The influence of team variables during the decision-making process of open foresight

Open Foresight is a collaborative approach between two or more firms with the aim to anticipate future trends and changes in the company environment. Stakeholders and individuals from inside and outside the firm come together to share knowledge to reduce uncertainty about future events. However, the role of heterogeneous team effects in Open Foresight teams has yet not been sufficiently researched. Heterogeneity can be described as the degree of differences that exist between two individuals. A heterogeneous assembly of team members can have positive as well as negative effects on the team process and outcomes. This thesis connects findings from diversity research with the field of Open Foresight and explores individual level team effects that can influence Open Foresight team processes. With the help of a systematic review, literature from 1990 to 2019 is reviewed and key issues are assessed. Findings point towards the need for researchers and practitioners to take moderators, process effects and contextual factors into account if they want to make more accurate predictions about diversitys effects. Further findings suggest that Open Foresight teams can benefit from heterogeneity if diversity is encouraged, new knowledge shared and integrated and a safe climate promoted. Task related discussion and debates should be enforced to help uncover knowledge, whereas affective conflict should be avoided. Diversity contributes to team processes if properly managed and if it accounts for moderating and contextual factors. Not conducive for heterogeneous Open Foresight teams may be differences in status. Additionally, process effects such as social categorization processes can impede team functions as well.