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4Sight Chats

4Sight Chats

By Alex Fergnani

This video podcast promotes voices of public intellectuals & thought leaders (and their books!) on a range of topics including futures studies & foresight, metamodernism, organizational behavior, strategic management, psychology, Eastern Asian philosophies, and more importantly on the transdisciplinary combination of all the above. Its aim is to share pieces of wisdom applicable to personal and organizational life for those who study, create, design, and facilitate the futures.
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Young-chan Ro: Confucianism and the Future(s) - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep. 1

4Sight ChatsJun 07, 2021

00:00
01:11:01
Alex Lyon: Leaders' Communication, Facilitation, Difficult Conversations, YouTube - 4Sight Chats #21

Alex Lyon: Leaders' Communication, Facilitation, Difficult Conversations, YouTube - 4Sight Chats #21

Alexander (Alex) Lyon is a professor of communication at the State University of New York, an author and a YouTube content creator.

Also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRKNGF95rN0

CHAT OUTLINE [03:38] To what extent interventions on leaders’ communication can actually change their mindset?

[08:29] What’s the biggest challenge that prevents leaders from changing their communication style?

[11:23] How long does it take for a leader to see substantial change in their communication style?

[13:03] Is letting others know that you are working on your communication style any useful?

[15:23] Tips for facilitation

[19:20] Tips for situations where the person we talk to is in fight mode

[22:30] Is leaving difficult conversations an option?

[25:05] Why communication is often not in the business school curriculum

[29:04] Advice for educators who are considering to start using YouTube

[35:15] Success as an educator-YouTuber

MENTIONED SOURCES

Mirivel, J. C., & Lyon, A. (2023). Positive Communication for Leaders. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers: https://www.amazon.com/Positive-Communication-Leaders-Strategies-Inspiring/dp/1538167611

Communication Coach Alexander Lyon (YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/@alexanderlyon

Alex Lyon's Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlyoncommunicationcoach/

Communication Coach Academy: https://www.alexanderlyon.com/ Supports Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani

Jan 16, 202441:11
Henry Mintzberg: Understanding Organizations, Strategy, Scenarios, Canoeing - 4Sight Chats #20

Henry Mintzberg: Understanding Organizations, Strategy, Scenarios, Canoeing - 4Sight Chats #20

Henry Mintzberg is a management educator and writer. He is currently Cleghorn Professor of Management Studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He authored 20 books and received 21 honorary doctorate degrees. He is one of the most influential management thinkers of all times.

Also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1_GjzfOkKqA

CHAT OUTLINE

[02:38] Henry's latest book "Understanding Organizations...Finally!"

[07:06] The value of lumps (organizational archetypes) for the practitioners who do not see it

[10:36] What has changed in Henry's ideas about strategy over the past few decades

[13:08] Strategy & serendipity

[15:29] Can scenarios help us to determine/improve strategy from the futures in the same way synthesis of experience helps us to determine/improve strategy from the past?

[20:02] Isn't scenario planning a prediction of several possibilities?

[22:58] Henry's ideas about the “obsession with theory” in management research and the detachment of PhD programs in management from management practice

[30:00] Advice for business schools' deans on ways out of the problems in management education

[34:43] Henry's work on rebalancing society: guidelines for policymakers

[41:13] Canoeing and the view of the lake out of Henry's house

MENTIONED SOURCES

Mintzberg, H. (2023). Understanding Organizations...Finally!: Structure in Sevens: https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Organizations-Finally-Structure-Sevens/dp/1523000058

Mintzberg, H. (2023). Is serendipity serendipitous?: upcoming

Mintzberg, H. (2015). Rebalancing Society: Radical Renewal Beyond Left, Right, and Center: https://www.amazon.com/Rebalancing-Society-Radical-Renewal-Beyond-ebook/dp/B00NJ2HIO2?ref_=ast_author_dp

Rebalancing society website: https://rebalancingsociety.org/

Henry's personal website: https://mintzberg.org/

Henry’s YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@Mintzberg141?si=4bDiEgXxgMn2LXIb

Henry's LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrymintzberg/

Supports Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani

Oct 09, 202346:00
Nicolai J. Foss: The Bossless Company, Wokeness, Bocconi - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep.9

Nicolai J. Foss: The Bossless Company, Wokeness, Bocconi - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep.9

Nicolai J. Foss is a professor of strategy at the Copenhagen Business School. He is a prolific contributor to the research literature in management and is one of the world's most cited management scholars. He is mainly interested in the organizational and individual-level aspects of processes of creating and capturing value.

