This book offers a compact introduction to the topic of trend management in companies. Fundamental decisions in companies are based on assumptions about future developments in markets and society and diverse technologies. Trend management is a useful tool to discover and understand these developments and thus generates a solid basis for decision making. Although it is mostly applied in strategy development, many more company tasks may profit from it. The author explains the individual activities and results of trend management, and how a sound process can be established in a company. Trend management is a powerful tool at the interface of futures knowledge and concrete entrepreneurial decisions. The book shows how these insights can be transferred into the operational processes of a company. It will serve as a useful guide for interested newcomers as well as for experienced trend managers to recognize opportunities and risks at an early stage andto open up new scope for action for their company.

Autorentext

Jörg Blechschmidt introduced systematic trend management at DB Systel GmbH, the IT subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn (Germany), and now leads its Digital Foresight team. He is a specialist on topics around trends and trend methodology and also coaches companies in setting up their own trend management.

Inhalt
Chapter 1. About trends in general.- Chapter 2. Excursus: Dealing with fuzzy information.- Chapter 3. Trend analysis in companies.- Chapter 4. Trend research: Collecting trend information.- Chapter 5. Trend analysis: Understanding effects.- Chapter 6. Excursus: Thinking traps in trend analysis.- Chapter 7. Trend study: in-depth analysis of a trend.- Chapter 8. Trend radar: overview of relevant trends.- Chapter 9. Trend management as a corporate function.- Chapter 10. A word in closing