions that undergird key actions and important decisions is fundamental to the success of an organization. Everything that people and organizations do hinges on the robustness and validity of the assumptions that they make about themselves, others, and the world around them. For this reason alone, it is absolutely astonishing that so little is written about how to make our assumptions explicit, critique them systematically and systemically, and modify, update, and replace them if need be. This chapter describes a method known as SAST—Strategic Assumption Surfacing and Testing—for getting at key underlying assumptions. In brief, assumptions are the prime properties of stakeholders. Thus, SAST is a method for examining the key stakeholders and their associated properties or presumed characteristics that bear on important decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Vincent P. Barabba & Ian I. Mitroff, 2014. "Assumptions—Strategic Assumption Surfacing and Testing (SAST)," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Business Strategies for a Messy World: Tools for Systemic Problem-Solving, chapter 3, pages 22-34, Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palchp:978-1-137-38640-3_3
    DOI: 10.1057/9781137386403_3
    as

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