Managing Disruption in a Rapidly Changing World: A Briefing Book for Decision-Makers in North Carolina

North Carolina’s communities, like many across the nation, are experiencing the effects of disruptive, accelerating change caused by technological developments, natural disasters, economic fluctuations, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other events. This report provides a clear framework and practical tools that North Carolina communities can use to strengthen their resilience to these shocks and stresses. It is designed as a briefing book for busy decision-makers and features short write-ups on sixteen “drivers of change” in four broad and interconnected categories: social, technological, economic, and environmental. Some of the issues under consideration here include affordable housing, climate threats, the advantages and drawbacks of artificial intelligence, and food insecurity.

Managing Disruption is packed with key statistics, trends, and resources intended to help communities address drivers of change in a proactive, integrated manner. It offers many useful examples of how local communities are innovating in response to potential disruption. Worksheets and other downloadable materials (available the project website) help leaders and decision-makers create strategic plans for their communities to address these forces of change.

This report was created for the School of Government’s Growing Practical Solutions for North Carolina program (GPS NC), which is coordinated by the ncIMPACT initiative.