Futures Coaching

Silent Retailing: How this is about to change

I was asked to look at the future of retailing by real estate services giant, Jones Lang LaSalle. My study took a couple of intensive months to complete and involved over 30 experts. One of the themes treated in the final report was The End of Silent Retailing.

Jones Lang LaSalle have put significant marketing effort behind the 'Retail2020' Report and I'd invite anyone wanting to find out more to visit their website retail2020.com

Meantime, as an appetiser, find out why I think retail has been silent over the years and why this is about to change fundamentally over the next 5 Download The End of Silent Retailing

 

How the Chinese innovate

Here we look the Chinese attitudes to innovation. The rules and the principles guiding resource allocations. For example, why is short term a bigger concern than long term innovation? And why do Chinese innovators emphasise process over product? Find out more about the successful innovation mindset Here.

The Indian Growth Story

I don't know about you, but I've seen very little of India - I seem to have spent most of my time in airports. Those who know it better, almost universally, think of it as a fascinating, sensorial, stimulating place.

I have a feeling I'll be going much more in the future, given the phenominal growth which lies ahead. Goldman Sachs forecast that the Indian economy will expand, no less than 30 times to 2050. Yes, not 13; I really did mean 30!!

So, what explains this potential, and what might hold India's prospects back? If you've 5 minutes to invest, look here. You'll be amazed.

Where to grow business in 2012...and beyond

In the first of the "Growth Stories" series of posts, I've focused on sure-fire socio-demographic trends.

Find out the formula for GDP growth and the 15 countries set for explosive increases in consumer spending. Investments, roll-out strategies and manpower allocations need to follow the money. You'll find out where to invest resources by following this link.

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Leisure Asia: Some of the biggest entertainment markets

Here goes with another from the Asia 5 series. In only 5 minutes, get yourself up-to-speed with 10 ways Asians chill.

Did you know that Pachinko parlours bring in four times more revenue than global casino spending? Or that the Chinese authorities run anti-addiction programmes for online gaming, such is their threat to the national economy?

Get a step up in your understanding of Asian leisure markets here.

 

 

 

10 Insights into Indian Entrepreneurship

As part of the 'Asia 5' series of concise reports into the Asian marketplace, I have taken a look at entrepreneurship on the Sub-Continent. Huge strides have been made in just 5 short years and we can predict an explosion of start-up companies in the years ahead. Much is in place to allow this to happen, although some elements still need boosting. Find out more here

One Swallow does not make a Summer

As this idiom suggests, it takes two or more sightings to give conviction that change is on its way. Like birds, like trends. I get really annoyed when self-appointed trendscouts see something unusual, attach a label and tell the world that they've just discovered the next 'next thing'. And it's not just trendscouts, journalists are forever making similar claims.

Take for instance, the recent article making a big thing of an apparent new thing - single straight men adopting kids. It's a long piece in Marie-Claire so it must be a burgeoning new trend, mustn't it? Well, actually, no. Even the article goes on to admit that only 0.3% of applications to adopt come from single men.

So one early lesson for budding trendwatchers is 'beware media headlines'. Always look at the sociological reality beneath.

But the other point is to try and triangulate - a trend is a real trend when a number of pieces of evidence come together from different origins and point to the same underlying phenomenon.

I'll give you an example. Here's a trend which I'm seeing manifest everywhere. It's called 'Hyper Life'. Basically, it's the growing sentiment that everyday life is distinctly dull and needs to be punctuated by periods of intensity for it to be worthwhile. Here's the (multiple) evidence.

1. Important rise in extreme sports - both numbers of participants and varieties (bungee jumping, free-running, BASE-jumping, zorbing, snowkiting, kitesurfing, coasteering, canyonning etc).

2. Increasing use of technology to magnify ordinary life experiences - eg. ear pieces for spectators to listen to the referees comments during a live rugby match

3. The rise and rise of Summer music festivals

4. The binge drinking culture which is spreading fast: even the young in France with their 'open bars' are adopting the drinking patterns more often associated with anglo-saxon cultures

5. New findings from America which associate teenage drug use and other risky behaviour with the idea that their situation is hopeless so it's important to live life to the full today - even if it means dying young. (In fact the survey found 15% of the teenagers interviewed have a death wish!).

Five insights which together start to tell the story of a very real sociological phenomenon - one you can have confidence in when it comes to marketing strategy.

With this in mind, ask yourself, what is dull about your offer? And what can you do today to make it intensely interesting to the very many consumers who are continually searching for a Hyper Life?

Does your company have a cultural blindspot?

A long time ago, I was a consultant for Ericsson and they flew me around the world for 3 weeks visiting the business. Funny thing was, no matter where I ended up, I was met by Erik, Fredik and Gorän. The company had exported its Scananavian managers - and culture - around the world.

Accor Hotels is the same. French multinational - but with many French nationals in senior overseas posts.

Is this a problem? Well, yes, if the company wants to be truely global and avoid the cultural biases of the HQ.

It is staggering to me as I travel the world, to see this cultural blindspot take so many forms and affect so badly, management's objectivity. Take for instance, Ford of Europe who, for many years, neglected the diesel market since its American parent company could not understand European mentalities and supply structures. Or what about UK retailer Boots? They entered Canada then pulled out. Japan, then pulled out. New Zealand, then pulled out. Holland, then pulled out (and just announced that they are going back in! What makes them think that they've cracked interculturalism this time round?) What summed up their cultural blindness was when they appointed a senior manager (who I shan't name) Director of International Retailing and who, at the time, didn't even have a valid passport!

All this came into my mind recently when I found myself travelling on a boat with a TV producer for the BBC. He was a really intelligent likeable guy and we got talking about social change in Britain. For those of you who aren't familiar with Britain, it has changed out of all proportion over the last 20 years. The British have become crudely hedonistic and egotistical and then wonder why their youngsters turn out bad. Anyway, my point is that this was news to the BBC man. It's not that he questioned my interpretation, just that he was unaware that anyone could have such a view of British society.

Sometimes, I say in my workshops that we are all like fish. Fish are surrounded by water but don't seem to notice it. We humans are surrounded by our national societies but are equally unaware of our own codes, mores, rules and foibles.

If you suspect that your company has a cultural blindspot, employ consultants who are drawn from outside. Only through a true intercultural perspective can you hope to trap the real social trends surrounding you.