Also available in video format on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QgKJOuJ1uNM


CHAT OUTLINE

[02:58] Can you give us a quick introduction to your recent book “Why Managers Matter: The perils of the Bossless Company”, with Peter Klein?

[10:21] Mark 1 and Mark 2 authority and how the bossless company narrative confuses them

[15:14] The bossless company narrative in in high power distance contexts and its psychological costs

[17:15] When does the bossless company actually work?

[23:23] The bossless company narrative in highly turbulent/highly uncertain environments

[25:14] The deeper epistemological and political values behind the bossless company narrative

[31:20] The bossless company narrative and postmodernism

[34:03] Why do companies go woke?

[36:16] The public response to Nicolai's work on bossless company and wokeness

[40:10] Why do business schools do so little research on sensitive themes such as wokeness and capitalism?

[44:52] What are the biggest problems in management research?

[54:52] Lighthearted closing question: What is your experience as a business school professor in Bocconi (Italy)?

MENTIONED SOURCES

Foss, N. J., & Klein, P. G. (2022). Why Managers Matter: The Perils of the Bossless Company: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Managers-Matter-Bossless-Company/dp/1541751043

Wulf, J. (2012). The Flattened Firm—Not as Advertised: https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/the-flattened-firmnot-as-advertised

Hamel, G. & Zanini, M. (2016). Excess Management Is Costing the U.S. $3 Trillion Per Year: https://hbr.org/2016/09/excess-management-is-costing-the-us-3-trillion-per-year

Foss, N. J., & Klein, P. G. (2022). Why Do Companies Go Woke? Academy of Management Perspectives: https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/amp.2021.0201

Commentaries (and rejoinder) to the book on the Journal of Organizational Design: https://link.springer.com/journal/41469/volumes-and-issues/12-1

Heterodox Academy: https://heterodoxacademy.org

Audio by Bensound

Affiliated with the journal Futures & Foresight Science: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25735152

Support Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani

Jun 22, 202301:01:24
Aubrey de Grey: Longevity and Foresight - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep.8

Aubrey de Grey: Longevity and Foresight - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep.8

Dr. Aubrey de Grey is a biomedical gerontologist based in Silicon Valley, California, USA, and is the founder, President and Chief Science Officer of LEV Foundation, a biomedical research and advocacy charity focused on repairing the molecular and cellular damage of aging. He received his BA in computer science and Ph.D. in biology from the University of Cambridge. His research interests encompass the characterisation of all the types of damage that constitute mammalian aging and the design of interventions to repair and/or obviate that damage. Dr. de Grey is a Fellow of both the Gerontological Society of America and the American Aging Association, and sits on the editorial and scientific advisory boards of numerous journals and organisations. He is a highly sought-after speaker who gives frequent invited talks at scientific conferences, universities, companies in areas ranging from pharma to life insurance, and to the public.

Also available in video format on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8tUWAG-pyI

CHAT OUTLINE

[03:23] What is longevity escape velocity (LEV)?

[08:40] When can we reasonably achieve longevity escape velocity?

[12:32] What kind of treatments would be available if we were to achieve longevity escape velocity?

[14:20] What are the conditions of old age we would do away with if we were to achieve longevity escape velocity?

[17:30] Can loss of neurons be addressed by these treatments?

[21:33] The differences and similarities between the various treatments to combat aging

[24:16] The long term change in value system about living longer lifespans and death vs short term anticipation of such change

[27:58] What societal conflicts can we reasonably expect when people will start anticipating living longer?

[32:25] Should we be concerned about such conflicts or not?

[34:00] Alex tries to convince Aubrey about the effectiveness of scenario planning applied to the futures of longevity

[43:00] The postmodern view: what could go spectacularly wrong in the future of longevity (at the political level, research level, molecular level, or else)?

[51:16] Other than research, what do you do/suggest others to do to extend our lifespans?

[52:58] How about diet?

[54:56] How about fasting?

[59:15] How to give to the LEV foundation?

