Inhalt

Abstract:

Trend and future research is increasingly establishing itself as a separate specialist/functional area in organizations. In industry and associations, for example, corporate foresight experts examine the future of industries, markets, new business models or the competitive landscape. In the public sector, urban and spatial development as well as social and technological issues are primarily addressed in terms of regional foresight. Strategic foresight now also plays a prominent role at federal level and in the EU's framework research programs.

The course "Introduction to Corporate Foresight" teaches the basics of strategic foresight. Each of the three phases of the foresight process (scanning, foresight, transfer) is covered in detail. Participants are given an overview of the more than 40 methods of foresight. A special focus is placed on the scenario technique. Many practical examples will also be used to show how today's decision-makers in all organizations can systematically develop future scenarios and transfer them to their own organizational context. In this course, participants learn skills that can make a contribution at many interfaces in and to organizations: Strategy & Consulting, Transformation, Innovation and Risk Management, Marketing & Communication. One learning unit also deals with the role of IT in supporting the foresight process.

Learning and qualification objectives:

Students develop a sustainable understanding of the management of dynamics and complexity. After completing the course, students will be able to:

• Prepare organizations for future change
• Systematically detect new trends and weak signals
• Assess the relevance and validity of new developments for an organization
• Project the potential implications of developments
• Develop scenarios in a structured and systematic way
• Use scenarios in an organizational context
• Illustrate the added value of corporate foresight
  
  

The content learned can be used in a variety of organizational contexts, e.g. in corporate development/strategic consulting or in innovation and risk management.

The self-study concept also promotes self-organization and self-discipline as well as independent time management for students.

Gliederung:

Session 1: The basics of futurology: fundamentals and overview
Session 2: Organization is half the future: The foresight process
Session 3: The future can be trained: Foresight methods in detail
Session 4: Scenarios = art and science: scenario writing & storytelling, marketing & PR
Session 5: Thinking outside the box: scanning, trends & wildcards
Session 6: A different look at trends and trend management and business wargaming
Session 7: The future from the computer: foresight support systems, trend databases & co.
Session 8: Foresight Support Systems and Innovation
Session 9: Looking into the future: Selected trends, technologies, scenarios and curiosities
Session 10: Shaping the future: Scenario transfer in strategy, innovation & co.

Detaillierter Inhalt:

Session 1: The basics of futurology
This introductory module provides an initial insight into the topic of futures research and highlights the importance of this field of research in the corporate context. In addition, an overview of the historical development of futures research is provided and the term "corporate foresight" and its various forms are explained.

Session 2: Organization is half the future
After demonstrating the relevance of networked thinking in the corporate context in this lecture section, the three steps of the foresight process are presented: Scanning, Foresight & Transfer.

Session 3: The future can be trained
In this lecture module, the following foresight methods are presented: the scenario technique, the Delphi technique, backcasting and roadmapping. An overview of the history, advantages and disadvantages, examples and, in particular, the procedure for implementation will be given for each of the individual methods.

Session 4: Scenarios = art and science
This lecture module first discusses various possibilities for activating scenarios. In addition, the basics and principles of scenario writing are presented in detail and ways of scenario communication and foresight marketing are explained.

Session 5: Thinking outside the box
This module focuses on the various phases of trend management. Procedures and methods are presented for the individual phases. Practical examples will be presented to illustrate this.

Session 6: A different look at trends and trend management and business wargaming
As part of a guest lecture, this session will provide further input on the topic of trends and trend management. In particular, the influence of cultural products on society and how they can be used for strategic early detection will be discussed. The topic of business wargaming will also be dealt with in depth.

Session 7: The future from the computer
As digitalization also plays a major role in futurology, this module will cover various options for using software in the foresight process. A study will also be used to provide an outlook on the future of foresight and various examples of foresight support systems will be explained.

Session 8: Foresight Support Systems and Innovation
In this lecture unit, the topic of innovation management is explored in greater depth in a guest lecture. Various types of innovation will be explained and the relevance of innovation management in the corporate context will be clarified.

Session 9: Looking to the future: selected trends, technologies, scenarios and curiosities
This module addresses current trends and technologies, particularly with regard to digitalization and Industry 4.0, which are used to explain possible transformations in the areas of society, the corporate environment and the world of work.

Session 10: Shaping the future: Scenario transfer in strategy, innovation & co.
In this final lecture unit, students will learn how the results of the foresight process can be transferred into a corporate strategy. It also explains how scenarios can be integrated into the innovation management process in order to develop successful business models.

Lern-/Qualifikationsziele:

-

Lehrveranstaltungstyp:

Virtuelle Vorlesung

Interaktionsformen mit Betreuer/in:

Kooperation Lerner/Betreuer bei der Aufgabenbearbeitung, Chat, Übungsaufgaben für Selbstlernbetrieb, E-Mail

Interaktionsformen mit Mitlernenden:

E-Mail, Chat, Forum

Kursdemo:

zur Kursdemo

Nutzung

Kurs ist konzipiert für:

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg:

• Wirtschaftswissenschaften (Bachelor)
• Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen (Bachelor)
• International Business Studies (Bachelor)
• International Economic Studies (Bachelor)
  
  

Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Amberg-Weiden:

• Logistik & Digitalisierung (Bachelor)
  
  

Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg:

• Betriebswirtschaftslehre (Bachelor)
  
  

Formale Voraussetzungen:

Course enrolment via the Virtuelle Hochschule Bayern (vhb)

Erforderliche Vorkenntnisse:

None

Hinweise zur Nutzung:

-

Kursumsetzung (verwendete Medien):

-

Erforderliche Technik:

-

Nutzungsentgelte:

für andere Personen als (reguläre) Studenten der vhb Trägerhochschulen nach Maßgabe der Benutzungs- und Entgeltordnung der vhb

Rechte hinsichtlich des Kursmaterials:

-

Verantwortlich

Anbieterhochschule:

Uni Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)

Anbieter:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Evi Hartmann

Autoren:

Evi Hartmann

Heiko von der Gracht

Betreuer:

Masoud Mirzaei

Prüfung

Written exam

Art der Prüfung:

schriftlicher Leistungsnachweis (Klausur)

Bemerkung:

Written exam (60 minutes)

Prüfer:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Evi Hartmann

Prüfungsanmeldung erforderlich:

ja

Anmeldeverfahren:

Die Anmeldung zur Prüfung erfolgt über das vhb-Portal.

Prüfungsanmeldefrist:

13.10.2025 00:00 Uhr bis 08.12.2025 23:59 Uhr

Prüfungsabmeldefrist:

13.10.2025 00:00 Uhr bis 14.01.2026 23:59 Uhr

Kapazität:

–

Prüfungsdatum:

19.01.2026

Prüfungszeitraum:

17:00 bis 18:00

Prüfungsdauer:

60 Minuten

Prüfungsort:

Uni Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and possibly others on request

Zuständiges Prüfungsamt:

Examination office of the students' home university

Zugelassene Hilfsmittel:

Non-programmable calculator

Formale Voraussetzungen für die Prüfungsteilnahme:

In order to be admitted to the exam, you must complete and pass one exercise during the semester. It is also necessary to register for the exam on time.

Inhaltliche Voraussetzungen für die Prüfungsteilnahme:

Course content

Zertifikat:

Ja (graded certificate)

Anerkennung:

–