Abstract:

The significance of technological forecasting for an individual business lies above all in the designation of 'production-targets' within the framework of a long-term project. By this we mean the positive appointment of possible future areas of activity from which the business can ascertain its research programme - and also in rough outline its future production programme - by means of a comparison with the present structure of the business. For the economy as a whole, as for a single business, a better knowledge of future technological developments - together with other forecasts - seems desirable, if indeed such forecasts are possible. Potential limitations imposed by fundamental obstacles will next be examined .