Foresight, space and e‐commerce

This paper reports on a pilot study of three major owners of and/or tenants in retail and office space in South Africa. The study sought to establish: whether or not long‐range strategic planning occurs; whether future space requirements are included in strategic planning; and whether the effects of technological development and e‐commerce on space are evaluated in long‐range strategic planning. The main conclusions are that short‐term strategic planning is well established, but that systematic long‐range planning around the effects of technology and e‐commerce on space is limited, in extent and scope.