Recession Watch

"When will this recession end?" This is the  question most on our clients lips.

Use this social network graph to see which way our contributors think the world is heading.

Take advantage of any upturn or prepare for a further downturn, ahead of the pack,  by reading our 'what to do now' recession tips for how to survive and get to more positive futures, faster.

Read more

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Latest Insights

We aim to alert you to upcoming changes from which you can explore issues of interest further. We offer a hand-picked selection of resources, reports and publications from commercial organisations, government agencies, NGOs, think-tanks and other public interest organizations.

Every week our members add many new insights to Shaping Tomorrow. By viewing the new insights you can anticipate how tomorrow will be different for you and your organisation. You can also add insights to create a personal database of emerging change. Read how to get the best out of Shaping Tomorrow in our free Practical Foresight guide (http://practicalforesight.wetpaint.com/ - separate registration required)

Shaping Tomorrow subscribers can also access unique discovery analyses such as 360 degree views of emerging issues, timelines, tag clouds, latest citations, sources and country impacts. They also have access to special collections including industry analysis, regional potential and social change, plus an advanced search facility.

Subscription costs just 95 British Pounds (+17.5% tax for those based in the European Union), or $189 in the United States. You can pay using one of many credit cards directly at our web site.

Why put yourself at a disadvantage to our 13,782 subscribers and your competition when you can join today; you won't find a more comprehensive service at such low cost anywhere!

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A Guide To Practical Foresight - 10. Future Challenges

Part 10 of a year long series on how to use Practical Foresight for competitive advantage:

Determining the right challenges to address is vital

At a societal level the key challenges haven't changed: 

• How might homes & families change?  
• How might work change?  
• How might hobbies & leisure differ?  
• How might people travel & communicate?  
• How might childhood & education differ?  
• How might the environment change?  
• How might government & economies differ?  
• What should be done to maximise opportunities for growth and minimise risks, time and cost effectively?

But the environment has!

In fact, these clouds already changed since the slide was made in August 2008. From being grey with the possibility of rain the economy has morphed rapidly into a violent storm that threatens us all.

It's the latest example of Increasingly uncertain tomorrows bringing: 

• Increasing turbulence  
• New risks  
• Accelerating innovation  
• Increasing surprise

A new response is required

To cope organisations are increasing their resilience to surprise today through: 

• Intelligent horizon scanning  
• Continuous strategic thinking  
• Dynamic action planning  
• Engaging in collaborative foresight

New key challenges for organisations

Organisations now ask themselves: 

• How can we future proof? 
• How can we develop leadership capabilities? 
• How can we enable people to shape the future?  
• How can we manage the change we need?  
• How can we overcome resistance to change?  
• How can we develop the skills for the future?  
• How can we gain wider stakeholder engagement?  
• What should be done to ensure we can survive and thrive in a sustainable way? 

Properly responding to future challenges can seem like a daunting task at the outset, particularly for the un-initiated. But, breaking the task into logically ordered pieces and following a high-level framework can speed up and help to ensure successful delivery of the answers. You can read the full guide or contact us to learn how to improve Practical Foresight in your organisation.