Third Lens

Mika Aaltonen is Head and Chairman of the Board of StraX (the research unit for strategic intelligence and exploration of futures) at Helsinki University of Technology, Finland

• Contents: Introduction - before this book was written. Part 1 Re-Setting Our Thoughts: Strategic decision-making - how it is, and how it used to be, Mika Aaltonen; Making sense of the past, present and future, Mika Aaltonen; Sense-making in relation to time and the strategic landscape, Mika Aaltonen. Part 2 Modelling Sense-Making: A foresight model for evaluating long-term growth: Formel-G, Stefan Bergheim; A political early warning-response system to address global and regional threats, Tapio Kanninen; Platforms, pieces and probabilities - introducing the 3P-model, Mika Aaltonen. Part 3 Revisiting Causal Theory: Sensitiveness to initial conditions: reconceptualising cause, Mika Aaltonen and T. Irene Saunders; Making sense of a complex world, Paul Cilliers; The emergence of final cause, Eve Mitleton-Kelly. Part 4 Conclusions: Conclusions - after this book was written, Mika Aaltonen; Bibliography; Index.

'This is a must read for planners worldwide. The Third Lens dissects the complex trade-offs between the properties of strategic landscape and time frame at stake to help you to see what you did not see before and to practice possibilities around you.' Michael S. Loescher, Author of Proteus ...Insights from 2020, President, The Copernicus Group Inc., Executive Director, The Copernicus Institute, USA 'Multi-ontology sense-making, with its explicit recognition that there are differing types of system in which different causal assumptions apply offers a radically new way of approaching management in an uncertain world. Mika Aaltonen's book is a vital contribution to this field. I strongly recommend this book.' Dave Snowden, Cognitive Edge Pte Ltd, UK 'There is no doubt that this book will become a cornerstone for multi-ontology sense-making. By reading this book, I realised how powerful such an approach could be.' Patrick L. Hetzel, University Panthéon-Assas, Paris, France 'The book is well-organized, full of essential contexts, and a worthwhile read.' International Journal of Operations & Production Management