Trends Identified

Recession Watch
Apologies for being contrary; all signs point to a solid economy in 2018, with tax cuts boosting growth. But that’s precisely the reason to start worrying. The economic expansion is eight and a half years old, and this spring, it becomes the second longest on record.
2018
Five Big Business Trends to Watch in 2018
Fortune
AI advances
2017 was the year AI leapt to the forefront of CEO consciousness. 2018 may be the year that the hype starts to become reality. At CEO Daily, we believe the explosion of connected devices spewing out data that can be transformed into intelligence by ever smarter machine-learning algorithms eventually will spark a new industrial revolution.
2018
Five Big Business Trends to Watch in 2018
Fortune
The tech backlash builds
Expect to see this on multiple fronts in 2018, as retailers worry about Amazon’s growing dominance, media companies struggle in the Facebook-Google-Netflix vice grip, Congress continues its quest for information on how Russia, ISIS and other bad actors benefit from social networks, and concerns about cyber security and data privacy grow.
2018
Five Big Business Trends to Watch in 2018
Fortune
The CEO Statesman is on the rise
For a host of reasons, CEOs are increasingly taking on social issues. Driving the trend: socially-conscious millennial workers, ineffective governments, and the need to build public trust in business. Expect to see more CEOs stepping up in 2018. With the labor market tight, they need to show that their companies are doing good in the world to attract the best talent.
2018
Five Big Business Trends to Watch in 2018
Fortune
A changing workplace for women
The #MeToo movement has caused an abrupt shift in acceptable workplace behavior. Some worry that could result in a backlash, but I’m betting 2018 will mark a turning point for women in the workplace.
2018
Five Big Business Trends to Watch in 2018
Fortune
The rise of the global middle class
With regard to global and regional income distribution and associated societal developments, our research identified six major trends. First decreasing inequality between countries, second the rise of a new global middle class. Third, European and North American share of the global middle class fall significantly over the coming decades. Fourth, in addition, there is evidence that the middle class in these regions is on the decline. Fifth, the relation between inequality and the future strength and composition of the global middle class. Sixth, global middle-class growth will engender the flourishing of democratic and ‘self-expression’ values.
2013
Europe's Societal Challenges: An analysis of global societal trends to 2030 and their impact on the EU
RAND Corporation
Growing and ageing population
The analysis of qualitative and quantitative data on demographic change helped identify three major trends as particularly relevant. First, the global demographic profile will be characterised by population growth, led by middle-income and lower-income countries, about which the literature and projections strongly agree. The second major demographic trend analysed in the literature has to do with population ageing, initially in high-income countries and subsequently in the rest of the world, starting with middle-income countries. The literature points to a third trend that is likely to develop in the European Union and other developed economies in the future, namely transformations in the structure of families and household sizes.
2013
Europe's Societal Challenges: An analysis of global societal trends to 2030 and their impact on the EU
RAND Corporation
Employment and the changing labour market
Four major trends have been identified with regard to employment and associated labour market developments. First, global population growth and population ageing are projected to have a significant impact on the workforce in the future. The second trend analysed focuses on the changes in labour force participation and growing vulnerabilities in the work place. The third major trend that resonates strongly in the literature concerns the diverging demand and supply of skills and patterns of employment creation. Finally, the working environment will be influenced by technological developments. New modes of production and manufacturing technologies are expected to advance further.
2013
Europe's Societal Challenges: An analysis of global societal trends to 2030 and their impact on the EU
RAND Corporation
Evolving patterns and impacts of migration
migration will continue to be a complex phenomenon, with a variety of factors influencing people’s decision to migrate (provided their decision is voluntary) and evolving diversity in patterns and types of migration. internal migration will continue to be closely related to urbanization. There is global evidence that while migration from developing to developed countries remains strong, there are signs that migration to Europe and the United States is decreasing, with uneven reductions across different countries (Development Research Centre on Migration, 2009; OECD, 2011c). Looking ahead, some authors argue that an ageing Europe in need of inward migration to counter the decline in labour force may end up competing for migrants not only with other Western nations, but also with the emerging economies (see Fargues, 2008), although demographic change varies in impact and speed across EU countries.
2013
Europe's Societal Challenges: An analysis of global societal trends to 2030 and their impact on the EU
RAND Corporation
Connected societies, empowered individuals?
Trends in connection, education and empowerment are interlaced in multiple ways and act as drivers, multipliers and indicators of progress towards addressing societal challenges. Overall, six major trends are identified in this report.
2013
Europe's Societal Challenges: An analysis of global societal trends to 2030 and their impact on the EU
RAND Corporation