Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
897355 Technological Forecasting and Social Change 2008 19 Pages PDF
Abstract

Extensive involvement of social actors and perspectives is an increasing trend in foresight. Simultaneously, however, the theoretical literature suggests that there is a trade-off between increasing variety and productive convergence. The paper examines, through a sample of recent foresight exercises, how European foresight balances between variety and convergence. The findings support the existence of a trade-off, and suggest that it can be classified in two sub-categories: one between involvement and instrumentality, the other between creativeness and stakeholding. The study offers several options for reconciling and counterbalancing the mutually exclusive inclinations in the organising of foresight.

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Social Sciences and Humanities Business, Management and Accounting Business and International Management
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