Futures Research Unpacked explores thought-provoking research in futures studies,
strategic foresight, and related fields. Each episode breaks down one paper in a
way that's easy to follow but still rich in ideas.
#67 - An audit for organizational futurists: ten questions every organizational futurist should be able to answer
Imagine you’ve just been hired as an internal futurist for a global corporation. You have the trends, the scenarios, and a clear vision of the horizon. But at your first big steering committee meeting, a senior executive leans in and asks the dreaded question: "So, what exactly is it that you do here?" It is the ultimate test of professional identity in a field that can often feel like a mix of rigorous analysis and intuitive art.
In this episode, we dive into a foundational piece by Andy Hines that serves as a professional health check for anyone practicing foresight within an organization. Hines argues that the era of the isolated "strategic planner" is largely over; the modern internal futurist must operate as a "broker," balancing the delivery of tangible insights with the long-term, often subtle work of shifting organizational culture. He provides a ten-question audit designed to move foresight from a niche, misunderstood activity to an institutionalized, strategic capability.
The paper is a masterclass in pragmatism, offering frameworks for everything from time management—advocating for a heavy focus on process over pure content—to navigating the treacherous waters of corporate politics. Hines shares hard-won lessons from his time at Kellogg and Dow Chemical, providing a realistic look at how to identify your "bridge-builders" and how to handle the inevitable "laggards." It is an essential guide for ensuring that futures thinking doesn't just happen in a vacuum, but actually changes the way an organization makes decisions today.
• The 70/20/10 Rule: Why internal futurists should spend the majority of their time on process (facilitation and engagement) rather than just generating trend reports.
• Organizational Positioning: An exploration of the different "voices" a futurist can adopt, from "stealth" operators to "inside-outside" brokers.
• Stakeholder Mapping: How to categorize your internal audience—true believers, bridge-builders, fence-sitters, and laggards—to tailor your communication effectively.
• Leadership Styles: Applying emotional intelligence and varied leadership styles to influence culture and ensure foresight takes root.
Tune in as we explore the essential audit every organizational futurist needs to pass to ensure their work truly sticks.
Ref:
Andy Hines. An audit for organizational futurists: ten questions every organizational futurist should be able to answer. Foresight, 5, 2003, 20-33. https://doi.org/10.1108/14636680310471262
28 Jun 2026
#66 - An integrated three-layered foresight framework
Imagine you’re steering a massive cargo ship toward a horizon that is constantly shifting. In a world of 'postnormal' change and 'wicked' problems, how do you decide which way to turn when every trend seems to point in a different direction? This episode explores a powerful new tool designed to help decision-makers navigate exactly this kind of complexity by looking at the 'inertia' of the world around us.
The researchers introduce an integrated three-layered framework that stacks trends based on how long they’ve been unfolding. By analyzing century-long shifts, 50-year economic cycles known as Kondratieff waves, and shorter-term megatrends in conjunction, the authors argue we can reduce uncertainty and gain a much sharper view of the future. It’s a move away from simple forecasting toward a 'meta-level' understanding of how different forces of change interact and reinforce one another.
We also dive into a practical case study involving the Port of Rotterdam, where this framework reveals a startling possibility: the era of hyper-globalization may be ending, shifting instead toward a focus on sustainability and hyper-connectivity. This insight doesn't just change a forecast; it fundamentally reshapes how one of the world's largest ports plans its land use and infrastructure for the next forty years.
• The Meta-Framework: Organizes trends into three layers of inertia (>100 years, +/- 50 years, and 10–30 years) to identify deep structural changes.
• K-Waves as a Linking Pin: Uses the regularity of 50-year economic cycles to indicate the timing and relevance of emerging technologies like 3D printing and autonomous driving.
• Systemic Interaction: Demonstrates how century-long trends, such as shifts in geopolitical world order, actually trigger the direction of the next major economic wave.
• Trend-Based Narratives: Moves beyond abstract data to create detailed stories that help organizations translate complex trend analysis into concrete strategy.
Tune in to learn how to see through the noise of the present by reading the deep currents of history.
Ref:
Cornelis van Dorsser, Poonam Taneja. An integrated three-layered foresight framework. Foresight, 22, 2020, 250-272. ISSN 1463-6689. https://doi.org/10.1108/FS-05-2019-0039
27 Jun 2026
#65 - Futures Studies as a Quest for Meaning
Have you ever looked at the headlines and felt that "the future" sounds more like a looming disaster than a promise of progress? For many, the optimism of the mid-twentieth century has been replaced by a sense of global emergency, where the traditional markers of human success now impose non-negotiable costs on the planet. This episode explores a deeply personal and professional reflection on four decades in the futures field, asking how we can find genuine meaning and direction in what often feel like impossible times.
In this paper, Richard Slaughter traces his journey from a postwar "year zero" to the heights of professional foresight, arguing that our current situation is fundamentally abnormal and unsustainable. He suggests that the core of the problem is a mismatch between human perception and environmental reality, driven by a near-exclusive focus on instrumental power and economic growth. To move beyond this impasse, Slaughter calls for a "quest for meaning" that utilizes "depth appreciation"—a way of seeing the world that looks past the superficial to find the interconnected layers of reality hidden in music, art, and the natural world.
• The application of Ken Wilber’s four quadrants to map the interior and exterior dimensions of the self and society.
• The role of "depth appreciation" in transforming casual observation into sustained, life-affirming engagement.
• A critique of "business-as-usual" as a dangerous illusion that ignores the primary reality of the earth's systems.
• The shift from strategic foresight (gaining advantage) to transformative foresight (civilizational healing).
Tune in as we discuss how recovering our sense of authorship over society can help us navigate the descent toward a more viable future.
Ref:
Slaughter, Richard A. Futures Studies as a Quest for Meaning. World Futures Review, 2019, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/1946756719870277
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