Trends Identified

Cognitive Robotics
Cognitive robotics applies cognitive models of humans or animals to robots in order to recreate intelligence. Robots developed based on the technology can be function like humans.
2009
KISTEP 10 Emerging Technologies 2009
South Korea, Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP)
Collaborations
Governments, businesses, international financial institutions, the United Nations, civil society and academia are developing new ways of working with each other in pursuit of compatible objectives.
2015
SDG industry matrix
KPMG
Collaborative business networks: Opportunistic & Systematic
More than half of all CEOs believe that collaborative networks will play a major role in the way companies operate in the future. CEOs in Asia Pacific – one of the world’s fastest-growing regions – are particularly convinced about the value of collaborative networks. At present, networks are mainly used to accomplish ‘soft’ goals such as the advancement of learning and sharing of best practice, rather than to enhance product and service pipelines. Most companies have not yet developed a systematic way of developing and capitalising on networks. They are still opportunistic in their approach. Effective collaboration requires a clear understanding of the kinds of networks that are possible, the business objectives of the different stakeholders and the risks.
2008
11th Annual global CEO Survey
PWC
Collaborative economy tools
Collaborative economy tools leverage the power of social networks and technology to promote new models of consumption, novel employment and income generation opportunities.
2016
Ten Frontier Technologies for International Development
Institute of Development Studies (IDS)
Collaborative Industrial Robots
2017
Top 50 Emerging Technologies 2017
Frost & Sullivan
Collapse of a Pivotal State.
The sudden collapse of a pivotal state would threaten regional and global stability. For example, the descent into instability of a major hydrocarbon exporting state, such as Nigeria, Iran, Saudi Arabia or Russia, would have local and regional consequences, disrupting global energy supplies. This would affect global energy markets causing widespread economic, social and political dislocation. Similarly, if internal tensions caused instability within China the global economy could be disrupted by the simultaneous drop in demand for raw materials and reduced supply.
2010
Global strategic trends - out to 2040
UK, Ministry of Defence
Collapse of Global Communications.
A failure of the global communications system could occur for a variety of reasons; for example the destruction of satellites following an orbital electromagnetic pulse detonation or solar flare, or the complete overload of the global ICT infrastructure. Such an event is not without precedent. For example, in 1859, solar flare activity was linked to the collapse of the telegraph system when spark discharges shocked telegraph operators and set telegraph paper on fire. A similar collapse in the modern world would cause trade, commerce and the Internet to grind to a halt. Military operations dependent on the availability of communications networks would also be put at risk. Remaining bandwidth would see intense competition for access.
2010
Global strategic trends - out to 2040
UK, Ministry of Defence
Collectively rich, individually not so rich
Emerging markets are expected to grow faster than developed economies, and as a result developing countries such as China and India are likely to overtake current global leaders such as the US, Japan and Western Europe, while other emerging markets, such as Indonesia and Mexico, will rank among the top ten economies at market exchanges rates by 2050, overtaking economies such as Italy and Russia. By contrast, in terms of income per capita, a measure of individual spending power, today’s advanced economies are likely to continue to dominate.
2015
Long-term macroeconomic forecasts Key trends to 2050
The Economist
College admissions will get personal.
“The two numbers that have signaled whether a student can get into a top college — test scores and high school grades — are being called into question as more institutions go test optional and grade inflation is on the rise,” says Jeff Selingo, a higher education strategist. “The recent Harvard lawsuit points to the need for colleges to shape their classes amid an influx of applications, particularly ensuring racial and economic diversity.” So, what’s next? There’s no one simple solution, but colleges will start to shift toward weighing the “whole” applicant, looking at accomplishments beyond the classroom, says Selingo. Colleges are already sampling new approaches, like a form that allows students to submit videos and written work to flesh out their application or a new College Board tool that allows officials to better understand not just the high school the student attended but also their neighborhood based on census data.
2018
50 Big Ideas for 2019: What to watch in the year ahead
LinkedIn
Combinatorial-technology explosion
Digitization, machine learning, and the life sciences are advancing and combining with one another to redefine what companies do and where industry boundaries lie. We’re not just being invaded by a few technologies, in other words, but rather are experiencing a combinatorial technology explosion.
2017
The global forces inspiring a new narrative of progress
McKinsey