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How these trends impact your company
STRATEGY
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As we enter year three of the global pandemic, executive teams must make critical decisions about whether to champion a permanent hybrid workforce or to recentralize operations. Strategy executives should find a balance between near and long-term upskilling, operations, and technology implementation. For those in the retail sector, tectonic shifts are underway now that blur the lines between digital and physical experiences. Beyond offering digital versions of consumers’ favorite items, brands should build features and utility into their digital catalogs. Uncertainty could breed inaction in many companies—now is a good time to invest in bold ideas and measured big bets.
INNOVATION
The intersection of work, culture, and play unlocks tremendous opportunities for innovation teams. From new product development to experimentation in distributed office structures to completely reimagining their industries, creative risk takers are in a position to shape the future of fashion, games, beauty, and toys. Chief innovation officers should lean in to all this disruption and champion thinking across longer-term time horizons within their organizations.
R & D
So much innovation is already happening in cannabis and microdosing communities; if regulators lift federal restrictions on the sale of certain substances, there will be a flood of new opportunities to develop consumer products. This year, some R&D teams might develop moonshot ideas and innovation road maps on paper, to prepare for a regulatory change. Meanwhile, there will be heightened demand for immersive video games and gaming options that span different device types.
GROWTH
The work-from-anywhere trend has unlocked business growth across many sectors, from home office equipment and lighting to high-speed broadband. What are the next-order products and services consumers might need, and how will hybrid workforces evolve over the next several years? Businesses should map plausible scenarios in 2022 to discover inflection points on the horizon.
