Foresighting for Development
APOLOGIES FOR CROSS-POSTINGS
Dear Colleagues,
"Greener Management International", Issue 37, is a special theme issue:
"FORESIGHTING FOR DEVELOPMENT"
Edited by Walter Wehrmeyer, University of Surrey, UK
Anthony Clayton, University of the West Indies
Ken Lum, Commonwealth Centre for Futures Studies, UK
We are living in a world of unprecedented technological change. Technology is, in turn, one of the most fundamental drivers of social and economic development. Each radical innovation, incremental improvement and new deployment of technology both enables and spurs further phases of economic and technological change, in a positive reciprocating dynamic. There are a number of rapidly maturing technologies in the pipeline, and new composite materials, biotechnologies, informatics, microfabrication techniques and nanotechnologies, which will soon allow a wide range of radically new solutions and opportunities. The pace of change is liable to be further accelerated by the process of globalisation. Traditional forecasting and planning methods are no longer adequate tools for mapping business or national development strategies for coping with these transformations, because they have limited ability to predict or survive discontinuities. So, how should business and government prepare for the future in an ever more uncertain world where the past is no longer a useful template on which to base assumptions.
This special issue of "Greener Management International" analyses the merits and problems of technology foresighting - a planning tool which represents a deliberate departure from the traditional, forecasting approach. Foresighting is a technique now being used by many of the world's largest and most successful corporations, as well as by a dozen governments, to model, understand and shape the future to their advantage. The issue argues that foresighting has wide applicability for both developed and developing economies and significant potential for contributing to sustainable development.
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Table of Contents
* Introduction
Walter Wehrmeyer, University of Surrey, UK
Anthony Clayton, University of the West Indies
Ken Lum, Commonwealth Centre for Futures Studies, UK
* Foresight Futures Scenarios: Developing and Applying a Participative Strategic Planning Tool
Frans Berkhout and Julia Hertin, University of Sussex, UK
* The Development and Use of the UK Environmental Futures Scenarios: Perspectives from Cultural Theory
Malcolm Eames and Jim Skea, Policy Studies Institute, UK
* Priorities in Sustainable Development Planning: Foresight Study in Support of Federal Science Policy
Sara Verbeiren, Vito, Belgium; Frederic Heselmans, University of Liege, Belgium
Robby Berloznik, Flemish Parliament, Belgium;
Rene Doutrelepont, University of Liege, Belgium
* Shaping Diversity in Participatory Foresight Studies: Experiences with Interactive Backcasting in a Stakeholder Assessment of Long-Term Climate Policy in The Netherlands
Marleen van de Kerkhof and Matthijs Hisschemoeller, Vrije Universiteit, The Netherlands
Marijke Spanjersberg, Spanjersberg & Pe Consultancy, The Netherlands
* The Role of Soft Systems Methodology in Planning for Sustainable Production
Adrien Presley, Truman State University, USA
Laura Meade, University of Dallas, USA
* The Coupling of Viewing and Doing: Strategic Niche Management and the Electrification of Individual Transport
Bernhard Truffer, Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology
Andre Metzner, DaimlerChrysler AG, Germany
Remco Hoogma, Netherlands Agency for Energy and the Environment
* Visioning Sustainability through Design
Emma Dewberry, Cranfield University, UK
Chris Sherwin, Royal Philips Electronics, The Netherlands
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A limited number of individual copies of this special issue are available for purchase at the price of £25.00/$45.00. Postage worldwide is gratis.
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To place an order, to view all paper abstracts, or to view or download the "Introduction' by Walter Wehrmeyer, Anthony Clayton and Ken Lum,
and the paper "Foresight Futures Scenarios: Developing and Applying a Participative Strategic Planning Tool" by Frans Berkhout and Julia Hertin
please visit the Greenleaf website at:
http://www.greenleaf-publishing.com/gmi/gmi37.htm
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Alternatively, please contact:
Samantha Self
Greenleaf Publishing
Aizlewood Business Centre
Aizlewood's Mill
Sheffield S3 8GG
UK
Tel: +44 (0)114 282 3475
Fax: +44 (0)114 282 3476
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http://www.greenleaf-publishing.com
