Purpose – This essay aims to introduce horizon scanning as an approach fundamental to most foresight studies. Design/methodology/approach – The essay combines a general review of the topic with an overview of a range of horizon‐scanning approaches that are in use in the UK health system....

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the future‐orientation of the Dutch innovation system and formulate recommendations to improve it. Design/methodology/approach – The approach takes the form of in‐depth interviews with Dutch experts who are sufficiently independent to...

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to present an example on how futures studies methodologies, especially backcasting, can be used to assist public policy formulation. Backcasting is particularly interesting method in this context, since it allows the key characteristics concerning the...

Purpose – This paper aims to describe three major difficulties with dealing with the future. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is an essay with limited use of literature. Findings – Looking to the future is difficult due to cognitive, social, business problems. Research...

Purpose – This paper addresses a challenging topic, which in both academic and professional literatures has been widely discussed but mainly from one single angle – that is, how to select foresight methods. From that point of view researchers and consultants promote (even if unintentionally)...

Purpose – Web‐based information retrieval offers the potential to exploit a vast, continuously updated and widely available repository of emerging information to support horizon scanning and scenario development. However, the ability to continuously retrieve the most relevant documents from...

Purpose – The paper aims to introduce the first iteration of an international research project into the “state of play” in the futures field (SoPiFF) using methodology developed at the Australian Foresight Institute (AFI). Design/methodology/approach – The paper outlines the overall...

Purpose – There has been no shortage of rosy visions for the future of Africa or its regions. Almost without exception, these visions have been dashed by reality. The question therefore arises: “To what extent or under what conditions is visioning an ideal future a worthy exercise?” or...