The Value of Future Studies

As of the June 2012 term, this course, RES704 (Doctoral Research 704) is new. Course Specific Notes The field of trend forecasting, sometimes called strategic foresight or future studies, is a fairly new discipline.  More than likely, this will be students’ first exposure to this set of unique concepts and techniques. Trend forecasting intersects with standard fields of study like decision science, strategic planning, and marketing. However, it has its own distinct set of core concepts and methods that set it apart from these other disciplines. For almost all students, this will be the first-ever time they’ve thought about the future and how to prepare for it in a systematic, disciplined fashion.  They will find it a very exciting adventure. We ought to let them know that they are in fact pioneers in this field! Trend forecasting is also crucial to the future success of students. As they will spend several years of study with us, the world will change, and we want them to align their research and careers to profit from these changes. Now is the time for students to identify what the likely trends will be in their fields of study and professional careers. Now is the time for students to factor this likely future into their research and career plans. This will help to make them to be leaders, not followers, in their fields and careers. In short, the insights from this course can literally “make or break” careers today. We live in a time of change, and the rate of change is going to speed up, not slow down. We can give our students a powerful competitive edge through the concepts and methods presented in the course.