Futures, Systems, and Economy

This unit examines futurist perspectives, systems thinking, and major economic transformations shaping business and entrepreneurship. Students build on foundational business concepts to analyze how interconnected technological, social, and economic forces create risks and opportunities for organizations, preparing them to design strategic responses in the final unit.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the methods and perspectives of contemporary futurists (“Future Hunters”) by comparing at least three approaches and producing a short report that identifies implications for business decision-making.
• Demonstrate systems thinking by creating a relationship map for a selected industry that shows connections among technology, labor, markets, and regulation, and identifying at least two leverage points for intervention.
• Evaluate key transformations of the economy (e.g., automation, platformization, AI-driven services) by assessing their likely impacts on business models, workforce needs, and revenue streams using evidence from data or credible forecasts.
• Apply foresight and strategic-planning tools to develop two actionable business or entrepreneurial strategies that mitigate identified risks and exploit future opportunities, including implementation steps and measurable success indicators.