Trends Identified

Systems to diagnose the state of natural and dangerous man-made systems
Systems to diagnose the state of natural and dangerous man-made systems are critical for the prevention of emergencies. These systems include not only an instrument base, but also a means to process and visualise the results. Their application means that the amount of time required for diagnosis can be reduced and accuracy can be increased, which would greatly reduce the possible damage and increase the safety of the technosphere. The development of systems to diagnose the state of natural and dangerous man­made systems based on innovative equipment will lead to the creation of new markets in the field of instrumentation and software.
2016
Russia 2030: science and technology foresight
Russia, Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
Systems to increase oil extraction ratios, including targeted changes in the collecting properties of fields
Systems and methods to increase the oil extraction ratio, including a targeted change in their reservoir properties, in particular at depleted hydrocarbon deposits and low pressure gas deposits, will play a crucial role. These involve a combination of technological solutions, instruments and integrated groups aimed to have a chemical and physical impact on hydrocarbon­bearing formations in general and on individual components (hydrocarbons in beds, hydrocarbons themselves, water, etc.), leading to an increase in oil extraction. New technologies will not only help to increase the effectiveness of hydrocarbon extraction at operating deposits, but also to develop deposits with reserves which are hard to extract, including those which are currently regarded as exhausted. In the long-term, this will significantly increase the operating term of existing deposits and will push back the exhaustion of industrial stocks of traditional hydrocarbon raw materials by a decade. Some technological solutions will also be focused on recycling industrial carbon dioxide emissions.
2016
Russia 2030: science and technology foresight
Russia, Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
Systems to provide automated control of the state of vehicles and infrastructure
New technical methods and automated systems to monitor the state of vehicles and infrastructure and oversee their maintenance and repair will make it possible to generate integrated analytical assessments of the level of technological safety and to create a single multi-level vehicle control system. By optimising repair and re-construction schedules for infrastructure it will become possible to reduce the risks associated with operating transport systems without appreciably worsening the operating conditions of traffic flows. The introduction of new products can help to significantly increase the level of safety on transport, optimise road traffic and reduce the degree of wear on key resources. Knowledge of the operations of transport systems and infrastructure in difficult climatic and geological conditions, including Arctic and sub-Arctic zones, could be a competitive advantage for Russian workers and manufacturers.
2016
Russia 2030: science and technology foresight
Russia, Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
Tackling Uncertainty Head-on
When planning for any organisation’s future, decision makers are faced with an increasingly complex and dynamic external environment. For some elements of this environment, such as demographics, it is possible to identify broad trends; while others, such as the turbulent geopolitics, are more challenging to predict. In considering an uncertain future and how best to position the organisation, scenario planning is a useful tool. By creating a series of ‘different futures’, based on the most significant but uncertain forces shaping our environment, decision makers are encouraged to re-examine their own assumptions about the future. The process results in individuals stepping away from the so often reactive, incremental strategic planning – a natural response to uncertainty – in favour of a more forward looking, proactive approach.
2016
Shaping the future
European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)
Tactile Display
(Definition) The technology allows the user to actually feel certain objects from the surface that they touch. (Application) Improve the elderly and the disabled’s use of touchscreen, therefore, improve the convenience via reproducing the sense of touching virtual hand.
2015
KISTEP 10 Emerging Technologies 2015
South Korea, Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)
Talent shortages & challenges
52% of over 1,000 KPMG sourcing advisors answered that this trend had a negative impact on user organizations.
2015
Top global market trends and predictions for 2016 and beyond
KPMG
Talent shortages/talent management challenges
55% of KPMG member firm advisors answered that this trend has a large negative impact for the user organizations.
2015
Top trends and predictions for 2015 and beyond
KPMG
Talent shortages/talent management challenges
54% of the respondents view this as a negative trend. Ensuring access to a skilled talent base is a perennial challenge for most organizations. Talent shortages and talent management challenges are the most often cited trends with a negative impact on business operations. Some of these talent challenges may be due to tight labor markets, particularly in the United States, which may improve with changing economic conditions. A more lasting driver of these talent challenges, however, is undoubtedly the advent of IA and digital labor, which have profoundly changed the profile of skills demanded by many organizations.
2019
4Q 2018 KPMG Global Insights Pulse Survey Report
KPMG
Talent shortages/talent management challenges
55% of the respondents view this as a negative trend
2017
Adoption of intelligent automation does not equal success. 4Q 2017 KPMG Global Insights Pulse Survey Report.
KPMG
Tapped Out
A range of compounding factors risk pushing more megacities towards a “water day zero” that sees the taps run dry. These include population growth, migration, industrialization, climate change, drought, groundwater depletion, weak infrastructure and poor urban planning. Short-termist and polarized politics at both municipal and national levels in many countries further heighten these dangers. The societal shock of running out of water could lead in sharply differing directions depending on the context. It could exacerbate divisions. Conflict might erupt over access to whatever water was still available, or wealthier residents might start to import private supplies. But a water shock could also galvanize communities in the face of a shared existential challenge. Either way, damage would be done. Hygiene would suffer, increasing strains on healthcare systems. And governments blamed for the failure might be tempted to scapegoat weaker communities, such as those in informal dwellings with unofficial connections to the water system. Getting governance and planning right during times of plentiful water would reduce the risk of day zero arising, including public information campaigns and basic maintenance of existing infrastructure, as well as regulations limiting the amount of water that households, businesses and government can use. New water sources could be identified, subject to careful risk assessment. And smart technologies could be deployed to reduce water use and improve water reclamation.
2019
The Global Risks Report 2019 14th Edition
World Economic Forum (WEF)