Title: The targeted and unforeseen impacts of foresight on innovation policy: the eFORESEE Malta case study

Authors: Jennifer Cassingena Harper, Luke Georghiou

Addresses: Malta Council for Science and Technology, Villa Bighi, Bighi, Kalkara CSP 12, Malta. ' PREST, Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK

Abstract: The paper assesses the impacts of a foresight exercise carried out in Malta in 2002–2004. An evaluation framework is applied which seeks to account for the dynamic and possibly turbulent environment of an accession country|s emergent innovation system and to capture and assess those effects of foresight potentially extending well beyond those initially targeted. Three foresight pilots are described, with an emphasis upon an ICT and Education Pilot, and used to illustrate that in addition to targeted effects, important changes were stimulated in terms of tackling broader challenges related to the socio-cultural context. These included the engagement of a broader range of stakeholders in the innovation system and the generation of sustainable policy learning processes. It is concluded that an evaluation framework for foresight should be sensitive to these unforeseen process benefits which have broader societal impacts, even if the lines of attribution are blurred and not easy to trace.

Keywords: EU accession; European Union; adaptive; creative; evaluation; foresight; innovation policy; Malta; transition; unforeseen impacts society; ICT; information technology; communications; education; socio-cultural context; small island economy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJFIP.2005.007597

International Journal of Foresight and Innovation Policy, 2005 Vol.2 No.1, pp.84 - 103

Published online: 19 Aug 2005 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article