Foreseeing the future: anticipatory governance as a response to the technological and managerial challenges in the public sector

Purpose – The impact of technologies poses significant challenges for public organizations in an uncertain and rapidly changing social and cultural landscape. This aspect is relevant to understanding the impact of digitalization technologies on public administration and determining how they can be utilized to achieve better results in the workplace. To respond to this challenge, anticipatory governance (AG) emerges as a valuable and innovative approach that enables public organizations to anticipate the changes brought about by “grand challenges.” Design/methodology/approach – An online questionnaire with semi-structured questions was administered to 42 public employees to understand their perceptions of the concept of AG and its impact on responses to technological advancements in the workplace in the Italian public context. Findings – The findings highlight positive aspects of AG as an approach to better equip public administrations with tools to navigate the complex managerial landscape. Research limitations/implications – This study provides some implications. From a theoretical perspective, it aims to contribute to the academic debate on AG and its role in understanding social phenomena related to new technologies. From a managerial perspective, it aims to provide a preliminary and innovative examination of how public decision-makers can utilize this approach to respond to changes in working methods. Originality/value – This study examines how AG can be a valuable approach for public organizations in redesigning decision-making processes and facilitating a new way of working in response to technological advancements.