MENTIONED SOURCES

de Grey & Rae (2008). Ending Aging: The Rejuvenation Breakthroughs That Could Reverse Human Aging in Our Lifetime: https://www.amazon.com/Ending-Aging-Rejuvenation-Breakthroughs-Lifetime/dp/0312367074

Arrison (2013). 100 Plus: How the Coming Age of Longevity Will Change Everything, From Careers and Relationships to Family and Faith: https://www.amazon.com/100-Plus-Longevity-Everything-Relationships/dp/0465063764

Longevity Escape Velocity (LEV) Foundation: https://www.levf.org/

Give to the Longevity Escape Velocity (LEV) Foundation: https://www.levf.org/donate

Aubrey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/aubreydegrey?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Aubrey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aubrey-de-grey-24260b/

Aubrey on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aubrey.degrey

Support Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani

Audio by Bensound

Apr 14, 202301:02:46
Daniel Görtz: 12 Rules for Life for Metamodern Thinkers - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep.7

Daniel Görtz: 12 Rules for Life for Metamodern Thinkers - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep.7

Daniel is a sociologist and transdisciplinary thinker specializing in metamodernism, the stage of societal development that comes after and goes beyond postmodernism. Alex is Co-founder and Head of Foresight at the Ideactio Centre for Foresight Research & Consulting (Singapore).  

Also available in video format:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-x1xVy4n8o


CHAT OUTLINE 

[04:03] For an audience of which mental development stage is this self-help book? In contrast, for an audience of which mental development stage are Peterson's self-help books? what is the difference between the two? 

[18:50] Why it is not necessary to wait until one has resolved personal problems to engage in social critique, contrary to Jordan Peterson’s argument

[35:33] Why it is more important to pursue day-to-day happiness/joy of being rather than or beyond meaningful goals (AKA what’s meaningful), contrary to Jordan Peterson’s argument

[48:53] Hanzi Freinacht's self-help vs Jordan Peterson's self help as self-help for the remembering self vs self-help for the experiencing self. [56:45] What kind of new public intellectual and new philosophical framework, i.e., metamodernism, does this book point us to? 

[1:06:14] Why talking to Daniel (and metamodernism in general) makes Alex feel more intelligent and more stupid at the same time.  


MENTIONED SOURCES 

Freinacht (2023). 12 Commandments: For Extraordinary People To Master Ordinary Life: https://www.amazon.com/12-Commandments-Extraordinary-People-Ordinary-ebook/dp/B0BR62T9QG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2N0F46GPX1UUA&keywords=hanzi+freinacht&qid=1672985297&sprefix=hanzi+freina%2Caps%2C1483&sr=8-1 


Support Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani 


Audio by Bensound

Jan 07, 202301:09:45
BONUS: "Futures & Foresight Science" Editor Interview with George Wright

BONUS: "Futures & Foresight Science" Editor Interview with George Wright

George is a professor of management science at the university of Strathclyde (Glasgow), Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making and Editor-in-Chief of the recently launched Wiley journal, Futures & Foresight Science. Alex is co-founder and head of foresight at the Ideactio Centre for Foresight Research & Consulting (Singapore).  

Also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSLE0Q7ayyY


CHAT OUTLINE: 

[1:10] Introduction, scope and vision of the journal "Futures & Foresight Science" (FFS) 

[05:39] Why would  futures/foresight/scenario planning researchers and practitioners want to publish their work in FFS?  

[10:57] Why would management and organization researchers/executive educators want to publish their work (about foresight/scenarios and related topics) in FFS?  

[15:08] The experience of the FFS review process from an author's perspective 

[18:43] The experience of FFS from a reader's perspective    


MENTIONED SOURCES: 

Mills & Wilner (2022). The science behind “values”: Applying moral foundations theory to strategic foresight: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ffo2.145  

Schoemaker (2020). How historical analysis can enrich scenario planning: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ffo2.35  

Spaniol & Rowland (2018). Defining scenario: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ffo2.3   


Support Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani

Dec 05, 202222:15
Dennis Tourish: Present and Future(s) of the Crisis in Management Studies - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep.6

Dennis Tourish: Present and Future(s) of the Crisis in Management Studies - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep.6

Dennis Tourish is a professor of leadership and organization studies at the University of Sussex Business School. Alex Fergnani is the co-founder and head of foresight at the Ideactio Centre for Foresight Research and Consulting (Singapore)  

Available in video format:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD5kuYFHg0w

CHAT OUTLINE: 

[02:35] Some statistics about the crisis in management studies 

[05:20] Summary of the many interlinked problems behind the crisis in management studies (overemphasis of theory, questionable research practices, lack of relevant research, overemphasis of journals' impact factors, etc.) 

