The changing policy analysis capacity of the Irish state

Chapter 4 examines the development of the state’s capacity for policy analysis. It considers the origins and organisation of the Irish civil service before examining the evolution of its policy analysis capacity, with the increasing angencification from the early 1970s. The economic crisis after 2008 exposed failings in policy foresight and planning in the civil service. Thus, the issue of policy analysis capacity and capabilities in the civil service emerged as of particular salience, resulting in some important reforms discussed here. The chapter draws on interviews with a number of senior civil servants.

Canada’s emerging foresight landscape: observations and lessons

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: to introduce scholars and practitioners of foresight to the emerging Canadian foresight ecosystem, and to provide lessons learned on developing policy foresight from the Government of Canada context. Design/methodology/approach The paper provides a series of lessons based in part on informal and indirect observations and engagement with established Canadian foresight entities, including Policy Horizons Canada, and numerous newly established foresight initiatives at Global Affairs Canada, Standards Council of Canada and the Canadian Forest Service. Findings The paper finds that Canada’s newly emerging foresight units and initiatives face structural, institutional and organizational challenges to their long-term success, including in concretely measuring foresight outcome (rather than simply output) in policy making. Originality/value The paper provides a unique and empirically driven perspective of the foresight ecosystem that has emerged within the Canadian federal public service since 2015. Lessons are culled from this emerging network of Canadian foresight practitioners for international application.

BACKGROUND FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FORESIGHTING IN THE AGRARIAN PERSONNEL POLICY OF THE REGION

The subject of the research is foresight as an innovative tool for managing the agrarian personnel policy of the region. The purpose of the study is to determine the place of foresight research in the management system of the agrarian personnel policy of the region. The study of the problem was carried out on the basis of an analysis of the composition and structure of the personnel market in the agricultural sector of the Orel region, using monographic, economic and statistical, comparison and graphic methods. Foresight is a system of methods for expert assessment of strategic directions of socio-economic and innovative development, capable to influence economy and society in the future. The prerequisites for the use of foresight research for agricultural production are: increasing competition; limitation of government funding; the need for and increasing complexity in the use of innovative technologies. The analysis of the current state and identification of the prerequisites for the implementation of foresighting in the agrarian personnel policy of the region, showed the possibility of using a foresight platform in the Orel region. Foresight should be applied and incorporated into practice - into regional development programs, in particular, into programs to improve regional personnel policy. Foresight will be aimed at optimizing and improving the quality level of the regional agro-industrial complex personnel. For the effective functioning of the foresight platform, the result of which can be an assessment of the personnel development of the region, it is necessary to create a number of conditions: increasing the share of agricultural organizations capable of implementing an innovation-oriented personnel policy; creation of a unified information, consulting and training system; conducting a systematic assessment of the entire scientific potential of agricultural science; promoting the development of a modern agricultural personnel market. The implementation of foresighting into the agrarian personnel policy of the region can become a part of the programs for the development of innovative clusters, as well as long-term and mediumterm forecasts of the socio-economic development of the Orel region.

Systemic Design for Policy Foresight

In the last 15 years, tackling wicked problems have evolved into a process that requires multiple change-makers able to face with complexity. At the same time, it has generated an increasing interest and proficient relation among foresight and design, due to their shared interest in anticipation and future orientation. Such relationships are visible on similarities they both have on the mindset and methodology used when approaching future scenarios. This paper aims to delve into a better comprehension on how the combination of Systemic Design and foresight can think both creatively and systematically about the future and have a strategic role in a policy-making process. This example of collaborative foresight is illustrated by RETRACE Interreg Europe project (A Systemic Approach for Transition towards a Circular Economy funded by the Interreg Europe), demonstrating how Systemic Design with a foresight vision can play a leverage effect in the transition of the European regions towards Circular Economy in a long-term horizon.