The growth of futures studies is also a result of the desire of government to find information
that can aid in making better policy. Futures studies, along with systems analysis, is used to
better understand the second and third order effects of specific policy decisions. For many,
futures research is merely long-term policy analysis or research and should not be seen as a
separate field or discourse. However, there are real and important distinctions between futures
research and policy research/analysis. The most significant is that futures studies creates
alternative futures by making basic assumptions problematic. Through questioning the future,
emerging issues analysis, and scenarios, the intention is to move out of the present and create
the possibility for new futures. Policy analysis is concerned with analysing the viability of
particular policies, not calling the entire discussion or the framework of decision-making into
question