For us, foresight does not mean predicting the future or making loose trend lists. It is a practical way of identifying alternative futures, seeing new opportunities and preparing before risks materialise. What matters is how the resulting understanding guides decision-making and everyday activities.
How could the world evolve? On what assumptions do we base our decisions?
What decisions do we make based on knowledge about the future? Do we need to refine the strategy? How do we use information in our work with customers?
Strategic foresight helps organisations make better decisions in a world where uncertainty is a permanent feature of the business environment. As the pace of change accelerates, anticipation supports the ability to see opportunities early, prepare for risks and make informed choices. And research shows that companies that anticipate are more successful than others.
For us, strategic foresight is not just a management tool or a single process. It is a way of thinking and acting that enables an organisation to innovate even when the future surprises us.
What does strategic foresight mean in practice?
Strategic foresight is the systematic examination of developments in the operating environment, interpretation of their significance and decision-making based on knowledge of the future. Foresight opens up prospects for alternative futures. The essence of foresight is not finding the right answer, but learning to ask better questions and to see opportunities that others have not yet seized.
Strategic foresight is particularly useful when, for example, an organisation is revising its strategy, considering a major investment, wanting to strengthen its understanding of its customers or its long-term competitiveness.
Foresight enables an organisation and its management to:
Constant anticipation keeps your business alert to change. It brings future knowledge into everyday thinking and decision-making.
By using the future as a starting point for strategy work, decision-making is based on future possibilities and alternatives - not just on what has worked in the past.
The review helps ensure that decision-making is based on an up-to-date understanding of the environment, not on outdated assumptions.
Forward-looking sales combines foresight and sales work. It helps sales to stand out, make an impact and build long-lasting customer relationships.
Our way of foresight
For us, strategic foresight does not mean predicting the future or making loose trend lists. It is a practical way of identifying and preparing for alternative futures today. Foresight is not just a management tool, but a way for the whole organisation to think and act with an eye to the future.
Our approach links foresight closely to strategy, management and operations. It does not remain a stand-alone exercise or report, but supports the choices that an organisation makes to orient its actions and respond to change in its daily life.
Foresight work can include identifying changes in the business environment, building alternative scenarios and creating a shared vision of the future. In addition to project-based work, we also offer monitoring of the business environment as an ongoing service. The key is how the resulting understanding guides decision-making, day-to-day activities and the ability to change.
Strategic foresight strengthens an organisation's ability to face change and make choices that can withstand uncertainty. At its best, foresight is a way of thinking and doing that guides the building of the desired future.
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The partnership gave us a clear and informed view of the changes in the agricultural sector. We got an overview that not only describes the phenomena, but interprets their meaning for our business. The review gave us the confidence that we are heading in the right direction, while also showing us which new opportunities we should seize.