[12:08] Taking a complexity view of the issue, what is/are the problem(s) that we absolutely have to address first? 

[15:40] Why we are underestimating our agency to solve the problem 

[18:20] Why referring to scientific publications by using the phrase “playing the game”  is deleterious 

[20:20] Taking a (simplified) foresight view of the issue, what is the best case future scenario and the worst case future scenario of management studies?

[24:06] Possible solutions, e.g., a shorter review process, grant lottery for researchers, etc. 

[28:57] Research malpractice, e.g.,  only positive results are shown, tautological hypotheses, etc. 

[31:37] The necessity of promoting abductive research and case studies 

[33:38] P-hacking and the crisis of reproducibility 

[34:26] How to address the problem collectively 

[39;28] Resistance to change 

[42:37] Why and how to do more relevant management research? 

[48:02] What has recently changed in the field about the problem  


MENTIONED SOURCES: 

Tourish (2019). Management Studies in Crisis: Fraud, Deception and Meaningless Research: https://www.amazon.com/Management-Studies-Crisis-Deception-Meaningless-ebook/dp/B07S7DWWDB/ref=sr_1_2?crid=DZBBU4AVB09C&keywords=dennis+tourish&qid=1668507482&sprefix=dennis+tourish%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-2 

Tourish (2020).The Triumph of Nonsense in Management Studies: https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/amle.2019.0255 

Haley et al. (2022). In Search of Scholarly Impact (AMLE Editorial): https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/amle.2022.0327 

Sharma et al (2022). Cocreating Forward: How Researchers and Managers Can Address Problems Together: https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/amle.2021.0233 

Ramani et al. (2022). Defining, Measuring, and Rewarding Scholarly Impact: Mind the Level of Analysis: https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/amle.2021.0177 

Fergnani & Chermack (2021). The resistance to scientific theory in futures and foresight, and what to do about it: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ffo2.61 

Responsible Research In Business and Management network: https://www.rrbm.network   


Support Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani 

Audio by Bensound

Nov 16, 202251:20
Marcus Anthony: Culture Wars, Integrated Intelligence, Harmonic Circles - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep. 5

Marcus Anthony: Culture Wars, Integrated Intelligence, Harmonic Circles - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep. 5

Marcus is Associate Professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology in Zhuhai, China. Alex is PhD Candidate at NUS Business School, Singapore.  

Also available in video format: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_Ug2Frhcco


Sep 23, 202201:07:14
Gerard Hodgkinson: Emotions in Strategic Decisions, Critical Realism - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep. 4

Gerard Hodgkinson: Emotions in Strategic Decisions, Critical Realism - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep. 4

Gerard is Vice Dean for Research of the Faculty of Humanities and Professor of Strategic Management and Behavioural Science at Alliance Manchester Business School. Alex is PhD Candidate at NUS Business School, Singapore. 

Available in video format:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqvNxpeG90k


Chat outline: 

-The role of emotions in foresight and strategic decision making 

-How to take emotions into account as foresight practitioners (both in others and ourselves) 

-Risks as feelings 

-The science-practice divide 

-Critical realism as a philosophical framework to study futures and foresight  


MENTIONED REFERENCES: 

Hodgkinson and Wright (2002). Confronting Strategic Inertia in a Top Management Team: Learning from Failure: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0170840602236014 

David Teece’s dynamic capabilities framework: https://www.davidjteece.com/dynamic-capabilities 

Kahneman (2013). Thinking, Fast and Slow: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374533555 

Loewenstein, Weber, Hsee, and Welch (2001). Risks as feelings: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11316014/ 

Evans (2008). Dual-processing accounts of reasoning judgment, and social cognition: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18154502/ 

Evans and Stanovich  (2013). Dual-process theories of higher cognition advancing the debate: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1745691612460685 

Anderson, Herriot and Hodgkinson (2001). The practitioner–researcher divide in Industrial, Work and Organizational (IWO) psychology: Where are we now, and where do we go from here?: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2002-10499-002 

Fergnani and Chermack (2021). The resistance to scientific theory in futures and foresight and what to do about it: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ffo2.61 

Hodgkinson (2021). Why appealing to the virtues of scientific theory (and method) is necessary but insufficient for effecting systemic change: A commentary on Fergnani & Chermack 2021: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ffo2.79 

Hodgkinson and Healey (2008). Toward a (Pragmatic) Science of Strategic Intervention: Design Propositions for Scenario Planning: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0170840607088022 



To know more about Gerard, see: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/gerard.hodgkinson.html 

Support Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani 


Audio by Bensound

May 27, 202201:19:17
BONUS: "Using Scenarios" Book Launch Interview with Thomas Chermack

BONUS: "Using Scenarios" Book Launch Interview with Thomas Chermack

This conversation is an interview between Tom Chermack and Alex Fergnani about Tom's latest book, "Using Scenarios". Tom is a Professor in organizational learning, performance and change at Colorado State University. Alex is a PhD Candidate at NUS Business School.  

