Evaluating the Impacts of Foresight on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy-Making

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Tarbiat Modares University

2 Amirkabir University of Technology

Abstract

Technology foresight has shifted from R&D policy to the broader context of social policy. So the foresight literature shows that there is a gap between foresight and policy-making. Most of the literature is focused on organizing and implementing foresight activities and converting foresight outcomes into policy. Despite the attempts made by some studies, forming foresight as an instrument for science, technology and innovation (STI) policy-making in a theoretical framework is still lacking in the literature of the subject. This paper tries to bridge the existing gap, with an emphasis on foresight role as a policy intelligence instrument, and uses a mixed method for this purpose. The mixed method approach in this paper is the sequential exploratory design "characterized by the collection and analysis of qualitative data followed by the collection and analysis of quantitative data". First, the conceptual framework is developed in the qualitative part of this study by the concept of adaptive foresight and constant comparative method of analysis (CCM). Second, in the quantitative part, quantitative tests are done to evaluate the factors, dimensions and components of the developed theoretical framework. A questionnaire is used as data collection tool, and to test the proposed model, a sample of 15 experts in the field of foresight and policy-making answer the questions on the questionnaire. The results confirm the dimensions of the proposed framework.

Keywords

References

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Innovation Management Journal
Volume 3, Issue 2 - Serial Number 8
September 2014
Pages 703-102

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History

  • Receive Date: 19 January 2014
  • Accept Date: 16 November 2014

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