Constructing and mobilising futures knowledge in an organisation: foresight as a catalyst of dynamic strategic practice

ABSTRACT

The paper discusses foresight as a dynamic strategic practice and theorises the connections of foresight and strategic management. The paper argues that organisations have a rising need to foster relevant future-oriented knowledge in a continuous process that builds on the systemic understanding of the operational environment. For this purpose, the paper outlines a conceptual framework for continuous organisational foresight practice. The framework is based on two conceptual bedrocks. The first is the idea of continuity, referring to the long-term accumulation of organisational practices. The second bedrock is the notion of discontinuity as an organisational transformation factor. Furthermore, the framework builds on the notion of four knowledge spaces in an organisation, and it is constructed through six layers depicted in detail. The paper demonstrates this framework through a case study of a Finnish research and technology organisation, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

KEYWORDS:

• Futures knowledge
• foresight
• strategy
• practice
• knowledge space
• future-oriented strategy element
• VTT
• research and technology organisation
• Finland

Acknowledgments

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the XXIV ISPIM Conference – Innovating in Global Markets: Challenges for Sustainable Growth, Helsinki, Finland on 16–19 June 2013.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dr Toni Ahlqvist is a Professor of Geography (Regional Change, Policy and Development) at the University of Oulu, Finland. Ahlqvist has ca. 18 years of research experience in the fields of Geography, Foresight and Innovation Studies. His present research focuses on state-induced socio-spatial transformations and on the political economy of innovation systems. Dr Ahlqvist is an Adjunct Professor of Economic Geography at the University of Turku, Finland.

Dr Johanna Kohl is a Research Team Leader of the ‘Foresight, organisational dynamics and systemic change’ at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. The topics of her projects cover a variety of socio-technical fields, such as mining, health care system, renewable energy, and build environment. At VTT, she is a member of the strategic core group at the bioeconomy transition spearhead programme.