Mc. Belis-bergouignan et al., Public foresight exercises at an intermediate level: the French national programs and the experience of Bordeaux, INT J TEC M, 21(7-8), 2001, pp. 726-738
The article aims at describing an experience of technology foresight at the
regional level. That experience was built upon previous national (and inte
rnational) foresight studies. It is possible to analyse the institutional p
rocess of such a project in a global context, and also to draw some conclus
ions on the possibility and usefulness of articulating different geographic
al levels. The experience enlightens the notion of 'intermediate level' in
process of foresight, assessment or policy evaluation. Our study gives good
confirmation of the fact that public technology foresight studies are ofte
n more valuable as a process of communication, network building and collect
ive learning than for their results. The choice of the operators, their leg
itimacy and the right timing proved also to be crucial aspects for the succ
ess of such programs.