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As I explained in a previous post, Strategic Foresight offers a range of benefits to organizations in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. And yet…most aren’t using it. Here I examine some reasons why governments globally have been hesitant to embrace Foresight.
Given Foresight’s value proposition, what stops public sector organizations from using it? One leading reason is the immediate focus on the present. While an increasing number of governments use Foresight methods, the imperative to respond to the needs of the “here and now” draws decision-makers away from a look further down the road. Political leaders and partisan appointees in government ministries/departments often employ short-term thinking, connected to upcoming votes or elections. Their more immediate priorities become the priorities of the public servants who report to them.
Although Foresight has gained a stronger foothold over time, it still remains a mystery to many. The terminology and techniques require some thought and practice to understand. Foresight is sometimes seen as abstract, theoretical, or lofty and removed from hard-nosed reality in a competitive world.
Since technology is a key influencer of many major changes that lie ahead, Foresight scenarios can appear lifted from the script of a sci-fi movie. It can be a…
