How do companies envisage the future? Functional foresight approaches A B S T R A C TThe main aim of the paper is to present the synthesis of the results of methodological analysis conducted on examples of foresight projects executed in chosen companies representing four companies type: small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), nonprofit-organization, international corporations and consulting companies as well as to posit functional approach for the implementation of foresight research within organizations. The empirical part of the study is based on the qualitative approach. A multiple case study methodology is employed. The research objects are sixteen companies experienced in foresight research. The first part of the paper gives an overview of definitions of corporate foresight and the analysis of background that have influence on the conducting of foresight in large multinational companies on one side and SMEs on the other side. In the field of the theory of foresight research, the study demonstrates that there are different motivations for foresight introduction as well as different organizational structure of teams conducting the activities and the approaches that they use. In the practical perspective, the study and a detailed functional foresight approach proposed by authors could be valuable for SMEs who consider implementing foresight research into their strategic planning processes. K E Y W O R D S corporate foresight, strategic foresight, foresight in/for business, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), functional approach
In the face of accelerated change and genuine uncertainties in the business environment as well as the need of processing and interpreting the information coming from majority of sources, foresight research in the enterprises comes into prominence. The main aim of the article is to assess foresight maturity of companies based in Podlaskie province in Poland as one of the least developed regions in Europe. The survey research is preceded by bibliometric analysis and literature review to examine current tendencies in foresight research in organisations. The conclusions drawn from the analysis of the existing works on organizational foresight are that foresight is no longer referred to only as a portfolio of methodologies through which organizations may garner a broader vision and probe the future to ascertain potential competitive landscapes but also as a human or organisational competence. Therefore, the research is based on a foresight maturity model developed by Grim (J Futur Stud 13(4):69-80, 2009). The model, besides traditionally associated foresight components such as environmental scanning, takes into consideration such aspects as leadership, collective vision building, and planning. Pilot survey research carried out among 134 production and services enterprises based in the Podlaskie region has allowed us to state that the companies are characterised by low foresight maturity levels. Hence, based on a literature review, two management concepts are suggested as means to increase the level of foresight maturity in companies.
Foresight is a well-known and widely used methodology for the creation of medium and long-term visions of technological, economic and social development. The need for evaluating foresight projects is unquestionable, but it is still a scarce phenomenon. The interests of the authors of the paper are focused mainly on foresight impact as one of the principal aspects of foresight evaluation, although they are aware of numerous objectives and aspects of foresight evaluation. The authors show the outcomes of case study analyses of selected evaluations conducted with regard to national and transnational foresight projects. Furthermore, current attempts to create systemic foresight evaluation frameworks are presented. They comprise general evaluation frameworks meant for the evaluation of different aspects of foresight projects execution, with respect to the process and results, including foresight impact as one of evaluated aspects as well as frameworks devoted strictly to the foresight impact evaluation. Scientific work on foresight evaluation models is still in progress and the authors of the paper indicate the current stage of models' development.
help them improve their efficiency and build (or strengthen) their global competitiveness considering the turbulent envi ronment in which they operate. Whereas, the institutes could use foresight to set priorities of strategic research, which cor respond to national and international trends of S&T devel opment, and most importantly: to set operational, business oriented priority directions of development.As there is a wide array of qualitative and quantitative research methods, which can be used equally and in paral lel to arrive at the planned foresight results, the successful implementation of foresight processes, both at the macro, and micro levels depends, among others, on the applied methodology.The paper concentrates on corporate foresight imple mented by research institutes in order to anticipate their own development. Due to the following three reasons:− The specific role of research institutes in national innovation systems (discussed further in the paper), Abstract. Foresight -that is systematic, in depth analyses of social, technological, economic, environmental and political development trends in order to anticipate their impact on organisation, sector or a region in a long term perspectivesupports taking effective strategic and operational decisions at different organisational levels and thus shapes a country's economic development. The paper gives an overview of the corporate foresight process realised at the Institute for Sustainable Technologies -National Research Institute (Radom, Poland) based on an original technology foresight model, which takes into account the results from national and sectoral foresight processes in order to generate and prioritise future research priorities and technologies of the institute. The paper gives evidence of the practical implementation of the institute's cor porate foresight scientific outcomes into the national R&D agenda through the launch of the strategic research programme "Innovative Systems of Technical Support for Sustainable Development of Economy". CORPORATE FORESIGHT AT THE STRATEGIC RESEARCH INSTITUTES
C areer development has become a process of managing learning, experience, and change in order to achieve a personally determined, preferred professional future. In the context of dynamic social, economic, and technological changes, the role of career counseling services increases, although their character also evolves. New competences and abilities to use innovative tools that enable effective processes of creating career visions in a systemic manner are expected. In this context, the adaptation of Futures Studies to both practice and education of career counseling seems to be an interesting prospect. Exploring the future not only develops individual planning and adaptation skills, but also allows for detecting and identifying upcoming trends. It means the ability to adapt to new conditions, or the proactive creation of the future, in a way that is favorable. The aim of this article is to present a comprehensive methodology and the
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