Strategic foresight and environmental uncertainty: a research agenda

Abstract

Purpose

The main purpose of this article is to promote further systematic inquiry into the field of strategic foresight. It carefully aims to re‐examine the notion of environmental uncertainty, the main theoretical approaches advanced by literature on strategy to cope with uncertainty, and foresight activities in corporate organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is theoretical in nature. However, its insights are significantly based on empirical analysis: the author has been involved in the past ten years in in‐depth investigation of foresight practices in several international firms of different industries.

Findings

Several important issues and research questions on strategic foresight have remained largely unresolved from both an academic and managerial perspective. This paper outlines such questions.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper is twofold. First, it links the work on strategic foresight to a wide range of related literature streams, thus revealing new connections and issues to be explored. Second, it develops a research agenda that may inspire further theoretical and empirical work on the nature and effects of strategic foresight efforts.

Citation

Vecchiato, R. (2012), "Strategic foresight and environmental uncertainty: a research agenda", Foresight, Vol. 14 No. 5, pp. 387-400. https://doi.org/10.1108/14636681211269879