Scenarioplanering som verktyg vid externa störningar : En fallstudie inom pulverlackering

Sammanfattning: Abstract Title: Scenario planning as a tool for external disturbances - A case study in the painting industry  Authors: Gustav Norén, Mijo Cvitic, Martin Mihalic, Jonatan Gomez Supervisor: Petra Andersson  Examiner: Hana Hultén  Date: 2022-06-01   Background: In early 2020, the World Health Organization declared SARS-CoV-2 also referred to as Covid-19 as a pandemic. The consequences of the almost three-year-long pandemic have entailed great health risks for humanity but also for the world economy. The companies supply chains were also affected by the pandemic because of the restrictions and the closed borders, which meant that the companies did not get hold of raw materials and other important components that would provide their customers with finished products or services. Previous research has shown that scenario planning can be considered a tool for unpredictable events.   Purpose: The purpose of this study is to increase the understanding of scenario planning for The Company by clarifying how scenario planning could be used in decision-making in the event of external disruptions.      Method: The study's research method is structured through a qualitative method whose research design consists of a case study. Furthermore, deduction is used as an approach to the study and the theoretical frame of reference is built from the collecting empirical data, which consists primarily of semi-structured interviews.   Conclusion: The result of the pandemic meant a great variety in the form of more digital meetings and negotiations, which in turn entailed to several different challenges such as bad exchange of information and irritation. Despite significant difficulties in communication but also in the exchange of information, the Company has been able to strengthen their customer relationships to some extent and has shown great confidence in wanting to continue the cooperation with its existing customers. Furthermore, scenario planning is presented as a tool for unpredictable events such as the covid-19 pandemic. Where scenario planning can lead to the facilitation of decision-making in situations that external disturbances can create. It can also partly facilitate who will take the decision once the scenario has occurred. Since wrong decisions can lead to great consequences, it's important to be able to make decisions based on good arguments and preparations, something that scenario planning can contribute to. Keywords: Scenario planning, covid-19, pandemic, customer relations, external disruptions, key customers