Welcome to the second issue of Look Out. We were delighted that the previous issue was so well received and hope that this edition will continue to present a clear, independent, and authoritative source of cross-sector information and insight that will help our clients to make key decisions about their business. The collapse of global markets within the past year has certainly left its mark on the business landscape and some organizations are scaling back their ambitions in the hope of seeing out the downturn. However, other organizations are striving to take advantage of any available opportunity that presents itself if competitors remain too guarded in the current economic upheaval.
Clearly, despite the recession, it seems the world has not been standing still. Regardless of the traditional inclination of siding with caution in such challenging times, many businesses are still innovating, taking ideas and applying them as new business models, new products and services, and new ways of delivering.
Indeed, various approaches such as open innovation are offering better ways for organizations to adapt to the downturn, cutting costs while also exploiting the untapped creativity and knowledge of employees, customers, and partners. This issue of Look Out focuses on how innovation can deliver true business value even in recession and will reveal how some companies are using such tools as Crowdsourcing and Business Modeling for a fully business-oriented approach to innovation.
These many approaches to the downturn have given us a great deal more to consider when putting the issue together. We hope we have captured the current mood and that you find our analysis of the emerging trends, operational threats, and business opportunities to be a useful reference point.
Other highlights include our overview of the latest trends and opportunities in STEP (Socio-cultural, Technological, Economic, and Political) and the CxO agenda. The second half of the book provides more in-depth expert analysis of these areas, to provide a detailed reference guide on the key vertical market sectors and what we can expect to see from them in the months—and years—ahead.
You’ll find more information and have the opportunity to register for updates on our Look Out Website, www.lookout.atosconsulting.com. We’d love to hear your comments—both good and bad—so that we can make sure that the next issue of Look Out continues to provide a valuable overview into today’s often volatile business environment.
I hope you enjoy this issue and look forward to hearing your views.
Thierry Breton
Atos Origin, Chairman and CEO
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