-- a university of arizona
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The purpose of these references is to identify a range of works that that are broadly available. The focus is on general futures dealing with driving forces and trends, not detailed facts about specific trends or issues.
References
are grouped as: web sites related to driving forces of change, futures organizations
(
Web sites related to driving forces of change
Selected sites that have driving force selections or trends and statistics.
Fedstats:
gateway to statistics in over 100 federal agencies. Information organized by
topic, geographic location, and agency. Includes press releases and summary
reports, and key statistics.
http://www.fedstats.gov/
Horizon.
The Horizon On-Ramp Page includes links to valuable information databases, articles,
and resources in the social, technological, economic, environmental, and political (or STEEP) sectors so that we can plan more effectively.
http://horizon.unc.edu/onramp/
FutureStudio - turning foresight into value.. A site with lots
of referemce materials related to scenario building and scenario results. Inducing
tools and links to other studies for world futures in the 2020 or so time frame.
http://www.futurestudio.org/
George Washington University Forecast of Emerging Technologies. Since 1985 Professor Bill Halal has conducted a periodic
survey of 50 authorities to forecast advances in all technical fields – it
is sort of a virtual think tank to track the Technology Revolution.
http://GWForecast.gwu.edu
(individual articles by Halal are at http://home.gwu.edu/~halal/Articles/articles.html)
Global
Trends 2005, Center for Strategic and International Studies. The study, Global
Trends 2005: The Challenges of a New Millennium, takes advantage of ongoing
work at CSIS as well as new research to outline the future of broad trends in
such areas as economy, environment, conflict, society, and science and technology.
http://www.csis.org/gt2005/
World
Tables Dataset Guide, World Bank. Published annually and includes economic and
social data organized by country or subject.
http://www.ciesin.org/IC/wbank/wtables.html
Futures Organizations (
Some of these organizations have a more narrow focus or values bias, but most cover the broad range of futures topics.
Battelle.
Battelle's team of technology forecasters provides insight into the technological
innovations that will spell success for industry and government in the future.
Note the focus is on technology.
http://www.battelle.org/forecasts/
Brookings
Institution. The Brookings Institution is an independent, nonpartisan organization
devoted to research, analysis, education, and publication focused on public
policy issues in the areas of economics, foreign policy, and governance.
http://www.brookings.org
Global
Business Network. As a worldwide membership organization, GBN engages in a
collaborative exploration of the future, discovering
the frontiers of knowledge and creating innovative tools for strategic action.
They provide consulting and training and have a very good reputation on developing
scenarios, and list examples on their site. They also provide an annual listing
of recommended books to read (that cover a large range of topics).
http://www.gbn.org/
(book review lists at http://www.gbn.org/BookClubSelectionListDisplayServlet.srv)
Hudson
Institute. Hudson performs applied research toward policy issues and works
to counsel and guide policy change, applying our ideas whenever possible alongside
other leaders in communities, businesses, non-profit organizations and governments
alike.
http://www.hudson.org/
Institute
for the Future. Based in Menlo Park, California on Sand Hill Road, known as the Wall Street of the West, IFTF is an independent,
non-profit research firm specializing in long-term forecasting. The firm develops
an annual 10 year forecasts (with summarize available on the web).
http://iftf.org/
Rand
Corporation. They see their job as helping to improve policy and decision making
through research and analysis. This includes developing new knowledge to inform
decision makers without suggesting any specific course of action but often they
spelling out the range of available options and analyze their relative advantages and
disadvantages.
http://www.rand.org/
World
Future Society. The World Future Society is an association of people interested
in how social and technological developments are shaping the future. The Society
was founded in 1966 and is chartered as a nonprofit educational and scientific
organization in Washington, D.C.,
http://wfs.org/
http://www.bls.gov/oco/
Futures Organizations (International)
These
organizations range from independent, to support for a high level government
focus, or for consortia or organizations of multiple parties. There is no equivalent
organization for the
Finland Futures Research Center. The center is an organization for futures research,
education and development, which has operations on local, national and international
level. The Center produces and promotes visionary information on the future
trends of society and the environment.
http://www.tukkk.fi/tutu/default_eng.asp
Forward Studies Unit of the European Commission. The unit has three tasks: to monitor and evaluate European integration; to establish permanent relations with bodies involved in forecasting; and to work on specific briefs. It provides a number of reports. http://europa.eu.int/comm/cdp/index_en.htm
International Futures Program of the Organization of
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The
OECD consists of 30 countries, including the
http://www.oecd.org/department/0,2688,en_2649_33707_1_1_1_1_1,00.html
Newsletters and Periodicals
These newsletters are broad based and futures directed. The one on energy is typical of more specific newsletters, but is listed because of the growing interest in the changes taking place in the energy field and as an example of specific newsletter formats.
EREN
NETWORK NEWS - A weekly newsletter from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN). Free subscription at:
http://www.eren.doe.gov/news/subscribe/.
Innovation
Weekly – A weekly report on trends, strategies and innovations in business and
technology. $18/year for paid subscribers; company-wide distribution licenses
are also available for corporations, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations.
http://www.NewsScan.com
Future
Survey – A Monthly Abstract of Books, Articles, and Reports
Concerning Forecasts, Trends, and Ideas about the Future. $89 per year for individuals
(12 monthly issues). Subscriptions for libraries and other institutions are
$129 per year.
http://wfs.org/fsurv.htm
Selected Individuals
The two names below have been in the futures field for many years and are highly respected by their peers. Their writings will give additional perspectives on driving forces and futures issues. There are others in the field, but they are not listed because their web pages either don’t exist or are not useful in gaining additional information.
Joseph
Coates. Consulting futurist, former principle of Coates and Jarrett and assistant
director of the former U.S. Office of Technology Assessment. Web site provides
large listing of articles, resources speeches, and issues analysis. Orientation
is toward technology but is very broad.
http://josephcoates.com/
James
Dator. Professor of Political Science at University of Hawaii, one of founders of World
Futures Study Foundation and the Hawaii Research Center for Futures Studies. His focus is on political and societal
issues but is also very broad.
http://www.futures.hawaii.edu/