The Future Happiness

Happiness is discussed as the new direction of the future.


In September 2008 the Danish Institute for Future Research, is writing about how the modern society is changing from the great stories to the task of creating your own life from birth till end. Because we have few instructions to live accordingly, happiness become more important than ever.


Similar Daniel Gilbert writes in 2007, Stumbling on Happiness: "For most of recorded history, people lived where they were born, did what they parents had done and associated with those who were doing the same. But the agricultural, industrial and technological revolutions changed all that, and the resulting explosion of personal liberty has created a bewildering array of options, alternatives, choices and decisions that our ancestors never faced. For the very first time, our happiness is in our hands" (Gilbert, 2007:259).


Daniel Gilbert argues that the greatest achievement of the human brain is its ability to imagine the future - episodes and objects which do not exist. This unique ability support humans to find happiness. To look into the future, learn from mistakes without making them and evaluate actions without taking them. We allow ourselves to be in the future and ask how it feels to be there.

Sustainability versus growth

Had an interesting night yesterday! Together with my boyfriend, we had invited 10 friends for a late night talks with Dr. Sylvia Karlsson - the Secretary General of the International Environment Forum.

Here are some of our collective reflections:

Can we chose both sustainability and growth, when we have realized that our lives of growing and sustaining the world is not in balance? Should we redefine the measurement of growth to instead look at the human nature? Is growth a complacement of happiness? We need growth, but in other ways than materialistic growth! Is the problem then business, because business is pushing consumption to encourage more economic growth? As individuals we know how to reduce growth, but will we do it? Is there a need for a more global committment? Who are responsible - governance, individuals, entrepreneurs? Should we adapt or aviod climate change?

Garbage is a trend!

What if mankind had to leave Earth because of too much waste and overconsumption? Have you ever wondered where your supermarket plastic bags end up after being used?

Garbage and waste is a serious global challenge. Disney Pixars movie, WALLE, animates how the humankind has left the Earth 800 years in the future. Behind they left a Earth full of waste and no sign of life, except one robot cleaning up the human mess. Instead the humankind has moved their home to an luxury spaceship Axion in the galaxy, enjoying eating, sitting in a transportable chair supported by robots.

The trendspotter, Christina Cheng, is also engaged in the challenge of the human consumption and waste. Critically she shares about "plastic fantastic?" Did you e.g. know that 60 tons plastic is manufactured every year, and that plastic is not biodegradable? An average plastic consumption pr. person pr. year is 98kg! But where is the plastic? Look at islands in south located oceans, and you will find the answer!

The picture at the right is taken in Stockholm September 08.

How to capitalise on recession?

In a financial crisis, its valuable to revisit the financial definition of "risk". Many would perceive risk as something negative because we get exposed to danger e.g. when we drive a car too fast. In finance, risk is different and broader. An investment can turn into both a better or worse outcome than expected. The spirit of the financial definition of risk is captured by the Chinese symbol for "danger" and "opportunity".

The definition of risk as both danger and opportunity summaries a conversation I had with an bank employee about how to capitalize on recession. She said that there are two ways to go about the financial crisis. Either we see stagnation or creativity. Stagnation, because the market chooses to react negative on the changes in stocks, value, interest rates, loans etc. Creativity because some chooses to see opportunities in bankruptcy, unemployment etc.

I am very inspired by opportunities and believe in any crisis we have the possibility to find positive change. What opportunities and how to capitalise on recession, I am discovering these days. If you have any input, please comment my blog!

How to use etnography in trend analysis?

18th September I attended a lecture on the interesting subject "Trend ethnography". With my Bachelor degree in Cultural Encounters (sociology and anthropology), I found Katrina Graffmans method of working with trends highly inspiring.

Firstly, she confirmed a company pain, I want to work with: companies, which want to stay competitive, are in the need of consumer insight! How do companies interact and identify different consumer needs? How do companies develop problem solving products? For me this is an important part of today’s innovation - consumer driven innovation.

Secondly, she made me recognize how I can use my education in solving the pain. She uses ethnography to observe and understand the consumers. The method aims to not listen to what the consumers tell but what they do! E.g. a study on women’s television habits showed that though the women claimed to watch news and documentaries, they actually spend most of their time watching soaps. It’s said that 80% are unconscious of what we do. We rely on our habits and our image of ourselves.

Thirdly, she presented one of her studies based on a company’s interest in the consumer group, 15-20 years old. A consumer group she calls "The Digital Natives". That’s the 90´generation who grew up with the digital media. How are they? Who are they listening to? How do they behave with mobiles? etc. After observing and spending time with the young people, Katrina concluded following 5 trends, characterizing the digital natives:

1. Media is integrated
2. Everything should be entertained
3. Need of autenticity
4. Experts lost trust worthiness. Blogs & mummy are trusty!
5. Real time information is important
   

Just to give an example, its important for the company, which wants to target the digital natives, to understand that the media is nothing the young people talk about - its something they can´t live without, just like the fish can´t live without the water! They are born as producers (e.g. create their own blog, Facebook, videos etc), which they consider as natural rather than interesting. Moreover they prefer free and easy technology. Finding "real" knowledge is complicated and boring. Another discovery is that they don´t trust experts like the Professor, doctor and journalist. For them home and trust you find in blogging with friends and your mum!
Read more about digital natives vs digital immigrants in an article from Timesonline.

How to use trends to build business ideas

#1 Firstly, study and read about megatrends. The father of megatrends, John Naisbitt, wrote in 1990 about trends he would expect to be of importance in 2000. Megatrends such as private welfare state, the time for female leaders, biotech, religious re-change and the return of the individual. I attended a seminar with the Professor, Henrik Blomgren, who gave his view on the 3 most important megatrends: 1) Welfare and health, 2) Globalization, 3) ICT and biotechnology.

#2 Identify the needed knowledge about the chosen megatrend e.g. Welfare and health. E.g. we know about the ageing population, which will lead to more jobs in the health care industry. In Sweden we also know that nearly 50% of the health care is managed by the private sector. Foreign companies like Attendo have entered the Swedish market and offers senior care to the growing ageing population.

#3 Define your business option. In the example with “Welfare and Health” I would ask what to do with elder people? A question some entrepreneurs have thought about and created the first playground for elder people! The business idea is a playground for elder above 65 years old who want to train their balance, muscles and meet other pensions in Stockholm.

#4 Evaluate whether it’s the right time. Time is everything. You must ask yourself how quick it must happen since you are properly ahead of your time.

The Innovation Game has Changed...

Open Innovation
"Companies that don´t innovate die. This is the certainty your company faces in this complex world. But how should your company innovate? Rather than relying entirely on internal ideas to advance the business, open innovation leverages internal and external sources of ideas" (Chesbrough, 2006).

Above statement explains how open innovation is a must and a paradigm shift, modern businesses need to consider if they want to survive and be competitive. Open innovation is about using the resources/ideas not only inside the company but also outside e.g. from customers, people on the street, suppliers to advance their business.


Nike is a company which has practiced the trend of open innovation. At Nikeid you as customer can design your own shoes. In Nike studios you can be consulted by an employee how to design the best fitted shoe. Nike is an interesting case who is redefining the role of the customer and employee; the customer = designer, the employee = consultant.



To test the new innovation game, I designed my own Nike sneakers with my name on!