The Evolution of Strategic Foresight: Navigating Public Policy Making

Citation

Murphy, A. (2013), "The Evolution of Strategic Foresight: Navigating Public Policy Making", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 378-379. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-04-2013-0043

Tuoma Kuosa, the author of this impressive work, has an equally impressive scholarly profile for a relatively young man. This particular book was written as a direct outcome of post‐doctoral research in Nanyang University, Singapore in 2010 for the Centre of Excellence for National Security. Prior to that Kuoma worked on several EU foresight projects undertaken by the Finland Futures Research Centre and contributed to strategic planning initiatives globally through think‐tanks, conference papers, seminars and publications. He is described in promotional materials for the book as one of the leading experts in the foresight field with particular competences in futures methodologies. So I approached the book with very high expectations indeed, and I was not disappointed. I was particularly pleased that the focus of the book was not on military and political matters and that it has more useful application in public policy, organisations, businesses and companies.

It is fair to assume that the book was written for a readership already familiar with the broad field of futures methodologies and contexts of application, but a novice reader could follow the content with attention and effort as the author does provide definitions and explains future foresight practices in terms of structures, processes, knowledge domains and methodologies. There are useful summative tables and explanatory diagrams throughout the chapters with the most complex and theoretical content. There is endearing use of militaristic truisms and references to the insights of great military leaders from history as well as provocative case study examples from European politics and EU policies.

Even though the book could be described as having practical and indeed pragmatic application in a range of contexts, it is primarily an “intellectual” book in the broad meaning of the term. To prevent application without understanding, Kuosa devotes a significant portion of the book chapters to detailing and carefully presenting the philosophical basis of his theories and paradigms. He narrates the development of thinking systems over time and argues for the value of applying complexity theory, autopoeisis and chaos theory in futures methodologies. He also considers the nature of different knowledge types and the power interests which support them in deciding public policies. He offers paradigms of future visioning, particularly in relation to public policy planning.

Overall the book is a considerably useful resource for scholars and researchers interested in current application of futures foresight. Each chapter represents a rich source of knowledge claims and assertions for debate and contestation. The bibliography too is a resource in itself as are the clear working definitions of terms. It is likely that this book will sustain as the key resource on strategic foresight in public policy scholarship for some time to come.