If interested, please contact Mike Jackson for an exploratory discussion.

Every week, we are adding new content to Shaping Tomorrow.

As interest in shaping the future grows exponentially around the world we are finding many more interesting links than we can sensibly report in our members newsletter.

During the past week, we have added new links as follows:

36 industries
19 technology
12 society
8 organization
7 politics
6 lifestyles
5 economics
5 environment
3 healthcare

This week's additions include articles on trends in blogging, clothing, digital homes, futures research, global warming, VOIP, work and many more. By viewing the new material and the links in our database you can anticipate how tomorrow will be different for you and your organisation.

Patterns we see emerging are the establishment of trend assessment teams in many more large organisations and a shake-up in who owns what in the global energy markets. We have added more links on these trends in the last week.

Only Shaping Tomorrow members can access the database and view our full newsletter.  Membership costs just 25 British Pounds (+17.5% tax for those based in the European Union), or $49 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 members and your competition. Click here to join, today; you won't find a more comprehensive trends service at such low cost anywhere!

Less and less will be more and more

Consumers face unprecedented levels of choice and numbers of decisions about almost everything that they do and buy each and every day.  For more and more people, the result is confusion to the point of paralysis and non-decision; a desire to simplify and focus on fewer trusted and reliable suppliers; an ability to achieve ever higher value and quality regardless of the brand.

Faced with these realities companies will need to review their product ranges and services for the 'choice paralysis' effect e.g. the easy to learn factor in proposed new features on electronic equipment, or the one to many combinations of toothpaste options.  At the same time, walking the talk to foster genuine trust, reliability and support through helplines, customer services and effective use of personal information will be ever more critical. As populations age, these trends are likely to increase.

Links: 
When Product Variety Backfires, (HBS Working Knowledge) discusses the way in which consumers either choose a different brand or do not buy when faced with excessive levels of choice in everything from painkillers to laptops or investment policy features to sandwich fillings

Hygienia, (Trendwatching.com) highlights the growing canniness of consumers in recognising quality and value in purchases such as clothes ranges from supermarket chains such as Tesco in the UK, or new cars from China

Monopolies of Trust, (Globe and mail.com) reports on a small survey considering growing consumer reluctance to share personal information and the growing likelihood of a small range of 'trusted suppliers'.

Sheila Moorcroft, Research Director, Shaping Tomorrow