Bernard Marr - Business Trends in Practice

There's also an increasing emphasis and less stigma around mental health and well-being – another trend that has been accelerated by the pandemic. Going forward, there will be increasing pressure on employers to make sure their people have the right work–life balance and that employees have access to mental health support through third-party providers.

All of these global shifts indicate where the biggest opportunities and risks lie for future success. So how should businesses be embracing or planning for these shifts? Here are a few key takeaways:

The climate crisis. According to Ipsos, globally 73 percent of people agree we're on course for a climate disaster. 42 With a global majority agreeing that the world is facing a huge crisis, customers will increasingly gravitate toward more sustainable options. Businesses will have to do everything they can to maximize their green credentials and communicate that to customers.

Economic shifts. As the E7 and next 11 economies grow, it will no doubt become more expensive for businesses to outsource their production and services to these countries. On the flip side, these economies will become much more attractive markets for products and services.

Growing divergence. If the trend toward divergence and delinking continues, companies may potentially find themselves restricted from certain markets. A reliance on any one market is a risky strategy.

Demographic shifts. For businesses, the growing consuming classes and greater urbanization around the world present huge possibilities, but participating in these new markets will mean adapting to different cultural and political environments.

Social, cultural, and workplace shifts. Businesses must assess whether they are offering Gen Z, women, and global workers an attractive work environment, one in which people have flexibility and work–life balance, where they can be individuals and connect meaningfully with the brand.

Now that we've got a broader view of what's happening in the world, let's dig into some specific technology trends that are also impacting our world and how we live in it.

1 1. Impacts of 1.5°C global warming on natural and human systems; IPCC; https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/chapter-3/

2 2. Effects of global warming; National Geographic; https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/global-warming-effects

3 3. Climate change and resource scarcity; PwC; https://www.pwc.co.uk/issues/megatrends/climate-change-and-resource-scarcity.html

4 4. Emissions by sector; Our World in Data; https://ourworldindata.org/emissions-by-sector

5 5. Beyond the Noise: The Megatrends of Tomorrow's World; Deloitte; https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/nl/Documents/public-sector/deloitte-nl-ps-megatrends-2ndedition.pdf

6 6. Why Rare Earths May Leave Europe and U.S. Vulnerable; Bloomberg; https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-16/why-rare-earths-are-achilles-heal-for-europe-u-s-quicktake

7 7. Double food production by 2050? Not so fast; Futurity; https://www.futurity.org/food-production-2050-1368582-2/

8 8. The world's plastic pollution crisis explained; National Geographic; https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/plastic-pollution?cmpid=int_org=ngp::int_mc=website::int_src=ngp::int_cmp=amp::int_add=amp_readtherest

9 9. Chinese economy to overtake US “by 2028” due to Covid; BBC News; https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-55454146

10 10. The world in 2050; PwC; https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/research-insights/economy/the-world-in-2050.html

11 11. Economic power shifts; European Commission; https://knowledge4policy.ec.europa.eu/foresight/topic/expanding-influence-east-south/power-shifts_en#:~:text=The%20%E2%80%9CNext%20Eleven%E2%80%9D%20(Bangladesh,in%20global%20power%20by%202030.

12 12. Why is China Introducing New Export Controls?; China Briefing; https://www.china-briefing.com/news/chinas-new-export-control-law-restrictions-imposed-23-items-technology/

13 13. Partisan Antipathy: More Intense, More personal; Pew Research Center; https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2019/10/10/partisan-antipathy-more-intense-more-personal/?utm:source=link_newsv9&utm:campaign=item:268982&utm:medium=copy

14 14. Geopolitics in a post-pandemic world: A fragmented world; IHS Markit; https://ihsmarkit.com/research-analysis/geopolitics-in-a-postpandemic-world-a-fragmented-world.html

15 15. Russia “successfully tests” its unplugged internet; BBC News; https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50902496

16 16. Growing at a slower pace, world population is expected to reach 9.7 billion in 2050 and could peak at nearly 11 billion around 2100; United Nations; https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/world-population-prospects-2019.html#:~:text=The%20world's%20population%20is%20expected,United%20Nations%20report%20launched%20today

17 17. World population in 2100 could be 2 billion below UN forecasts, study suggests; Guardian; https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/15/world-population-in-2100-could-be-2-billion-below-un-forecasts-study-suggests

18 18. Why Population Aging Matters; National Institute on Aging; https://www.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2017-06/WPAM.pdf

19 19. 10 Mega Trends that are (re)shaping our world; Ipsos; https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/10-Mega-Trends-That-are-Reshaping-The-World.pdf

20 20. Why Population Aging Matters; National Institute on Aging; https://www.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2017-06/WPAM.pdf

21 21. 2018 Revision of World Urbanization Prospects; United Nations; https://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/2018-revision-of-world-urbanization-prospects.html

22 22. Ibid.

23 23. World's Top Global Mega Trends to 2025 and Implications to Business, Society and Cultures; Frost & Sullivan; https://www.thegeniusworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Megatrends-2025-Frost-and-Sullivan.pdf

24 24. Emerging megacities to outperform developed megacities by 2025; GlobalData; https://www.globaldata.com/emerging-megacities-to-outperform-developed-megacities-by-2025-says-globaldata/

25 25. 10 Mega Trends that are (re)shaping our world; Ipsos; https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/10-Mega-Trends-That-are-Reshaping-The-World.pdf

26 26. Why Population Aging Matters; National Institute on Aging; https://www.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2017-06/WPAM.pdf

27 27. Global Wealth Report; Credit Suisse; https://www.credit-suisse.com/about-us/en/reports-research/global-wealth-report.html

28 28. Rising inequality affecting more than two-thirds of the globe, but it's not inevitable; UN News; https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/01/1055681

29 29. 10 Mega Trends that are (re)shaping our world; Ipsos; https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/10-Mega-Trends-That-are-Reshaping-The-World.pdf

30 30. Individualistic Practices and Values Increasing Around the World; Association for Psychological Science; https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/individualistic-practices-and-values-increasing-around-the-world.html

31 31. 10 Mega Trends that are (re)shaping our world; Ipsos; https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/10-Mega-Trends-That-are-Reshaping-The-World.pdf

32 32. Facts and Figures: Economic Empowerment; UN Women; https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/economic-empowerment/facts-and-figures

33 33. Closing the Gender Gap Accelerators; World Economic Forum; https://www.weforum.org/projects/closing-the-gender-gap-accelerators

34 34. Beyond the Noise: The Megatrends of Tomorrow's World; Deloitte; https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/nl/Documents/public-sector/deloitte-nl-ps-megatrends-2ndedition.pdf

35 35. Gen Z Rising; Accenture; https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/pdf-50/accenture-strategy-workforce-gen-z-rising-pov.pdf