the personal computer has changed the way we work, increasing
our efficiency and eliminating the need for several layers of
management. The same thing is happening in manufacturing, as automation
increases productivity on the assembly line and eliminates a large
percentage of jobs.
The key to financial success in these rapidly changing times is
to recognize the trends and get ahead of change. So what trends
can we identify? The major opportunities of the decade ahead are
found in four areas:
Information * Technology * Health * Distribution
Information is power, as Microsoft CEO Bill Gates can tell you.
He has become the richest man in America by providing better methods
of processing information. Technology also continues to change
our world as computers and consumer electronics do more of our
work and claim more of our leisure hours. Health and aging have
become our biggest concerns as we become more aware of the environment
and the health problems of old age as modern medicine extends
our life span. On the other hand, the many limitations of modern
medicine has prompted more and more people to look for alternative
medicine. The wide-spread use of accupuncture and the recent scientific
research on Chinese herbs have begun to shed new light on the
exciting possibilities for a combination of the wisdoms of the
East and West. The result is the amazing discovery of adaptogens.
Finally, here is what Faith Popcorn, one of the world's most respected
and accurate trend forecasters, says about distribution:
"Marketers and retailers must shift the focus away from traditional
means of access to the consumer. Don't expect consumers to come
to you anymore. You'll have to reach them in the cocoon itself."
"The means of distribution will be the next consumer-oriented
revolution. Direct shopping from the producer to you---bypassing
the retailer altogether, no middle-men, no stops along the way."
When asked "Which of the 16 top trends do you see as especially
powerful right now?", Faith Popcorn said:
"Icon topping -- the idea that anything big and established
will topple. This means difficulties for big business, government
and the medical and legal professions. Alternative delivery systems
will grow. This is a very big trend, and the alternatives -- small
business, alternative medicine -- will do very well also."
---The Popcorn Report
--- Entrepreneur, December 1996