Arthur G.O. Mutambara
Copyright: © 2022. The Author Licensee: AOSIS.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
|
|
With change being the only constant phenomenon in society, authoritative ideas are critical to its evolution. In the 21st century, we are experiencing some of the most profound changes driven by technology that have manifested in different forms. These include the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), a shift from carbon-based energy towards clean energy, the impact of global warming on the environment, globalisation and increased human mobility. We have also experienced global catastrophes such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Russia–Ukraine conflict and environmental catastrophes such as hurricanes or cyclones in North America and Africa.
Now, more than ever, foresight and thought leadership are critical. Simply put, foresight is the act of looking to and thinking about the future. While it may involve an expert or not, it is crucial in creating positive change. However, foresight cannot be conflated with prophecy or prediction. It is neither prophecy nor prediction. The aim of foresight is not to predict the future – to unveil it as if it were predetermined. Today’s global problems, challenges and ambitions are complex and interconnected. Authoritative thought leadership contributes to how contemporary challenges can be understood, managed and resolved in different geospatial and temporal contexts.
The Journal of Foresight and Thought Leadership (JOFTL) is timely. The purpose of the JOFTL is to expand the body of knowledge in strategic foresight and thought leadership. The journal invites prospective authors to submit original and innovative work in any field, demonstrating foresight and thought leadership. The ambition is to explore foresight and thought leadership in diverse and interconnected fields and how this will inform the future of knowledge. Foresight and thought leadership studies should be inter-, multi- and transdisciplinary. It should be systemic and holistic.
The Journal of Foresight and Thought Leadership aims to explore plausible and desired alternatives while seeking to understand what is likely to continue and what could change. In various fields, there must be an effort to understand the relationship between what we know and what will happen for the purpose of improving both. As a publication, the JOFTL seeks to be a vehicle for the generation and dissemination of knowledge in the field of foresight and thought leadership. It aims to serve the need of researchers, educators, thought leaders, policy makers and both public and private sector leaders.
While foresight and thought leadership do not answer all the problems the world is facing, it creates a platform to influence the agenda, begin the dialogue and ultimately contribute to resolving societal challenges.
|
