Collaborative foresight: Major research trajectories and future research agenda

Collaborative foresight is increasingly recognized as an important tool for anticipating and shaping the future through engagement with diverse stakeholders. While academic interest in the topic has grown, highlighting its significance, the field remains fragmented. Literature on collaborative foresight is characterized by varying definitions, multiple theoretical foundations, and diverse methodological approaches. This study conducts a bibliometric review to structure the field of collaborative foresight studies, identifying four central research trajectories: (1) Collaboration in Technology Foresight, (2) Collaboration in Scenario Planning, (3) Open Foresight, and (4) Collaboration in Anticipatory Governance. Based on this structured analysis, we identify key research gaps, including the absence of a widely accepted definition of collaborative foresight, weak linkages to ecosystem and strategic management theories, and a lack of structured impact assessments to measure the long-term benefits of collaborative foresight. To address these gaps, we propose a research agenda emphasizing the development of robust theoretical foundations, stronger connections to strategic decision-making, and methodological improvements to enhance the practice and impact of collaborative foresight. • Collaborative foresight engages diverse stakeholders to anticipate the future • Collaborative foresight is characterized by diverse methodological approaches • No widely accepted definition of collaborative foresight • Research agenda is proposed to develop theoretical foundations