Wrapping Up from Future Focus

The dreary clouds of gloom have been shrouding business for many months now. Negative commentary from business leaders has been this year’s flavour. So it has been a welcome relief to focus on the future with less blinkered entrepreneurs.

According to polls at the Future Focus conferences in June 2009, most British business owners and senior personnel either believe the economy is already starting to grow again or expect the recovery to begin within the next six to twelve months. The mood is not so optimistic in Ireland, where economists forecast it will be another five years before GDP returns to the levels achieved in 2008.

But wisely, the main priorities of Future Focus delegates were forward looking. Many revealed plans to “find new ways to grow business”, “enter new markets” or “take share from competitors”. But most common was a desire to keep innovating and use the economic problems as an opportunity to transform company and change their business model.

They had come to the conferences in the hope of being “inspired to think differently about managing their businesses”, and for the vast majority, the Future Focus events fitted the bill. As well as offering a good blend of IBM and external speakers, the events were unusual in featuring a large proportion of ‘case study’ examples. Listening to how other medium-sized are profiting through original thinking and wise use of technology was inspirational for many.

There was certainly a huge amount to learn from the real-world experience of successful business innovators. But just as important was the role played by so many different technologies and communications media in the success of this first phase of the Future Focus programme. It drew together everything from traditional printed White Papers delivered by post and press advertisements in the Daily Telegraph to videos delivered via the Internet and 24/7 commentary via Twitter.

Fully one third of conference delegates reported that flexible, remote and mobile working accounts for more than half of all their work. So it is clear that many forward-looking businesses are already operating to new business structures and using ICT to build success in the face of adversity. There will be many more casualties before the recession is fully over, but the path to future success is clear. Fresh thinking and wise investment is the foundation of future business success.

The dreary clouds of gloom have been shrouding business for many months now. Negative commentary from business leaders has been this year’s flavour. So it has been a welcome relief to focus on the future with less blinkered entrepreneurs.

According to polls at the Future Focus conferences in June 2009, most British business owners and senior personnel either believe the economy is already starting to grow again or expect the recovery to begin within the next six to twelve months. The mood is not so optimistic in Ireland, where economists forecast it will be another five years before GDP returns to the levels achieved in 2008.

Future Focus Dublin – Round Up

But wisely, the main priorities of Future Focus delegates were forward looking. Many revealed plans to “find new ways to grow business”, “enter new markets” or “take share from competitors”. But most common was a desire to keep innovating and use the economic problems as an opportunity to transform company and change their business model.

They had come to the conferences in the hope of being “inspired to think differently about managing their businesses”, and for the vast majority, the Future Focus events fitted the bill. As well as offering a good blend of IBM and external speakers, the events were unusual in featuring a large proportion of ‘case study’ examples. Listening to how other medium-sized are profiting through original thinking and wise use of technology was inspirational for many.

There was certainly a huge amount to learn from the real-world experience of successful business innovators. But just as important was the role played by so many different technologies and communications media in the success of this first phase of the Future Focus programme. It drew together everything from traditional printed White Papers delivered by post and press advertisements in the Daily Telegraph to videos delivered via the Internet and 24/7 commentary via Twitter.

Fully one third of conference delegates reported that flexible, remote and mobile working accounts for more than half of all their work. So it is clear that many forward-looking businesses are already operating to new business structures and using ICT to build success in the face of adversity. There will be many more casualties before the recession is fully over, but the path to future success is clear. Fresh thinking and wise investment is the foundation of future business success.