SUMMARY INTRODUCTION

Those who have a Crystal ball can look into the future. The rest of us are consigned to looking into the past. As a predictor of the future, however, looking into the past ranges from the extremely dangerous to the merely useless when conditions are changing rapidly and adaptively. But then, how else are we to make plans which provide for success in the future?

What we want to be able to do is see the structure of the future as it is currently manifest in the structures and processes of the times. Each era of history has its own strategic issues and its own possibilities for approaching the challenge of future success. Each is based on new understandings that match the philosophy, science and technology of the times.

Foresight is the ability to see the shadow of the future being cast based on the expectation of continuous integration.¹ The future will be related to the past when we get there and, while none of the specifics can be foretold, understanding the unfolding patterns can provide a great advantage for the impact of current action on future success.

The implications for strategy and organization are profound.

© 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd, International Journal of Strategic Management, Long Range Planning