Title Details

Prior to starting her own consulting practice, Shirley Roberts spent fifteen years as a marketer in the packaged goods industry with Colgate-Palmolive, The Borden Company, Nabisco Brands, and Maple Leaf Foods, rising to the director of marketing level. She also spent two years as a senior consultant with Tandem International, a marketing and sales consulting firm. Shirley is a graduate of The Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. She speaks and writes frequently on the topic of consumer trends.

Chapter 1: Power Shift to Consumers
A History Lesson
The Mass Era
End of the Mass Era
Change Driven By Technology
Moving Into Uncharted Waters
Record Profits But Not Growth
Real Innovation is Essential
The Challenge of the Changing Consumer
Trailblazers
What You Can Do

Chapter 2: Introduction to Econographics
Unlocking the Mysteries About Consumers
The Nine Key Drivers
The Predictive Model
An Example of How Econographics Works
Trend Leveraging
Trend Analysis
Conclusion

Chapter 3: Trend Tracking and Trend Leveraging
Introduction
What Is a Trend?
Roadblocks to Using Trends
Who Should Track Trends?
The Trend-Leveraging Process
The Trend Indicators that Need to Be Tracked
How to Find and Organize the Information
The Six Types of Changes
Review and Analysis
Turning Trends Into Predictions
How to Do Trend Leveraging
Trend-Leveraging Reports
The Trend-Leveraging Work Session
Conclusion

Chapter 4: Economy
Introduction
Trend 1: The Gap Will Widen between Winners and Losers
Trend 2: The Economy Will Grow and Inflation Will Remain Dormany
Trend 3: Standardized Work Will Decline
Trend 4: Female Influence Will Increase
Trend 5: Workers Will Become More Educated
Conclusion

Chapter 5: Technology
Introduction
Trend 1: The Microprocessor and Humans Will Form an Inseparable Bond
Trend 2: Digital Networks Will Drive Disintermediation
Trend 3: Technological Change Will Shroten Product Life Cycles
Trend 4: Technologies Will Converge
Trend 5: Wireless Technological Advances Will Increase Access to Information
Conclusion

Chapter 6: Globalization
Introduction
Trend 1: Expansion of Trade Will Open Up New Markets
Trend 2: Global Market Forces Will Intesify Competition Trend Analysis
Trend 3: Stronger Global Linkages Will Create a Far-More-Connected World
Conclusion

Chapter 7: Government
Introduction
Trend 1: The Role of Government Will Shift
Trend 2: Global Competition Will Force Governments To Sacrifice Social Spending
Trend 3: Globalization and Technology Will Make Tax Revenues Harder to Collect
Conclusion

Chapter 8: Environment
Introduction
Trend 1: Environmental Abuse Will Remain a Serious Problem
Trend 2: Environmentalism Will Become a Way of Life
Conclusion

Chapter 9: Demographics
Introduction
Trend 1: Ethnic and Regional Diversity Will Grow
Trend 2: Family Structures Will Be More Diverse
Trend 3: The Population Is Ageing
Trend 4: Life-Cycle Stages, Lifestyles and Attitudes Will Be Less Influenced by Chronological Age
Conclusion

Chapter 10: Consumer Psyche
Introduction
Trend 1: Spirituality and Human Reconnection Will Be Sought
Trend 2: A Higher Quality of Life Will Be Pursued
Trend 3: The Desire for New Experiences and Innovation Will Grow
Trend 4: Shoppers Will Become More Impatient and Demanding
Trend 5: Consumer Vigilance For Value Will Grow
Conclusion

Chapter 11: Wellness
Introduction
Trend 1: Medical Science Advances Will Continue to Improve the Quality and Length of Lives
Trend 2: The Incidence of Disease Will Increase
Trend 3: Complementary and Alternative Medicines Will Become More Popular
Trend 4: Self-Health Care Will Flourish
Trend 5: A Health Lifestyle Will Become the New Miracle Drug for Longevity and Disease Prevention
Conclusion

Chapter 12: Retailing
Introduction
Trend 1: Fewer, Clearly Differentiated Retail Chains Will Survive
Trend 2: Local Community Retailers Will Grow
Trend 3: Non-Store Retail Environments Will Grow
Trend 4: The Lines of Competition Will Continue to Blur Between Types of Retailers
Trend 5: The Lines of Competition Will Increasingly Blur between Retailers and Manufacturers
Trend 6: Technological Advances Will Allow Retailing to Become Truly Consumer-Driven
Conclusion

Chapter 13: How to Market Profitably to Tomorrow's Consumer
Introduction
Nine Traits of Tomorrow's Consumer
Nine Key Strategies for Tomorrow's Consumer
Conclusion

Appendix: Tomorrow's Growing and Declining Market Sectors

Index

"Harness the Future provides the insights needed to understand the most important emerging trends affecting consumer behaviour and a method to ensure that any business can profitably anticipate the changes that lie ahead."
— William Band, Managing Partner, Strategic Services— Canada, Andersen Consulting, and Author of Creating Value for Customers