Nuance : Strategic Foresight as a tool to fast track Africa's Infrastructure Ambition.

Africa has a large infrastructure backlog that requires a whole new approach if its to reach its infrastructure development ambitions. But first lets touch on a very interesting concept, Strategic Foresight.

What is Strategic Foresight?

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Strategic Foresight is a way of thinking about the future that can help organizations plan and prepare for the unknown. It is a strategic tool that helps decision-makers to identify potential risks and opportunities that could shape the future of their organization or industry. Strategic foresight looks at long-term trends and uncertainties, to anticipate changes and plan accordingly in order to ensure success.

Strategic Foresight is a powerful tool that can help companies navigate uncertainty and plan for the future. At its core, Strategic Foresight involves looking at trends and changes in the industry, society, and environment to help companies anticipate and prepare for future challenges and opportunities.

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2. It's popularity

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Strategic Foresight has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its ability to help organizations navigate changing markets and uncertain environments. It is now widely used by organizations across all sectors to prepare for the future. The United Nations has also endorsed the use of strategic foresight and encourages the use of this tool by governments, international organizations, and private companies.

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3. How it can be merged with the built environment

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Strategic foresight can be applied to the built environment in order to help plan for the future and anticipate potential risks and opportunities. This could include understanding the needs of the both current and future users, understanding how changing technologies can be utilized in design, and planning for the environment to adapt to new challenges as they arise. In the built environment and finance industry, strategic foresight can help companies make key decisions about investments, projects, and business strategies. By analyzing trends in technology, demographics, regulations, and other factors, companies can get a clearer picture of what the industry might look like in ten, twenty, or even thirty years down the road

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Examples of Strategic Foresight used on Construction Projects in Africa:

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1.??????The African Development Bank (AfDB): The AfDB used Strategic Foresight in the construction of the “Desert to Power” solar initiative, which has the potential to bring clean, reliable and affordable power to millions of African households. The AfDB’s Strategic Foresight team studied the technical, financial, environmental and social impacts of this project in order to optimize its design and implementation.

1.??????Algeria: The Algerian government used Strategic Foresight to guide their construction of a modern metro system in Algiers. They conducted extensive research into the economic, technological, and environmental implications of the project before finally deciding to move forward with its implementation.

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Examples of Strategic Foresight used on Construction Projects in Europe:

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1.??????Germany: The German government used Strategic Foresight to guide their implementation of the “Digital Germany” program, which aimed to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban areas by constructing high-speed fiber-optic networks. Strategic Foresight was used to analyze the political, economic, and technological implications of the project to ensure that it can be implemented successfully.

One of the benefits of using Strategic Foresight is that it allows companies to be proactive rather than reactive. Instead of simply responding to changes as they happen, companies can anticipate those changes and develop plans to address them ahead of time. This can help them stay ahead of the curve and remain competitive in a rapidly changing industry.

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Another benefit of using Strategic Foresight is that it can help companies identify new opportunities for growth and innovation. By scanning the horizon for emerging technologies, changing consumer preferences, and other indicators of future trends, companies can position themselves to take advantage of new markets and business models that may not exist yet.

In conclusion, Strategic Foresight is a powerful tool that can help fast track Africa’s infrastructure development ambitions. By anticipating future trends and challenges, decision makers can better prepare for potential disruptions and make informed decisions that optimize resources and improve resilience. Strategic foresights also allows African leaders to create a clear roadmap for developing their countries’ infrastructure, with focused action and successful delivery of outcomes.

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