[2020-14]

Anticipatory Governance for Newcomers : Lessons from the four countries

Heo, Kyungmoo

Moon Soul Graduate School of Future Strategy, KAIST

Seo, Yongseok

Moon Soul Graduate School of Future Strategy, KAIST

Abstract

Anticipatory governance (AG) is defined as a ‘system of systems’ that employs foresight to create future plans and execute relevant actions. Recently, various frameworks of the AG have introduced, but there is little practical information for newcomers. This research conducted a framework-based comparative country analysis to provide lessons learned for newcomers in the arena of a foresight-linked AG. By evaluating the AG levels of Finland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Korea, we found that the consequences of foresight-linked AGs are different in each country. At the same time, we also identified that a common denominator of a successful and continued AG is future receptivity, a ‘human or people’ capacity to accept and understand the value of foresight. Instead of temporary system changes or organizational modifications, future receptivity is an underlying element for newcomers to overcome lingering short-termism and facilitate stakeholder’s coordination for foresight. In conclusion, we suggested ways to promote future receptivity for newcomers. First, a government should educate and train the public and government officials to promote future literacy and future proficiency. Second, a government should provide a process of the public participation such as a national-wide networking that enables the public to influence their diverse future images to a foresight outcome.