This book offers a concise introduction to trend management in companies, demonstrating how effective trend management can help you understand future developments and make informed decisions. Key business decisions often rest on assumptions about future market trends, customer behavior, and emerging technologies that drive new products. The book details established methods such as trend studies and trend radars, explaining both their methodology and application. Practical tips are provided to help integrate these insights into a company's operational processes, emphasizing that trend management is only successful when it results in positive change.

Whether you're a newcomer or an experienced trend manager, this book provides a wealth of ideas for identifying opportunities and risks early on, and for expanding your company's strategic options.

The second edition has been updated with the latest developments, including the use of artificial intelligence in trend management, and introduces new methodological approaches such as the futures triangle and the futures wheel.

Serves as a guide to trend management with many practical recommendations Illuminates trend management as an overall corporate process Updated 2nd edition: AI and trend management and new methods such as the futures triangle and futures wheel

Autorentext

Dr. Jörg Blechschmidt hat bei der DB Systel GmbH, der Digitaltochter der Deutschen Bahn, ein systematisches Trendmanagement eingeführt und leitet nun als Product Owner das Team Digital Foresight. Der Autor ist ein gefragter Referent und Gesprächspartner im Bereich Zukunftsmanagement und gibt Trainings zu Foresight und dem Umgang mit Trends.

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.