 

CHAT OUTLINE: 

-Motivation behind writing the book 

-How to choose which "after scenarios" method to use 

-Translating scenarios into financials 

-Responding to potential criticism 

-The rationale behind the design of the book cover


The conversation is also available in video format: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgmfkHtGURk

"Using Scenarios: Scenario Planning for Improving Organizations" can be found at: https://www.amazon.com/Using-Scenarios-Scenario-Improving-Organizations/dp/1523092882 

Tom's previous book on scenario planning, "Scenario Planning in Organizations: How to Create, Use, and Assess Scenarios" can be found at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F9FMYGO/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1


You can support Alex's podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani

May 09, 202223:18
Tom Lombardo: Science Fiction, Future Consciousness, and the Future(s) - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep. 3

Tom Lombardo: Science Fiction, Future Consciousness, and the Future(s) - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep. 3

The 3rd episode of the 2nd season of the 4Sight Chats Series, with Thomas (Tom) Lombardo. Tom is s the Director of the Center for Future Consciousness, Editor of Future Consciousness Insights, and Professor Emeritus and Retired Faculty Chair of Psychology, Philosophy, and the Future at Rio Salado College. Alex is PhD candidate at NUS Business School (Singapore), and Associate Editor of the journal "World Futures Review".   


Chat Outline:  

-Using science fiction as a form of foresight and its challenges 

-What is future consciousness and why it’s important 

-Measuring the various dimensions of future consciousness 

-The evolutionary character of future consciousness: purposeful evolution 

-Future consciousness to transcend the modern-postmodern divide 

-Tom’s two new books on science fiction   


Available in audio-only podcast format: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc1oO2Z8Odw


MENTIONED REFERENCES  

Alex’s article on the 6 archetypes framework: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016328720301336 

Article on futures consciousness (not future consciousness): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016328717301611#:~:text=Johan%20Galtung%20defines%20future%20consciousness,should%20happen%20in%20the%20future.  

Lombardo (2006). The Evolution of Future Consciousness: The Nature and Historical Development of the Human Capacity to Think about the Future (book): https://www.amazon.com/Evolution-Future-Consciousness-Historical-Development/dp/1425944469 

Lombardo (2017). Future Consciousness: The Path to Purposeful Evolution (book): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076336S1J/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i6 

Lombardo (2018). Science Fiction - The Evolutionary Mythology of the Future: Prometheus to the Martians (book): https://www.amazon.com/Science-Fiction-Evolutionary-Mythology-Prometheus-ebook/dp/B07J5TJBKP/ref=pd_sbs_2/143-8599632-6336100?pd_rd_w=73u3t&pf_rd_p=3676f086-9496-4fd7-8490-77cf7f43f846&pf_rd_r=ND8Y37MQBGG26HB5XWAD&pd_rd_r=8e81084d-0d1c-45de-9603-c5ecc3fb8516&pd_rd_wg=4dBtz&pd_rd_i=B07J5TJBKP&psc=1 

Lombardo (2019). The Pursuit of Virtue: The Path to a Good Future (book): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07N8LDJRR/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i8 

Lombardo (2021). Science Fiction: the Evolutionary Mythology of the Future: Volume Two: the Time Machine to Metropolis (book): https://www.amazon.com/Science-Fiction-Evolutionary-Mythology-Metropolis-ebook/dp/B09F6X54JK/ref=pd_sim_1/143-8599632-6336100?pd_rd_w=Ovq6V&pf_rd_p=ea2ff367-bd36-4ec5-aee4-94c2aa42287d&pf_rd_r=RM7NA2B7ESTBH3X4C2NG&pd_rd_r=566e1044-01bd-4176-a2a9-03757cb9aec5&pd_rd_wg=bfdhQ&pd_rd_i=B09F6X54JK&psc=1 

