A conceptual systemic framework proposal for sustainable technology development: incorporating future studies within a co-evolutionary approach

Abstract

This article explores the role of future studies in developing sustainable technologies within a co-evolutionary context. In the first section, it clarifies briefly the definition of sustainable development, complexity and co-evolution, in order to establish the frame within which the theoretical exploration will be carried out. The second section provides information about characteristics of sustainable technology development, which requires a radical shift from the current technological paradigm. Other types of innovations in institutional, social and organisational domains, which co-exist with or precede technological innovations, and influence of these on sustainable technology development, are clarified also in this section. The third section reveals the relationship between technology development and future studies. This relationship is projected onto sustainable technology development and the need for radical innovations. Foresighting–backcasting approach is presented as a meta-tool to facilitate the co-evolutionary innovation by allowing a non-reductionist systems approach possible towards development of sustainable technologies. It is concluded that, within the co-evolutionary innovation framework, planning for governance and policy development should have the longest time span and largest operational context in order to link all types of innovations to each other and render radical technological change possible.