Supertrends: 50 Things you Need to Know About the Future

Take a look into the future and discover the trends that are shaping our world Futurists are in the business of predicting the future. What do the most efficient futurists know? You’ll find the answer inside Supertrends: 50 Things You Need to Know About the Future. Discover how we can expect the world to evolve in terms of demographics, economics, technology, environment and beyond. Whatever it is that you do, you will be able to better prepare for the future if you can just get a clear view of it. These are turbulent times, and we all need to be ready for what’s coming if we hope to thrive. This book addresses what we can expect in the coming decades, and how companies and government should adapt to accelerating change. You will also see improvement in your own ability to predict the next big thing – a valuable skill in any walk of life. Discover the core principles of efficient forecasting Identify underlying drivers and recurring social patterns which help explain and predict events Learn about evolving and expected future technologies and lifestyles, and how they will be applied in the coming decades See how companies and governments can become more future-proof by adopting new and innovative management principles Author Lars Tvede is a serial entrepreneur and currently works as founding partner in the successful venture fund Nordic Eye, the think tank Futures Institute and the forecasting company Supertrends. Throughout his career, he has found success through his uncanny ability to predict the trends that will take our world forward. Read this book to benefit from his insights and get a handle on what’s coming next in our dynamic world. Anyone who needs to understand the future – from financial executives, industry leaders and entrepreneurs to journalists and politicians – will benefit from Supertrends.

Table of Contents:
About Sources and Contributors xi 1. Feeler, Thinker, Hedgehog, Fox – On Predictions 1 Are you a feeler or a thinker? 2 Hedgehogs and foxes – which are best at seeing the future? 7 No! As in never! 7 Our knowledge at double speed 14 The creative design field 21 The world’s a much better place than people think 26 2. Demography and Prosperity 33 The West versus the rest 35 Population growth is actually decreasing rapidly 37 Huge growth in prosperity continues 41 A massive elderly boom 44 Depopulation of rural areas 45 Increased global equality and local inequality – but will this continue? 45 A more peaceful world 49 The lost billion people – the world’s biggest problem? 51 3. The Biotechnological Revolution – Life as Computer Technology 53 CRISPR – the new genetic word processing 56 New genetically engineered species 60 Recreation of extinct species – the real Jurassic Park 60 Tomorrow’s genetically modified humans 66 A healthier, safer world 69 Revolutions in the fight against cancer 70 New cells for old lives 74 Wearables, self-diagnoses, biohacking, and lifestyle medicine 77 The intelligent healthcare of the future 79 4. Computers, Software, and Electronic Networks 81 From exceptional to magical 83 Bell’s Law of new computer classes 86 Cloud computing and the as-a-service movement 88 AI – the career cul-de-sac that suddenly got hot 89 IoT – nerve fibres for the mechanical world 95 Big data = big deal 99 Smart robots – the new ecosystem 103 Smart remote control – the magic wands of reality 107 Quantum computers – billions of times faster 108 VR – dream worlds for real 111 AR – Pokémon GO on steroids 111 Ambient user experience – the frictionless total experiences 113 Cyberattack – crime-as-a-service and lots more besides 114 The new stalker economy 115 5. The Path to Infinite Energy 119 Fossil fuels – the culmination is approaching 120 Vast, constantly growing reserves 122 Nuclear power – a renaissance on the way? 128 Nuclear fusion – the ultimate energy solution 132 6. The Importance of Innovation for Resources and Environment 139 Innovation, dear friends. Innovation! 142 Ideas – the ultimate resource 146 Meat produced without animals 156 Greater prosperity, better environment 161 Global warming in perspective 163 The world is actually getting greener 172 The sixth mass extinction? 173 7. New Networks and Decentralised Technologies 177 Geosocialisation. Who – and where! – you are 178 The e-commerce revolution – far from over 179 Influencer marketing 182 The wild decentralised autonomous organisations 182 Blockchain – the Internet of Value 184 The rating economy – good for markets and culture 188 The global village and its new cyber rock stars 190 Share, care, and save (sharing economy) – hot, hot, hot 191 Exponential organisations: big money! 194 8. The Transport, Houses, and Cities of the Future 197 The transport of the future – faster and more flexible 198 Innovation in the construction sector 205 Tomorrow’s jet-set nomads 209 9. The New Lifestyles – Experiences and Self-realisation 213 The experience economy – all the world becomes a stage 214 The changeable idea of prestige 218 Self-realisation – the service in which you are the product 219 Innovation and entrepreneurship – self-realisation that gets cheaper 221 Do-it-yourself and maker movements – working for fun 221 The human cloud – total transformation of the labour market 224 More backsourcing 228 Bespoke media 229 Multi-identities are more acceptable 230 Intelligence amplification – better, more flexible education 231 10. Business Management in a More Dynamic World 235 Impulsive organisations 235 Conformist organisations 236 Achievement organisations 237 Pluralist organisations 238 Evolutionary organisations 238 New technologies create new forms of management 240 The new information paradigm: seek–sense–share 241 What should be kept permanent and what should be done flexibly? 242 Delegation – activate the staff 243 Involvement – make use of your meta-organisation 244 Inclusion: mobilise the whole world for your project 245 Algorithm-based management versus human management 246 11. The Political Implications of Tomorrow’s Technologies 249 Three social standard patterns that often undermine civilisations 250 The future welfare society – pyramid states or agile app stores? 256 The battle for top–down management and decentralisation 261 Openness or closedness? 263 The information problem in public management 264 Government as a platform: small government – big services 268 The growing attraction of basic income 269 Value-based public management – good or bad? 270 12. The Final Rule 273 Appendix: Sources and Inspiration 279 Bibliography 281 Index 283

About the Author :
LARS TVEDE is a serial entrepreneur, financial investor and bestselling author. He is the co-founder of venture capital fund Nordic Eye, the think tank Futures Institute and the crowdsourcing company Supertrends, which generate an interactive consensus timeline for the future.