Dieses Fachbuch beschreibt die erkenntnis- und wissenschaftstheoretischen Fundamente der
Zukunftsforschung einer US-amerikanischen transdisziplinär verfahrenden
Querschnittsdisziplin. Der Fokus liegt dabei auf ökonomischen Anwendungsfeldern
(Unternehmensentwicklung Innovationsmanagement). Insbesondere werden Unterschiede zum
europäischen Wissenschaftsbetrieb und dessen Fachverständnis (wissenschaftliche Gütekriterien
Methodenverständnis Wahrheitsbegriff) geklärt. Konsequenzen und Wirkungsweise
zukunftsforscherischer Arbeitsweisen werden am Ende des Buches in praktischen Beispielen
vorgestellt um die Erklärungskraft dieser Wissenschaft zu veranschaulichen. This book
describes the fundamentals of economic futurology and focuses on its theoretical foundation
covering: Scientific understanding which draws on modern physical science (quantum physics).
the core disciplinary question (managing complexity) research program mes and understanding of
empiricism the connection to economic science (in which economic tradition does futurology
belong?).The book consists of seven chapters: The introduction (1) lays the foundation for our
conceptual framework. Next the origins of futurology are traced: in conceptual terms as well
as geographical and socio-cultural terms (2). The following chapters explain the theoretical
basis beginning with the central questions of the discipline - our understanding of complexity
and strategic management (3). In turn the book examines actual research programmes (4)
scientific understanding (5) and the two central paradigms (6) as well as the economy concept
of futurology (7). The mission of economic futurology is to research how the unthinkable can
become thinkable how the impossible can become possible and how the unachievable can become
achievable (to dream the impossible dream). In a scientific context the task is therefore to
create a theoretical and methodical system of managing expectations.
