Questioning the Future (2007) (PDF)

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Questioning the Future: Methods and Tools for Organizational and Societal Transformation

By Sohail Inayatullah

Tamkang University Press, Tamsui, Taiwan, 2007 (third edition)

Questioning the Future presents chapters on foundational concepts, theories and methods in futures studies in addition to constituting a practical workbook for the manager or social activist who desires to use the future to transform organizations. It addresses the questions such as: How can anticipatory action learning help organizations plan for the future? What are the limits to strategic planning and scenario planning? What are the latest trends in Futures Studies? How can causal layered analysis unveil the future? How can the study of grand patterns of social change help in understanding the future? In sum, Questioning the Future addresses these and other questions on the nature of futures studies, action learning and organizational transformation are explored in this book.

The book is divided into two parts. Chapters in Part one are focused on:

1. The Study of the Future
2. Macrohistory and Grand Patterns of Change
3. Case studies in Scenario Planning and Visioning
4. New Methodologies, such as Nuts and Bolts and Causal Layered Analysis
5. Poststructuralism as method
6. Tips and Pitfalls of Futures studies as a consultancy
7. Trends in Futures Studies.

Chapters in Part two are focused on:

1. Using the Future to Transform Organizations
2. Action Learning and Futures Studies
3. Layered Questioning
4. Creating a Learning Organization and Healing Organization
5. Implementing Futures
6. Questions and Answers for the Busy Associate, an imaginary conversation with a bottom-line oriented executive.

Over 40 pages of appendices provide bullet point illustrations of approaches and methods in Futures Studies.

The book is divided into two parts and consists of thirteen chapters. In addition, over 40 pages of appendices provide bullet point illustrations of approaches and methods in Futures Studies.

Length: 240 pages