Victor Vahidi Motti’s scientific contributions

The essentials of futures studies are introduced for graduate level researchers who want to begin and to pursue a career in futures studies and anticipation. It is shown that in consecutive waves, human time consciousness has evolved from prediction to forecast to foresight and eventually to anticipation and shaping the future. Also classic works in the literature, which are essential reading for a graduate level beginner, are briefly reviewed. Pluralism with respect to theories of knowledge sheds light on the assumptions, values, and boundaries among diverse epistemological traditions. Key applied futures studies and foresight practices also give useful learning examples from national to global spaces about the benchmark of quality futures work. Recognized learning options and active peer-reviewed journals are also discussed. Finally an emphasis is put on the importance of joining professional membership organizations as an essential next step because scholars, researchers, consultants, and practitioners of futures studies gather and network for the exchange of ideas and further maturity.

A coherent theoretical framework is introduced that adopts Manoa School’s four alternative futures to help make sense and investigate the four building blocks of the future, which are trends, events, images, and actions in three layers of organization, region, and the globe in terms of social, technological, environmental, economic, and political areas. Qualitative system dynamics mapping also provides insight into the systematic interactions such as long chains of perceived causation, and identification of reinforcing and balancing loops in addition to the overall system behavior, and the underlying story, in each alternative future. Linking strategic foresight to concrete specific actions is accomplished by referring to a professionally developed horizon scanning and monitoring database. Each news item is analyzed through an operational process that (1) uncovers the dynamics of each scenario seen from alternative mental models of analysts; (2) assesses the eventual impacts on the value system, that is, strategic preferences, through searching for cause and effect chains that influence them; and (3) encourages creativity in suggestion of concrete necessary actions in each part of the organizational chart to sustain profitability, to achieve other values, and to prepare thoughtful practical responses to upcoming challenges and opportunities.

We are often told that the biotechnology era is coming. Equally important but less clear is that the planetary era is coming too. A whole range of possibilities lie ahead of us. Our forward-looking plan should be to influence the imagination and knowledge imprinted in the mind of people to facilitate a transformation toward the next level of global cultural and cosmic evolution. We need to encourage more creativity and innovation, including in our identities, and we need a pragmatic mind set to launch the “planetary era.” Communities around the world, if they want to survive, need to make a better sense of how the planetary era is possible and what are its basic characteristics. State-of-the-art in biotechnology and brain research is the major enabler of this great transformation. This article examines possible answers to a simple yet deep question: what are the main characteristics of a planetary era, how might cultural identities evolve in a planetary era, and how best can we prepare to shift human nature and minds into high gear? Different scenarios explore this question.

The increasing complexity and uncertainties of future developments in cities as well as the extended range of key factors from local to global levels make necessary adopting a new approach in urban planning. Futures research methods are increasingly applied in long term city planning. Baneh as an important city of Iran in Kurdistan province near the Iraq border has a special location and plays a key role in trade and business. The alternative futures of the city are shaped by a diverse set of variables from local to international levels and hence planning for the future is a challenge. In this research structural analysis is applied to assess the interrelationships of the underlying factors with respect to the long term developments of Baneh (3) (PDF) Application of Prospective Structural Analysis for Identification of Strategic Variables in the Future Development of Baneh City in Iran. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281211480_Application_of_Prospective_Structural_Analysis_for_Identification_of_Strategic_Variables_in_the_Future_Development_of_Baneh_City_in_Iran [accessed Jul 02 2021].