## How to Implement Strategic Foresight (and Why)

_IMF How To Notes, December 22, 2021_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [How to Implement Strategic Foresight (and Why)](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/analytical-notes/issues/2021/12/22/strategic-foresight-at-the-international-monetary-fund-463660)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/publications/analytical-notes/issues/2021/12/22/strategic-foresight-at-the-international-monetary-fund-463660/index.md)
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## Bibliographic details
- Authors: Alberto Behar, Sandile Hlatshwayo
- Published: December 22, 2021
- Series: IMF How To Notes
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781513593869.061

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### Overview and Purpose
- Explains the value of strategic foresight and provides implementation advice based on the IMF’s experience with scenario planning and policy gaming.
- Extends an invitation to those in the economics and finance fields (e.g., researchers, policymakers) to incorporate strategic foresight in their analysis and decision making.

### Structure of the Note
- Section II: Overview of strategic foresight and some of its tools.
- Section III: Focus on scenario planning—illustrates applications and details the methods the IMF has been using.
- Section IV: Describes policy gaming, including the matrix policy gaming approach the IMF has experimented with.
- Section V: Summarizes key points.

### Main Foresight Techniques Emphasized
- Scenario planning
  - Identified as one of the Fund’s main foresight techniques.
  - Section III is dedicated to its applications and methods used by the IMF.
- Policy gaming
  - Identified as another main foresight technique.
  - Section IV describes policy gaming and the matrix policy gaming approach experimented with so far.
- Other tools
  - Described as complementary to scenario planning and policy gaming.

### Intended Audience and Use
- Targeted to practitioners in economics and finance: researchers, policymakers.
- Purpose: to help incorporate strategic foresight into analysis and decision making.

### Keywords and Subject Areas
- Subject: Economic sectors, Financial crises, Financial institutions, Financial markets, Financial sector policy and analysis, Health
- Keywords: COVID-19, data IMF Library, Emerging and frontier financial markets, Futures, Global, guidance note, Policy game, risk-preparedness framework, scenario planning, Stress testing

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## Content in this bundle

- **How to Implement Sytrategic Foresight**
  - [How to Implement Sytrategic Foresight (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/publications/analytical-notes/2021/english/htnea2021010-s001.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [How to Implement Sytrategic Foresight (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/analytical-notes/2021/english/htnea2021010-s001.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}
- **Htnea2021010**
  - [Htnea2021010 (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/analytical-notes/2021/english/htnea2021010.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/analytical-notes/issues/2021/12/22/strategic-foresight-at-the-international-monetary-fund-463660_