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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present the concept of smart globalization and identify links with the Rockefeller Foundation's philanthropic activities in a number of areas, including health, climate change, urbanization, economic insecurities, and basic survival needs.Design/methodology/approachThe paper addresses how a new conceptualization of globalization intersects with the field of foresight by describing the Rockefeller Foundation's approach to addressing complex issues of human development.FindingsA forward looking research component is a valuable organizational structure that can add value by tracking and monitoring current and emerging trends relevant to the Foundation's strategic framework, operational initiatives, and areas of work.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests a closer interaction of foresight and development experts and practitioners by suggesting that individuals in both disciplines need to work more closely together to coherently address the multitude, interlocking global challenges of the 21st century.Originality/valueThe paper introduces the notion of “smart globalization” to the foresight community and details how this mindset has influenced and directed the ongoing work of the Rockefeller Foundation.

Summary Although proposed nanotechnology applications hold great promise, little is known about the potential associated risks. This lack of clarity on the level of risk associated with nanotechnology has forced people to make decisions about consumption with incomplete information. A national random digit dialing telephone survey (N= 1014) was conducted in the United States to assess knowledge of nanotechnology and perception of risk in August 2006. This investigation looks critically at individuals' responses to questions about the balance of risks and benefits of nanotechnology, both at the outset of the survey and after respondents were given a brief introduction to the potential benefits and risks of the technology. Models were created to characterzise respondents who said they did not know how nanotechnology's risks and benefits balanced in the “preinformation” condition but who, in the postinformation condition, had a different opinion. Respondents who were highly educated, members of the Republican Party, or male were more likely to switch from “don't know” in the preinformation condition to “benefits outweigh risks” in the postinformation condition, whereas respondents who were less educated, members of the Democratic Party, or female were more likely to switch from “don't know” in the preinformation condition to “risks outweigh benefits” in the postinformation condition. This is the first study to our knowledge to develop a significant model of nanotechnology risk perception change, specifically with regard to gender differences. The power of information provision to sway opinions is also supported, highlighting the importance of developing educational efforts targeting vulnerable populations.

As nanotechnology applications are being developed to provide novel solutions to many of the world’s water problems—from developing improved desalination methods to cleaning up emerging pollutants—the international community has a unique opportunity to develop and implement new kinds of governance systems that will ensure that these applications can reach the market quickly, efficiently, and successfully. National and international regulatory bodies, from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States to the United Nations Water Program (UN-Water), can address this challenge of applying nanotechnology to improving water quality by adopting methodologies that spur innovation for development early in the research process, focusing on new ways of disseminating information about nanotechnology water applications, and considering the full life cycle of nanotechnology water applications. This chapter will investigate some of the ways that barriers to collaboration around nanotechnology water applications in the international arena can be overcome. It begins by diagnosing the need for policy interventions with respect to nanotechnology and water and then offers a series of recommendations for approaches that may successfully address these challenges. The main purpose is to present an emerging set of policy options that can accelerate the application of nanotechnology toward improving water quality. However, without appropriate supportive policy options that can advance innovation responsibly, there is a potential that these benefits could be lost due to delay, lack of commercialization opportunity, and poor public outreach and communication.

Exposure assessment is crucial for risk assessment for nanomaterials. We propose a framework to aid exposure assessment in consumer products. We determined the location of the nanomaterials and the chemical identify of the 580 products listed in the inventory maintained by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. It was found that in 19% of the products the nanomaterial were nanoparticles bound to the surfaces. Nanoparticles suspended in liquids were used in 37% of the products, whereas 13% used nanoparticles suspended in solids. One percent were powders containing free potentially airborne nanoparticles. Based on the location of the nanostructure we were able to further group the products into categories of: (1) Expected to cause exposure; (2) May cause exposure; and (3) No expected exposure to the consumer. Most products fall into the category of expected exposure, but we were not able to complete the quantitative exposure assessment mainly due to the lack of information on the concentration of the nanomaterial in the products — a problem that regulators and industry will have to address if we are to have realistic exposure assessment in the future. To illustrate the workability of our procedure, we applied it to a product scenario — the application of sun lotion — using best estimates available and/or worst case assumptions.

Nanotechnology is expected to be the key technology of the 21st century. Researchers are exploring ways to see and build at this scale, reengineering familiar substances like carbon and silver to create new materials with novel properties and functions. However, the emergence of nanotechnology also provides us with an opportunity to reshape how the public perceives the government's ability to manage risks posed by new technologies. As the first wave of nano-based products? including cosmetics, dietary supplements, food additives, and consumer products?enters the market, society will begin to ask questions about the health, environmental, and safety implications of these materials. The purpose of this paper is to connect the current state of such public perceptions?both with respect to nanotechnology, in particular, and to emerging technologies, in general? with the current state of nanotechnology product development and to analyze how well situated the public sector is to deal with these challenges.

The purpose of this paper is to explore a case study that examines strategies for framing plausible nanotechnology futures. Using document analysis and semi-structured interviews, this investigation of the forward-looking information produced by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) shows how an organisation uses foresight to seek policy influence and anticipate nanotechnology’s alternative futures. The set of approaches identified and investigated in this research include bringing the future into the present, regularly updating knowledge through repetition, capitalising on the first mover advantage, placing forward-looking information at the centre and periphery of analysis, and ensuring precise timing in the production of anticipatory knowledge. The findings demonstrate the social construction of plausibility and illustrate concrete strategies that can be successfully marshalled to strengthen plausible foresight for policy influence. These approaches also offer a replicable blueprint that organisations from all sectors can take to make foresight relevant and actionable for policy-makers.