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Futures Research
QUARTERLY

Futures research encompasses both an evolving philosophy and a range of techniques. Its primary objective is to assist decision-makers to understand better the potential consequences of present and future decisions by developing images of alternative futures. It has strong and sound historical origins in sociology, more recently in political science, and in the other social sciences. It has independent origins also in corporate and institutional planning, in strategic and long-range planning, and has significant contemporary roots in government, particularly in national security. Successful practice of futures research requires contributions both from established academic disciplines and from such cross-disciplinary fields as technology assessment, policy analysis, operations research, issues management and many more.

Futures Research Quarterly is a refereed journal: A prestigious international Editorial Board has been established to perform anonymous review of articles submitted for publication. Futures Research Quarterly seeks to encourage and facilitate communication among researchers and practitioners in all related fields and from all geographic, social, political, and economic sectors. It is also intended to promote public understanding and education in the methods and uses of futures research. The concern of the editors is thus not only with specific techniques and planning tools; we wish also to include analyses of the role of futures research in the larger context of decision-making.

In addition to full-length articles, Futures Research Quarterly publishes, from time to time, responsible reactions to articles and the ideas presented in them; short notes from Editorial Board members; news items; reprints of pertinent classic papers; and reviews of selected new books or reports. Because it is not possible always to present all viewpoints within the confines of a single Futures Research Quarterly issue, we rely upon our readers to provide the necessary balance through their responses to controversial or one-sided material.

In brief, it is our intent that this journal shall provide a forum for all who are professionally involved with the theory, methodology, practice and use of futures research.

Editor
Timothy Mack

Editorial Board

Amara, Roy: Program Director, Strategic Decisions Group, Menlo Park, CA
Bell, Wendell: Professor Emeritus and Senior Research Scientist, Yale University, New Haven, CT
Bezold, Clement: President, Institute for Alternative Futures, Alexandria, VA
Boucher, Wayne: Managing Partner, Strategic Futures International, Washington, DC
Brown, Arnold: Chairman, Weiner, Edrich, Brown, New York, NY
Lynn Elen Burton: Professor of Future Studies, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Chartrand, Robert L.: Naples, FL
Coates, Joseph F.: Joseph F. Coates Consulting Futurist, Inc., Washington, DC
Cornish, Blake M.: Washington, DC
Csath, Magdolna: Professor, University of Gödöllo, Budapest, Hungary
Dator, James A.: Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
Didsbury, Howard F., Jr.: Director, Special Projects, World Future Society, Bethesda, MD
Etzioni, Amitai: Director, Communitarian Network; University Professor, George Washington University, Washington, DC
Glenn, Jerome: American Council for the United Nations University, Washington, DC
Gordon, Theodore J.: Co-Director, Millennium Project, American Council for the United Nations University,Washington, DC
Gottsman, John: President, The Clarity Group, Atherton, CA
Heivilin, Donna M.: Former Director, Applied Research and Methods, U.S. General Accounting Office, Washington, DC
Henderson, Hazel: Independent Futurist, St. Augustine, FL
Jarratt, Jennifer: Consulting Futurist, Washington, DC
Jennings, Lane: Research Director; Production Editor, Future Survey, World Future Society, Bethesda, MD
Klay, Earle: Professor, Askew School of Public Administration and Policy, The Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Lamberton, Donald M.: Graduate Program in Public Policy, Asia Pacific School of Economics and Management, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Landau, Erika: Director, The Young Persons' Institute for the Promotion of Art and Science, Tel-Aviv University Technical College, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Mannermaa, Mika: Future Studies Mannermaa Ltd., Piispanristi, Finland
Marien, Michael: Editor, Future Survey, LaFayette, NY
Markley, O.W.: Studies for the Future Program and Institute for Futures Research, University of Houston-Clear Lake, Clear Lake City, TX
Martino, Joseph P.: Principal, JPM Associates, Sydney, OH
Mendell, Jay S.: Professor of Public Administration, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL
Nanus, Burt: Author and Professor Emeritus, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Ogilvy, James: Managing Director, Global Business Network, Emeryville, CA
Pirages, Dennis: Department of Government and Politics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Sandi, Ana Maria: Head, UNDP/WID, Bucharest, Romania
Seth, Satish C.: Honorary Secretary General, Indian Council of Management and Future, and President, Federation of Futures Studies, New Delhi, India
Shostak, Arthur B.: Retired Professor, Department of Culture and Communication, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

Administrative Coordinator: Susan Echard
Administrative Assistant: Gladys Brice
Associate Editors: Audrey Clayton

Invitation to Authors

The Editors of Futures Research Quarterly invite manuscripts from professionals worldwide whose contributions fall within the broad spectrum defined in our Editorial Policy statement. We are especially seeking the following types of material:

Methodological and conceptual;

Papers based on research, analysis and modeling (the substantive outcomes of futures research);

Papers aimed at government and corporate planners and other practicing/professional futurists;

Articles about futures research practitioners (individual, institutional or at a national level) and their contributions to the art/discipline.

Our prime objective is high quality. Bear in mind, however, that we seek dialog between communities of theoreticians, practitioners and users/beneficiaries, all with different backgrounds. The need, therefore, is for clarity and simplicity of expression. This is a journal by and for professionals; however, assumptions as to the technological sophistication of the reader should be avoided to the extent possible.

Manuscripts are evaluated anonymously by at least three members of the Editorial Board and are subject to minor editing to conform to journal format and standards. Any substantive revisions will be returned to the author for approval.

Manuscripts should be addressed to: Futures Research Quarterly c/o World Future Society. To facilitate anonymous review, all identifying information about the author(s) should be on a separate sheet. Material should be e-mailed to sechard@wfs.org. If this is not possible, then the submission may submitted on a disk. Manuscripts should not normally exceed 6,000 words. Citations and other references should be limited to essential entries, numbered in sequence, and should be double-spaced on a separate page and placed following the last page of text. Authors should follow any commonly accepted authority as to style. Tables and graphics must be camera ready, of professional quality, and placed at the end of the manuscripts with a clearly visible notation in the text to indicate approximate placement. Photographs and halftones cannot be included.

The author should retain the original manuscript, since submissions will not be returned. Two copies of the issue containing the article, once published, will be provided free of charge to each author. Larger quantities can be made available at moderate cost.

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