Trends Identified

Nano/microsatellites

Increasing use is being made of small and very small satellites with growing capabilities. This will give policy makers an expanding spectrum of sophisticated tools to address “grand” challenges for both civilian and defence purposes.

2016

OECD Science, Technology and Innovation Outlook 2016

OECD

Time for Sustainable Connectivity

Increasing connectivity is and will remain one of the main engines of globalisation as it keeps slashing the cost of distance. Hence a growing international integration of production systems and a constant Ricardo-Schumpeterian pressure for efficiencies. This is ne as long as these efficiency gains are, or perceived to be, fairly distributed. But, as we have seen in recent times, opening may turn to protectionist or isolationist discourse if gains are not equitably distributed.

2016

Shaping the future

European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)

Increasing CO2 emissions

Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG) have been the main driver of rising temperatures since the middle of the 20th century. The main GHG in the earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. CO2 is the most important GHG that can be directly influenced by humans. Anthropogenic CO2 emissions from fuel combustion are by far the greatest contributor of GHG emissions.

2011

Trend compendium 2030

Roland Berger Strategy Consultants

Intolerance and hate crime: the return of an old problem?

Increased intolerance has long been identified as a worrying trend in foresight reports. For example, the EUISS stated that ’Migrants and ethnic minori es will become the main target of groups opposing cultural diversity, and are likely to be the victims of xenophobia in many developed countries‘. The EUISS report framed it in the context of developments that were otherwise quite encouraging. It suggested that ’the decline of theories of conflict between civilisations and cultural relativism is therefore likely, although economic and
social difficulties may reverse this positive trend in some countries, and extremist identity politics and xenophobia will continue to leave
a mark on some parts of the world.’ In a similar vein, the Rand report spoke of the possibility that the presence of ethnic minorities would be widely regarded as undesirable and divisive. More recently, the refugee crisis from 2015 prompted the World Economic Forum to note that ’insularity, xenophobia and right- wing populism are gaining ground across the continent, calling into question the integration process and a common European front on international security policies‘.

2016

Global Trendometer - essays on medium- and long-term global trends

European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)

Apple, Facebook, Google Bring Social Payments to the Masses

Increased competition from digital-only service providers offering no to lower transaction fees. 2018 is going to be the year for social payments: Key launches from Apple, Facebook, Google to drive P2P market.

2018

Top Tech trends 2018

Juniper Research

Trends in income poverty

Income poverty has fallen sharply in some regions of the world in the past 20 years, although considerable challenges remain, with recent economic shocks and escalating conflicts leading to a resurgence of poverty across different regions and countries.

2017

Global trends

UNDP

Public discontent/disaffection and polarization

In western countries, risks such as undermined legitimacy of the government mandate, political impasse and the difficulty of implementing reforms and social polarization are likely to be increased.

2017

Strategic foresight analysis

NATO

GRC: Armed to Succeed or Behind the Curve?

In today’s global business environment, governance, risk management, and compliance form a triad that no CEO can afford to ignore. Costly? Yes. Onerous at times? Undoubtedly. But among the respondents are CEOs who are beginning to see GRC in a new light as an integrated set of concepts that can provide significant benefits for their organisations. Do such benefits come easily? Decidedly not. On one hand, the CEOs acknowledge that achieving effective GRC is a battle. On the other hand, they affirm that it is a battle worth waging.

2005

8th Annual global CEO Survey

PWC

Sustainability & global responsibility

In times of manifold conflicts and global challenges such as climate change, the need for societal and economic sustainability, as well as global responsibility, is only too evident. In particular, the increasing number of intrastate conflicts is calling for an enduring coordination of international governance in the future. For companies and their global value chains, this suggests a need to review potential areas of conflict more vigilantly.

2017

Megatrends: a bigger picture for a better strategy

Roland Berger Strategy Consultants

Global knowledge society

In this study, we zero in on megatrend number six, the Global Knowledge Society, and its three subtrends: know-how base, war for talent, and gender gap. From basic education to workplace applications, we uncover the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead in the field of education and the need for a skilled workforce. We begin by looking at how the diffusion of knowledge can be increased. Education, of course, is the foundation of the know-how base. We track how the number of years spent in primary, lower and upper secondary, and tertiary education directly correspond to increased GDP per capita. We also examine literacy rates, how enrollment figures differ between world regions, and what can be done to level the field. This will be a critical step in ending the war for talent, where certain demographics in established economies have left them lacking skilled workers—approximately 38% of employers struggle to find suitable candidates—and emerging regions are threatened with a brain drain. We continue by examining the gender gap, comparing figures across developed and developing regions, and identifying the factors that must be addressed to bridge the difference.

2017

Megatrends: a bigger picture for a better strategy

Roland Berger Strategy Consultants