Global Trends: Facing Up To A Changing World

Description: A dozen major global trends will mould the 21st century world. How we live, how societies are shaped and how business is carried-out will be determined by the evolution of these trends in the decades ahead. Have no doubt, each one of these twelve trends has the potential to turn your life andbusiness upside down if you are not aware of the underlying forces and fail to take timely and appropriate action. In this book the author assesses the global events and developments that will have the greatest impact on our lives including: repercussions from the financial crisis; geopolitical power shifts; emerging technological challenges; climate change; water and food shortages; educational problems; demographic changes; war and terrorism; disrupted energy supplies; declining ecosystems; health concerns; and increasing natural disasters. Such BIG PICTURE challenges confronting humanity are clearly interelated, yet experts tend to treat each of them in isolation. This book, on the other hand, takes the novel approach of joining-the-dots to bring them into a single actionable framework. With all of these daunting issues, it would be easy to take a negative outlook, yet this book is not about pessimism. Nor is it about optimism. It is about realism. It is about facing-up to a changing world, just as human beings have always done. It is about recognizing that the human trajectory has never been an easy ride and that those that prosper have always been the ones with their eyes open and most flexible to change. Read it, or prepare to kick yourself in 10 years time for failing to act on mitigating the threats- or maximizing the opportunities- that are heading your way!

Review: 'Adrian Done provides us with an enjoyably written and wide-ranging account of critical challenges of the coming decades. We ignore these trends at our peril. I recommend this book to all who need to prepare for the future -- which is all of us.' -- Professor Ian Goldin, Director, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford; previously Vice President, the World Bank and former advisor to President Nelson Mandela 'Fasten your seatbelts -- there's turbulence ahead! Societies, businesses and senior managers arefacing enormous challenges. This insightful book analyzes them and thoughtfully assesses the threats and opportunities that are likely to emerge. Having armed us with increased awareness, Adrian Done offers a pragmatic approach to navigating the uncertainty and pulls no punches in encouraging us to broaden our thinking and to act with rigor and purpose.' -- Jordi Canals, Dean of IESE Business School 'Adrian Done has given us a Michelin Guide to coping with a turbulent future. Global Trends is an authoritative, inviting summary of the major forces that are now shaping our world, for good or for ill. This masterful book shows leaders in all fields what they should consider doing as business, government, education, and everything else is transformed over the next few decades.' -- William E. Halal, George Washington University; President TechCast.org; author of 'Technology's Promise' 'Adrian's book has helped me to better understand the big picture of global change. It is mandatory reading for any business leader in order to understand the major trends triggering the need for business transformation.' -- Lars Gollenia, Global Head of SAP Business Transformation Services 'With our local communities and international business operations shaken by recent crises and disasters, it would be easy to take a negative view of the future. Yet Dr Adrian Done joins the dots, providing an antidote to both undue pessimism and irrational optimism. He realistically outlines the challenges confronting leaders, managers and citizens in the 21st century and encourages us to address them with well directed actions.' -- Professor Chris Voss, London Business School 'Dr Done has written one of those rare management books with a strong vision towards the future. His insights help managers learn from the mistakes they made in the past and to successfully navigate their way through the challenges of tomorrow.' -- Mark T. Frohlich, Associate Professor, Kelley School of Business 'In a rigorous, yet entertaining and down to earth approach, Adrian Done shows how we can face up to this rapidly evolving world. Global Trends is a book that captures the imagination and energizes the soul -- a must-read guide to changes in the 21st Century!' -- Dr Niels Billou, Richard Ivey School of Business

Contents: Acknowledgements Introduction: The Way Things Are Repercussions of 'The Crisis' Geo-Political Power Shifts Technology Climate Change Water and Food Education Demographic Changes War, Terrorism and Social Unrest Energy Ecosystems and Biodiversity Health Natural disasters

Author Biography: Adrian Done is a business academic with both feet in the real world. He is a professor at the IESE Business School in Spain and research associate with the Advanced Institute of Management Research in the UK. Born in Asia, with an early childhood in South Africa and educated in Britain, Adrian started his career with the Ford Motor Company at 18 and spent much of the 1980's and 90s in the automotive industry. Following engineering projects throughout the UK, Europe, and the Americas, Adrian moved into plant management and rapidly gained Chartered Engineer status. Adrian continued his professional trajectory into business education, gaining a bilingual Master of Business Administration at IESE and a PhD at London Business School. Adrian's research, published across academic and practitioner communities, has received awards from prestigious institutions such as the European Foundation for Management Development, the Decision Sciences Institute and London Business School. He is regularly invited to present at international conferences and to collaborate with organizations across various sectors. Adrian currently lives in Barcelona with his Catalan wife and two sons. They all enjoy life to the full.