How to approach narratives in foresight studies: qualitative data analysis. (30th March 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stratigea, Anastasia; Grammatikogiannis, Elias; Giaoutzi, Maria
• Is Part Of: International journal of foresight and innovation policy. Volume 8:Number 2/3(2012)
• Page Start: 236
• Page End: 261
• Publication Date: 2012-03-30
• Subjects: foresight studies -- participation -- narratives and numbers -- qualitative data analysis; Knowledge management -- Periodicals; Strategic planning -- Decision making -- Periodicals; 658.401
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1740-2816

Abstract

Gathering of intelligence and knowledge, based on stakeholders' participation, is at the core of foresight studies. Participatory approaches in foresight studies, though, generate a large amount of qualitative data. In order to deal with this issue, there is a need for tools and techniques capable of handling qualitative data, so that the input to a foresight exercise can be enriched and value can be added to the outcome of the decision making process. The focus of the paper is on the introduction of qualitative data analysis tools for the processing of qualitative data that are gathered by use of participatory approaches in foresight exercises. In the first part it attempts to shed light on the intriguing issue of integrating 'narratives and numbers' in a participatory foresight context. In the second part it presents the application of the ATLAS-ti model – a qualitative data analysis tool – on the data obtained from the stakeholders' validation workshop, carried out in the context of the AG2020 project on the future of agriculture in Europe.