Foresight 2020: Economic, industry and corporate trends

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Preface (excerpt)

In an age of uncertainty, peering 15 years into the future may seem like hubris. But ignoring long-term trends—demographic, economic, corporate—is an even less attractive option. Understanding the longterm future is vital in ensuring that strategies are sustainable, that opportunities are identified at an early stage and that challenges are addressed before they become insurmountable.

This report assesses likely changes to the global economy, to eight major industries and to corporate structures between now and 2020. Our research drew on three main initiatives:

• The Economist Intelligence Unit’s proprietary longterm economic forecasts for the world’s major
  economies.
• A wide-ranging online survey of senior executives from around the world in November-December
  2005. In total, 1,656 executives took part.
• A series of in-depth interviews with executives, analysts and policymakers around the world.