There is a very curious fact, provided by IESE Professor Adrian Done in his new book (Global Trends: Facing Up to a Changing World), which notes that only 19% of the largest companies survive more than 40 years in its form original. And that is mostly due to the lack of foresight on major global trends that can change the paradigm in which they operate and do not react properly can eject the market. There are large multinationals cases have been breaking their activities for this reason but also on the major trends reside “rudder changes” necessary or great business opportunities for small businesses and startups.

All 6 global trends that may affect your business

1- Large corporations compete even more in the field of “big data” for achieving substantial competitive differences: When we speak of “big data” I mean the capture, storage, search, sharing and viewing of large amounts of data. All this management is also applicable to smaller companies increasingly have more powerful tools to make more effective marketing and data collected will also serve to make strategic decisions.

2- Erelong mobile traffic will displace traffic from computers. Here we must take into account the sharp drop in selling tablets in recent months he’s done itself will cause some consequences:

– Continue the unstoppable growth of the industry of mobile devices: Hardware, software, apps …

– Large companies react to exploit this market by geolocation.

It is therefore a good time for agencies dedicated to mobile apps layout, geographic location advertising…

3- Takeoff end cloud computing: will become a known and necessary for much of the element that will allow companies reduce IT costs and of course, reduce risks in storage in the “cloud”.

4- The power transferred to users stimulates innovation: Companies like Google, Facebook or Twitter you have users on the network and as a direct consequence have given them more power. That fact will consider large and small corporations reorganization in the way they want to communicate and collaborate with employees, partners and customers. We are already seeing when some customer services are being developed on social networks.

5- The role of governments with respect to advances in innovation: Iran harder taking a regulatory role especially in the digital part when his role was far lower profile.

6- Geopolitical power changes: in 2007 world GDP was distributed as follows: 21% US, 10% China, 12% in Europe. In 2014 the following is expected: 18% US, 15% China and poor 9% for Europe. These global changes can give us insight to know which languages will be more important in the future, where they go and what markets exports are more interesting if we internationalize our company.

Trends can affect us at two levels:

– Forcing make structural changes or mandatory course

– Provide clues which may lead to major new business opportunities

Both cases are important enough to occasionally lift up his eyes and do an exercise of analysis of global trends to be applied in a more local level.

How do you think you can affect these trends in the coming years?