Next Now

The pace of change in all aspects of our lives is constantly accelerating. If you would like to stay ahead of the game, then Next Now: Trends for the Future by Marian Salzman and Ira Matathia gives a wide ranging look at where the world is going in the next few years.

The first part of the book looks at the world on a large scale (while pointing out that it's effectively shrinking). In particular the authors look at the growing influence of Chindia - that is China and India, at the fate of a somewhat fragmented Europe, and at how much America can keep its status in the world. The second part examines cultural changes, looking at the blurring of identity and reality, at the changing nature of aging, and at the dominance of branding. The third part of the book considers our personal lives, such as the status of our family, the distinction between home and work and the changes in our shopping, eating and entertainment choices.

The book is written in a lively style, which I enjoyed at the start, but after a while the 'buzz' began to become a bit irritating. I felt that the book began to move away from mapping out the future an more towards saying 'your business has to do this or you'll get left behind'. However, if you've read other business books then you may be used to that sort of style, and this book certainly provides pointers to plenty of things we need to consider over the coming years.