Global Vision - What is Global Vision? - Integrated human-environmental computer-based global forecasting to aid strategic planning

What Is Global Vision?

Global Vision, Inc. (GVI) is a non-profit educational and research organization, headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, with affiliated persons throughout the United States and elsewhere.

Its mission is to develop computerized, dynamic global forecasting models to assist planning by public and private organizations by improving the future forecasting on which such planning is based; and to teach people to use these models.

The underlying idea is this:

Global models can help people in business, institutions, and governments, also ordinary people in their role as citizens, to better anticipate the effects of public and private actions and policies on our common future. Global models can give this help by improving the knowledge of future consequences—that is, by improving the ability to predict results – positive, negative, and neutral – of governmental and corporate behavior. This can lead to more effective, responsible government and corporate policies and actions.

GVI was formed as Citizens for Global Vision in 1991 and incorporated as Global Vision, Inc., in 1994. Global Vision’s principals (directors and science advisors) have studied various parts of global forecasting since the 1970s. The organization is funded by member dues and donations. Members include academicians, business people, and private citizens who are interested in future events and their prediction.

At present, GVI personnel consist entirely of volunteers (with the partial exception of its president, who receives a small annual grant—less than $10,000—directly from the source, Stanford University, to support GVI development and research). These people serve as directors, officers, and science advisory panelists. [see Officers / advisors]. In addition, GVI occasionally receives assistance from outside computer programmers and other technically skilled people.

What Does Global Vision Do?

Global Vision currently ...

develops scientific techniques to dynamically model societal events and changes, using computers;

holds meetings to present and discuss global modeling-forecasting ideas and work with other interested scientists; for the past 5 years, has coordinated these meetings with those of the Peace Science Society (International);

publishes proposals and findings (see elsewhere on this web site);

presents its global modeling ideas and work at public meetings.

Future plans include ...

expanding our modeling to combine societal factors with weather and other environmental factors;

applying such models to forecast world events and changes, using computers;

teaching people how to use computational global models to do forecasting.

How quickly we expand our focus to carry out these future plans depends most significantly on our future level of funding.

For additional information about Global Vision, Inc., contact:

Paul R. Williamson, President
Global Vision, Inc.
P. O. Box 4394
Ann Arbor, MI 48106-4394

Global Vision, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan, is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. Gifts are deductible as charitable contributions in the United States.