FUTURES

The
role of Corporate Foresight in the business environment is changing.
Klaus Burmeister and Andreas Neef analyse what Foresight was, is, and
will be in their essay "This Is How You Do Future. Corporate Foresight
and Entrepreneurial Spirit". They consider Foresight and
entrepreneurial spirit to be inseparable. "We offer businesses to work
together for the future in a way not focused on safeguards, but rather
with the intend to boldly re-design the world", the authors say.

The article is available for download here.

At
the beginning of each year, trends and forecasts are in high demand. We
have looked for and collected statements on the development of this
still young year 2008 we consider worth reading.

Economist: Future of Futurology

The Economist
satirises all shades of trend and future research, from Toffler to
Popcorn and Naisbitt. Its conclusion? "Uncertainty looks smarter than
ever before."

Guardian: The Shape of Things to Come

The Guardian
presents an entertaining and highly readable selection of predictions
for 2008, coming from (English-speaking) Foresight practitioners.

Gartner: IT Predictions

In his report "Predictions 2008", Gartner offers some dozen forecasts for the IT sector.

Peter Pesti: Roadmap for the 21st Century

In his roadmap for the 21st century, Peter Pesti,
a computer scientist, aggregates statements of renowned think tanks on
future events. Since the beginning of 2007, the roadmap is maintained
and updated regularly.

Creative Generalist: Creative Holidays

The Creative Generalist
blog collected the best "Idea Gatherings" for the present year:
interdisciplinary conferences which aim to stimulate new thinking and
innovation.

Corporate Foresight in SMEs

In
the European Foresight Monitoring Networks (EFMN) Foresight Brief No.
101, Klaus Burmeister and Kai Jannek present the Z_punkt survey
"Corporate Foresight in SMEs". Download here.

2nd Rethinking Business Conference

Materials
and manufacturing processes in transition – this was the issue
discussed by speakers and visitors at the conference "Rethinking
Business #02. Products of Tomorrow". Conference impressions and
pictures from the Fab Lab can be accessed here.

"IT in 2057"

Cornelia Daheim,
Director Foresight Consulting at Z_punkt, contributed to a series of
short films “IT in 2057” of the British Computer Society (BCS). The
filmlets look forward in time to the next 50 years and the role of IT
in shaping 2057. Read more.



On March 7 and 8, 2008, the opening conference of the series Millennia 2015
will be held in Liège (Walloon). Topic: The future of women and how to
master international challenges. Z_punkt’s Vanessa Watkins will be
among those giving a speech.