Lombardo (2021). Science Fiction: the Evolutionary Mythology of the Future: Volume Three: Superman to Star Maker (book): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09F6XNV47/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 

Tom's website: https://www.centerforfutureconsciousness.com/ 

Tom's video webinar series on the history of science fiction: https://cfc-school.thinkific.com/

Tom’s online courses: https://www.centerforfutureconsciousness.com/FC_Course.htm   


Support Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani

Sep 27, 202101:10:28
Brent Cooper: Metamodernism and the Future(s) - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep. 2

Brent Cooper: Metamodernism and the Future(s) - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep. 2

The 2nd episode of the 2nd season of the 4Sight Chats Series, with Brent Cooper. Brent is a geopolitical sociologist, founder of The Abs-Tract Organization, and filmmaker. Alex is PhD candidate at NUS Business School (Singapore), and Associate Editor of the journal "World Futures Review".  

 

Chat Outline:  

- What is metamodernism? 

- The normative aspect of metamodernism  

- Differences and similarities between metamodernism and integral theory 

- The relation between metamodernism and science 

- Brent's film, The AbsTract: Core Philosophy, Act I  


Available in video format: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4OK4noHkVE


MENTIONED REFERENCES  

Brent’s Medium: https://medium.com/@brentcooper 

Vermeulen & van den Akker (2010). Notes on Metamodernism: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3402/jac.v2i0.5677 

Hanzi’s articles on metamodernism: https://metamoderna.org/ 

Hanzi (2019). Nordic Ideology: A Metamodern Guide to Politics, Book Two: https://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ideology-Metamodern-Politics-Guides/dp/8799973928 

Alex’s article on the futures of capitalism: https://www.academia.edu/37518829/Scenario_archetypes_of_the_futures_of_capitalism_The_conflict_between_the_psychological_attachment_to_capitalism_and_the_prospect_of_its_dissolution 

Brent’s article about integral theory and metamodernism https://medium.com/the-abs-tract-organization/integral-abstraction-41a7d8597476   

Rowson’s article about Metamodernism in the Perspectiva book: https://systems-souls-society.com/metamodernism-and-the-perception-of-context-the-cultural-between-the-political-after-and-the-mystic-beyond/ 

Alex’s article about the resistance to scientific theory in futures and foresight (with Thomas Chermack): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ffo2.61 

Brent’s article in The Side View: https://thesideview.co/journal/mapping-metamodernism-for-collective-intelligence/ 

Brent’s short film, The AbsTract: Core Philosophy, Act I: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJBRI53hmrE&t=0s 

Trailer of the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVDk-u1xqRU    


Support Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani

Aug 02, 202101:28:36
Young-chan Ro: Confucianism and the Future(s) - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep. 1

Young-chan Ro: Confucianism and the Future(s) - 4Sight Chats SE2 Ep. 1

The 1st episode of the 2nd season of the 4Sight Chats Series, with Young-chan Ro. Young-chan is a professor of religious studies and the director of the Korean studies center at George Mason University. Alex is PhD candidate at NUS Business School (Singapore), and Associate Editor of the journal "World Futures Review".  


Chat Outline: 

- The ideal society according to Confucianism 

- The five cardinal relationships of Confucianism and how they can inform/be reinterpreted for human societies today  

- How to counter the claim that Confucianism supports degenerating hierarchies 

- How to conciliate Confucianism's views of the past, present, and future  

- How to encourage engaged scholarship on Confucianism in mainstream academia  


Available in video format: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw_12_gew6w


MENTIONED REFERENCES Economist (2021). Confucianism has become a political punchbag in South Korea: https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/01/02/confucianism-has-become-a-political-punchbag-in-south-korea Learn more about Young-chan: https://religious.gmu.edu/people/yro 


Support Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani

Jun 07, 202101:11:01
Peter Hayward: "Pracademia", Futures Games, and Futurepod - 4Sight Chats Ep. 10

Peter Hayward: "Pracademia", Futures Games, and Futurepod - 4Sight Chats Ep. 10

10th episode of the 4Sight Chats Series, with Peter Hayward. Peter is a "pracademic" with two decades of experience in teaching foresight to passionate and skillful people. He is also the co-host of Futurepod, one of the most well regarded and long-lasting podcasts in futures & foresight. Alex is PhD candidate at NUS Business School (Singapore), and Associate Editor of the journal "World Futures Review". 

