Corporate foresight : A systematic literature review and future research trajectories

Abstract

Corporate foresight (CF) has received increasing attention from scholars and practitioners alike. Due to the increasing environmental complexity and unpredictability that the corporate world is encountering, companies from various sectors have realized the need to engage in CF to mitigate uncertainty. However, current research on the topic remains fragmented and lacks conceptual connection. This study, therefore, aims to examine the extant CF research and provides a systematic insight into its key components. Through a narrative synthesis of a sample comprising 73 articles published over the last two decades in leading business and management journals, we developed an integrative framework that maps the key elements underpinning CF literature (including antecedents, tools/activities, moderators, technology, and outcomes) and explicates their interplay. We also highlighted the bidirectional effect of technology, as a distinct construct, across CF elements, and discussed the need to identify technology-related boundary conditions that may influence the manifestation of CF outcomes. Moreover, we utilized the developed framework as a platform to identify critical gaps in the CF research and suggest related future research trajectories.