Future Scenarios
" Our faith in the present dies out long before our faith in
the future."
Ruth Benedict
from An Anthropologist at Work by Margaret Mead
 Futurework
- Trends and Challenges for Work in the 21st Century_
DOL [.pdf]
http://www.dol.gov/dol/asp/public/futurework/report.htm
Published by the US Department of Labor (DOL), this report explores the social impact
of the new economy and the role of the "twenty-first century work-place" in
America. _Futurework_ cites three elements necessary for the stability of American
workers:"rising economic security over a lifetime," "a work and family
balance," and "workplaces that are safe and fair." Using numerous charts,
tables, and graphs, the report examines topics such as workforce diversity, wage growth,
changing workplaces, technology and globalization, and future trends affecting working
conditions and worker morale. The report may be downloaded by chapter in HTML or .pdf
format. Tables, charts, and boxes may also be downloaded separately. Additional resources
at the site include a number of full-text conference papers (in HTML or .pdf formats) and
related links. (Scout Report for Business and Economics, 9/23/99)
Immanuel
Wallerstein, "The Rise of East Asia, or The World-System in the Twenty-First
Century,"
Keynote Address at Symposium on "Perspective of the
Capitalist World-System in the Beginning of the Twenty-First Century," sponsored by
Project, "Perspectives on International Studies," Institute of International
Studies, Meiji Gakuin University, Jan. 23-24, 1997.
Letters to future
generations—UNESCO
http://www.unesco.org/drg/lettres/
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization), an
organization composed of 188 Member States, attempts to contribute expertise across all of
the sciences to enrich both today and tomorrow’s world. In developing Letters to
future generations, essays written by 22 world leaders and thinkers, UNESCO has done just
that. Addressed to people living in 2050, the letters share reflections and concerns on
topics ranging from beauty to biological infections. Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the
UN, suggests "a culture of peace," while Rita Colwell, of the National Science
Foundation, discusses the benefits of a diverse scientific culture, and Hubert Reeves, an
astrophysicist, entreats us to be environmentally aware so we can ensure that a future
generation will greet the 21st century. To paraphrase philosopher Fernando
Savater, while UNESCO’s Letters to future generations may not be a new idea, this
"mental registry" is nonetheless thought-provoking. (The Scout Report, November
19, 1999)
Millennium
Institute
http://www.igc.apc.org/millennium
The Millennium Institute defines its mission
"to use systems thinking and the turn of the Millennium to
catalyze a redirection of human civilization toward a peaceful, just, and sustainable
future." Check out their estimates of the number of years before resources are
depleted (State of Our World
Indicators). How soon do they estimate we will we run out of enough land
with a northern diet? How many species become extinct each day?
The New Millennium and
the Next Bottom Line Can business meet new social, environmental, and financial
expectations and still win? [.pdf]
http://www.wri.org/wri/busiweek/
First appearing as a supplement in _Business Week_,
this collection of articles and resources from the World Resources Institute questions
businesses’s preparedness for social, financial, and technical expectations in the
coming century. Essays, insights, and case studies, available in .pdf format, address
issues including "Visionary Leadership," "Managing for the Future,"
and "Creating New Markets." A collection of articles written by business experts
including Craig Barrett, CEO and President, Intel, Tachi Kiucki, Managing Director of
Mitsubishi Electric, and C. Michael Armstrong, Chairman and CEO of AT&T is also
available, as well as a downloadable poster that was included with the original report.
(Scout Report for Business and Economics, 9/23/99)
Victory City—The
City of the Future
http://www.victorycities.com/
"For the past 40-odd years, Orville Simpson II
has been pursuing a dream, his vision of a city of the future, a Victory City based on
reason and efficiency. Victory Cities would be entirely self-contained under one roof,
ideally consisting of seven linked buildings—each 102 stories— containing
residences, offices, industry, and retail space. Although the idea of snap-out modular
walls, furniture bolted to the floors, and no kitchens (residents will be transported to
the cafeterias by Ferris wheels) does not appeal to everyone, Simpson must be given credit
for the depth and breadth of his vision. Users reading the Residents Guide will find that
few details have been overlooked. Simpson addresses issues such as the money and food
systems, education, postal service, transportation, security, recreation, pets,
healthcare, ecological issues, and so on. Users can view numerous floor plans and
conceptual drawings in the Victory City tour, review his arguments for the city in the
Purpose/Benefits section, and read a collection of newspaper and magazine features on the
man and his city in the Media Coverage section. Simpson is, by the way, still seeking
investors." (The Scout Report,
12/18/98)
Which
World? Scenarios for the 21st Century
http://mars2.caltech.edu/whichworld/index.html [JavaScript]
"Which World? Scenarios for the 21st Century
is the Web companion to Dr. Allen Hammond’s recently published book of the same name.
This enlightening Website serves as a tool and a resource for pondering the global future
of demographic, economic, environmental, and socio-political issues. Graphs and charts of
critical statistical trends, projected to the year 2050, provide plausible future
conditions for seven major regions of the world. Also included at the site are three
global scenarios that offer alternative views of the world’s future. For those who
desire more information, a well-organized Resource Library is available, linking users to
additional resources, including useful data sets." (The Scout report for the Social
Sciences, 10/20/98)
World Game
Institute
http://www.libertynet.org/~wgi/index.html
Why don't you see what you can do about creating a better
future. Go to the World Game Institute and their simulation, and see how many of the
world's problems you can solve.
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