 

Chat Outline:

- Using foresight to solve clients' problems

- The Sarkar Game in organizational contexts 

- The Polak Game in organizational contexts 

- The resistance to futures & foresight in business schools 

- Futurepod: why it was launched and lessons learnt  


Available in video format: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLdG9fU_zA


The previous conversation between Alex and Peter (Futurepod ep.89): https://www.futurepod.org/podcast/2020/10/24/ep-89 


Mentioned sources:  

Fergnani & Sweeney (2021). Identity wind tunneling: A method for finding an organization’s strategic identity using scenarios: upcoming  

The Sarkar Game, Teach the Future Library: https://library.teachthefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Sarkar-Game.pdf   

Galtung & Inayatullah (1997). Macrohistory and Macrohistorians: https://www.amazon.sg/Macrohistory-Macrohistorians-Perspectives-Individual-Civilizational/dp/0275957551  

Hayward and Candy (2017). The Polak Game, or Where do You Stand?: https://jfsdigital.org/articles-and-essays/2017-2/the-polak-game-or-where-do-you-stand/  Futurepod: https://www.futurepod.org/  


Additional references: 

Inatyatullah (2013). Using Gaming to Understand the Pattern of the Future: https://jfsdigital.org/articles-and-essays/2013-2/vol-18-no-1-september-2013/article/using-gaming-to-understand-the-patterns-of-the-future-the-sarkar-game-in-action/ 

The Sarkar Game, Prout Globe: https://proutglobe.org/2012/09/the-sarkar-game/ 

The Polak Game, or Where do You Stand? by Fearless Culture Design: https://www.fearlessculture.design/blog-posts/the-polak-game-where-do-you-stand 

The Polak Game: an exercise to help reveal your theories of the future, By Boingboing.net: https://boingboing.net/2018/01/01/contestable-futures.html  


Support Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani

May 07, 202101:37:24
Paul Schoemaker: Vigilance, Foresight, and Business Schools - 4Sight Chats Ep. 9

Paul Schoemaker: Vigilance, Foresight, and Business Schools - 4Sight Chats Ep. 9

9th episode of the 4Sight Chats Series, with Paul Schoemaker. Paul is an internationally renown expert, an entrepreneur, and an educator in the fields of strategy, innovation and decision-making. Alex is PhD candidate at NUS Business School (Singapore), and Associate Editor of the journal "World Futures Review"  

Chat outline: 

-What is organizational vigilance? 

-What is the difference between vigilance and foresight? 

-Why are organizations not vigilant? 

-Why is vigilance not taught in business schools? 

-Advice on how to research/teach vigilance in business schools 

-Paul's journey though scenarios at Shell and how to excel at scenarios  


Also available in video format: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdtmJUPePNY

Books and articles mentioned: 

Day & Schoemaker (2020). See Sooner, Act Faster (book): https://www.amazon.com/See-Sooner-Act-Faster-Turbulence/dp/0262043319/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=see+sooner+act+faster&qid=1616238607&s=audible&sr=1-1-catcorr 

Schoemaker & Gunther (2016). Profiting from Uncertainty (book): https://www.amazon.com/Profiting-Uncertainty-Strategies-Succeeding-Matter/dp/150116175X 

Day & Schoemaker (2008). Are You a ‘Vigilant Leader’? (article, MIT Sloan Management Review): https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/are-you-a-vigilant-leader/ 

Schoemaker (1993). Multiple Scenario Development: Its Conceptual and Behavioral Foundation (article, Strategic Management Journal): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220041993_Multiple_Scenario_Development_Its_Conceptual_and_Behavioral_Foundation 

Fergnani & Chermack (2021). The resistance to scientific theory in futures and foresight, and what to do about it (article, Futures & Foresight Science) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ffo2.61 

Schomaker (2021). Theory Development in Foresight Research: Commentary on Fergnani and Chermack 2021 (upcoming article, Futures & Foresight Science).  

Schomaker & Tetlock (2012).Taboo Scenarios: How to Think about the Unthinkable (article, California Management Review): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289661696_Taboo_Scenarios_How_to_Think_about_the_Unthinkable 

Schomaker (2008).The Future Challenges of Business: Rethinking Management Education (article, California Management Review): https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.2307/41166448 

Support Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani

Mar 23, 202101:00:08
Erik F. Øverland: The World Futures Studies Federation and its Challenges - 4Sight Chats Ep.8
Mar 05, 202155:52