Unpacking Participatory Methods in Corporate Foresight

Join us as we dive into a critical systematic literature review by Delhaes, Vieira, Pimenta, and Oliveira that examines participatory methods in Corporate Foresight (CF) case studies published between 2003 and 2023.

Despite case studies being essential for generating insights into CF research and demonstrating foresight approaches in practical contexts, the authors reveal significant challenges and gaps in how these studies are documented.

In this episode, we'll explore:

• The landscape of Corporate Foresight: Where CF case studies are applied across diverse industries, particularly in technology-focused sectors like ICT and Automotive, and how they primarily support strategic and technology development decisions within companies.
• The surprising lack of innovation: Discover how the application of participatory methods is often limited to traditional setups, with workshops and interviews being the most frequently used methods, and a notable absence of emerging technologies like advanced data analytics or AI.
• Critical documentation gaps: We'll highlight the paper's key finding that few case studies comprehensively describe their participatory component, making it difficult to understand their design, implementation, and replicability. This often stems from a focus on sharing "best practices" rather than rigorous scientific reporting.
• The solution: PMDT: Learn about the Participatory Methods Documentation Taxonomy (PMDT), a practical guideline proposed by the authors to help researchers and practitioners better document participatory methods, enhancing transparency, replicability, and learning from future CF case studies.

Tune in to understand the state of participatory methods in Corporate Foresight research and how improved documentation can lead to more insightful and verifiable studies.

Ref:

Delhaes, J. M., Vieira, A. C. L., Pimenta, J. F., & Oliveira, M. D. (2025). Participatory Methods in Corporate Foresight: A Systematic Literature Review of Case Studies and Guidelines for Reporting. FUTURES & FORESIGHT SCIENCE, 7(2), e70011. https://doi.org/10.1002/ffo2.70011