Ph.D. in Futures Studies, Faculty of Management, Supreme National Defense University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The challenges confronting contemporary organizations are no longer merely complex in the conventional sense; rather, they possess an inherent complexity that fundamentally challenges basic assumptions about organizational functioning. This article introduces the concept of the “Anticipatory Organization,” an organization that systematically explores emerging futures and proactively prepares to engage with them. Employing documentary analysis and a conceptual review of the literature, and drawing on Rosen’s “Anticipatory Systems Theory,” Burrus’s “Anticipatory Organization Model,” and contemporary literature on “Anticipatory Governance,” the article presents a conceptual framework for the Anticipatory Organization and identifies its key dimensions, including “Anticipatory Leadership,” “Environmental Vigilance,” “Transformational Planning,” “Systematic Innovation,” and “Future-Building Culture.” The findings indicate that organizations can enhance resilience, foster disruptive innovation, and mitigate risks arising from uncertainty and disruption by institutionalizing anticipatory thinking within their structures and cultures. Ultimately, an integrated model of the Anticipatory Organization is proposed, with the recommendation that it be further developed as an indigenous model for Anticipatory Organizations in Iran. By integrating theoretical foundations with practical implications, this article contributes to the emerging literature in this field and provides a roadmap for researchers and managers to design and implement anticipatory capabilities in organizations.
Mirmazaheri, M. (2025). The Anticipatory Organization: A Framework for Navigating Uncertainty and Complexity (Case Study: Practical Applications of the Anticipatory Organization in Iran). Strategic Futures Studies, 4(14), 7-36.
MLA
Mirmazaheri, M. . "The Anticipatory Organization: A Framework for Navigating Uncertainty and Complexity (Case Study: Practical Applications of the Anticipatory Organization in Iran)", Strategic Futures Studies, 4, 14, 2025, 7-36.
HARVARD
Mirmazaheri, M. (2025). 'The Anticipatory Organization: A Framework for Navigating Uncertainty and Complexity (Case Study: Practical Applications of the Anticipatory Organization in Iran)', Strategic Futures Studies, 4(14), pp. 7-36.
CHICAGO
M. Mirmazaheri, "The Anticipatory Organization: A Framework for Navigating Uncertainty and Complexity (Case Study: Practical Applications of the Anticipatory Organization in Iran)," Strategic Futures Studies, 4 14 (2025): 7-36,
VANCOUVER
Mirmazaheri, M. The Anticipatory Organization: A Framework for Navigating Uncertainty and Complexity (Case Study: Practical Applications of the Anticipatory Organization in Iran). Strategic Futures Studies, 2025; 4(14): 7-36.
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