![[Flux Trends] Towards creating an empathic, consumer-dominated economy?](https://biz-file.com/c/1002/45118.jpg)
Huge human effect
The loss of jobs throughout the world has left a huge human effect on communities - an effect that will not just go away, according to trend analyst and creative thinker Dion Chang.
Many companies have begun collaborating and job-sharing - to help those who have been retrenched - has become a new trend post-recession, which is a clear indication that the recession has engendered a culture of empathy in some parts of the world, Chang pointed out.
However, cash-strapped consumers who went through a round of hell during the recession have learned that businesses, which mostly only care about huge profits, can no longer be trusted. Therefore, the world has begun to witness the rise of consumer revolution, which demands more accountability, social responsibility and transparency from companies and politicians.
“The public outrage over bank executives' big bonuses and President Zuma's 20th child with a woman who is not his wife are a tangible proof of consumer revolution,” Chang said. He added that the price-fixing scandal has also led to consumers becoming angry and distrustful, waiting to find out the truth.
Likewise, companies that use the badge of honour to fool communities that they are involved in the corporate social responsibility, are quickly identified and unmasked, Chang said.
“The post-recession has led to a shift of power balance, where we see the rise of a consumer-dominated economy, and even business templates that we used in the past are fast becoming obsolete,” Chang stressed.
Chang, labelled a ‘visionary' for his ‘ability to think outside the box', also spoke about the digital customisation and personalisation that has reinforced social engagement, and catapulted knowledge - as a commodity - and the importance of value of ideas in this age of human capital. Knowledge has become a sense of business, he said, labelling companies that block social networking sites as ‘short-sighted'.
“Your workers are part of this generation; listen to them and engage them. Money is no longer on top of the list nowadays, but growth of knowledge is. We need more empathy and more big-picture thinking,” he said.
Chang is an author, freelance journalist and columnist, specialising in social commentary. His company, Flux Trends, is responsible for launching the Flux Trend Review. The 2009 edition of Flux Trend Review was published by Pan Macmillan in 2008, and the 2010 edition in October 2009.
For more, go to www.fluxtrends.co.za and follow Dion Chang on Twitter at @dionchang. Bizcommunity.com is a media partner.
In February 2010, Bishop Geoff Davies, Dianne Bayley, Dr Craig Nossel, Ferial Haffajee, Menzi Mthethwa, Mokena Makeka, Randall Abrahams, Sylvester Chauke and Toby Shapshak –10 of the country’s leading thinkers in a broad array of disciplines – will gather to present their insights into trends beyond the economic meltdown at a one-day conference in takes place in Johannesburg: the 2010 Flux Trend Review powered by BlackBerry.
Hosted by trends analyst Dion Chang and building upon the recently published Flux Trend Review The State We’re In (published by Pan Macmillan and available at bookstores now), the conference will give a unique South African perspective to social, business, technology, political and marketing trends. For more trends and information about the conference taking place at the University of Johannesburg Theatre (Kingsway campus) on Thursday, 25 February 2010, go to www.fluxtrends.co.za. Cost is R2280 per delegate. Bizcommunity.com is a media partner.
