Our views change as we travel through time. These views are based on our understanding of the world; the way we perceive the current environment, our memories of recent and distant experiences, and our ability to predict the future. There is an intricate relationship between these dimensions that makes strategy a very difficult discipline.
Looking into the future requires a certain understanding of social behaviors, economics, innovation, etc. Companies are becoming more and more interested in finding treasures in foretelling the future. We are seeing many different trends of convergence and divergence across industries and geographies creating mass confusion.
Uncertainty and confusion are some of the top attributes of a changing world. Entrepreneurs and insightful executives use these same attributes as the primary focus for leading their companies through the chaos. Look at the successes at Toyota with the hybrid technology. A consumer movement towards “greener” cars was not created before the first hybrids were sold. Independent futurists and scientists are predicting that the human race is consuming more energy than what can be produced, so having a systemic understanding of how all the elements fit into a business ecosystem is very important.
In a recent report the researchers claim that the Toyota hybrid need more energy to make and produces more pollution than a hummer. There are already movements against the hummer due to the perceived environmental impact of this vehicle. Our ability to create a future for our businesses is becoming more dependent on social movements and perception, than ever before.
Is it possible to see how these movements are formed? Can we influence the development of movements in a world where social media is becoming more important than professional media?
Thinking about the future by using a mindset that trapped in today’s thinking creates more confusion than thinking about the future from the future. Doing some time travel.