Foresight in the World (2000)

THE PROCEEDING OF INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TECHNOLOGY FORESIGHT March 7-8, 2000, Tokyo

Sessions
Current Foresight Activities in the World
Multi-country Foresight Activities
Lessons for Foresight Newcomers
Foresight by Mode 2 approach (Integration of Socio-economic Needs into Technology Foresight
Third Generation Foresight - Integrating the
Socio-economic Dimension)

"Conclusion
The following common perceptions were seen lying beneath the sessions.

Developing countries, as well as advanced ones, recognize the necessity and usefulness of technology foresight.

The definition of technology foresight which the OECD defines as "the process involved in systematically attempting to look into the longer-term future of science and technology, the economy and society with the aim of identifying the areas of strategic technologies likely to yield the greatest economic and social benefits" is almost the same for countries concerned, although it varies slightly from country to country.

Currently, technology foresight is developing dynamically, encouraging many countries to work out an optimal combination of techniques. It is essential for countries carrying out foresight activities to exchange opinions and information with one another. In this sense, the conference was extremely significant.

In developing foresight activities, the OECD initiative, or the 1994 professional conference, played a critical role in bringing us to the second generation of foresight. Today, technology foresight is developing beyond the OECD area on a global scale. Many countries are integrating socioeconomic factors into foresight to utilize it as an effective policy tool."