Futurenomics: From Exploring to Exploiting Societal Mega-trends, Catalysts and Game-changers Call for articles by “ICBE 2025” organizing committee
The exploration (aiming, inherently, at some kind of, at least, intellectual exploitation) of the future, as well as of the past, while differing on their basic ingredients – “visions” and “vestiges”, respectively –, shares a couple of adamant blemishes – our “incomplete information” and “bounded rationality”. We stubbornly compose mosaics (by means of imagination) about a past which we did not witness; and we, more or less superficially, extrapolate tendencies/trends (with a historical basis) for a future which we may or may not be there to witness. Inspired by a plethora of both “path dependencies” and “disruptive revolutions”, we can project scenarios, with varying degrees of confidence, on both past and future. However, “what comes next” is sensibly more concerning.
Academics and laymen are all caught in such rituals of “futurizing”, differing only in rigor and realism. Foresights and forecasts (the former more liberal than the latter, which are assumed to be more scrupulous, but also more limited and stiff) look all the more engaging the easier they are to validate. One true way in which “futurology”/“futures studies” can aspire to be less of a bout of “play acting” is if the author “puts his skin in the game”, cashing the prize (or paying the price) of his “bet”. This may sound tough, but the industry of predictions/foretelling needs to be disciplined, for otherwise it risks to become inflationary in both over-optimistic and hyper-pessimistic assertions. But before raising the bar too high, any responsible glimpse onto the future is a must.
The main topics covered by the hereby call for papers of the International Conference on Business Excellence are related to:
- The manner and measure in which AI, automation, robotization are transforming industries, job markets, and the skills required for future employment.
- How climate change will alter the production processes in agriculture, real estate, infrastructure, and the propagation of climate-related financial instruments.
- The impact of aging populations, urbanization, and migration trends on international relations, workforce dynamics, health, education and social policies.
- Foreseeing the future of globalization in light of rising protectionism, trade wars, autarkical inclinations, and chances for a renewed global cooperation.
- The impact of conjoint geopolitical tensions, technological advancements, and resource scarcities on the global supply chains, reshaping trade and manufacturing.
- Breakthroughs in space tech, aiming at private cosmic travel and asteroid mining, bringing new business perspectives within the expanding space economy.
- The market- and policy-driven shifts in the use of renewable energy, storage capacities, transportation routes, as well as decarbonization rhythms.
- Societal values, digitalization, and generational preferences as transformers of consumer behaviors, privileging personalization, experience, and sustainability.
- The thin line between exacerbation and alleviation in terms of economic poverty and inequality, demanding (re)distributions of wealth and opportunities.
- The growing role of ESG in investment decision-making and how societal pressures for sustainability and accountability are reconfiguring corporate agendas.
