Glossary · Futures

Three Horizon Model

Futures

The Three Horizon Model is a framework for strategic planning that divides innovation efforts into three horizons: short-term (current operations), medium-term (emerging opportunities), and long-term (disruptive innovations).

The Three Horizon Model is a framework for strategic planning that divides innovation efforts into three horizons: short-term (current operations), medium-term (emerging opportunities), and long-term (disruptive innovations). This framework helps businesses balance short-term priorities with long-term strategic objectives, ensuring a focus on both incremental improvements and disruptive innovations. By allocating resources across different time horizons, organizations can maintain competitiveness in their core business while also exploring new growth opportunities and positioning themselves for future success.

Related terms TOWS analysis TOWS analysis is a strategic planning tool that complements the traditional SWOT analysis by correlating the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats f… Trend A trend is a pattern of change—social, economic, technological, cultural or environmental—that evolves consistently over time and influences behaviours, markets, organisations and broader systems. Weak Signals In strategic foresight, weak signals are early, subtle, and unstructured indications that suggest possible future changes in the environment before they evolve into established trends or visible events. Wild Cards In the field of strategic foresight, wild cards are low-probability but high-impact events that can cause sudden and significant change in systems, markets, or societies.