Megatrends and the West Midlands 2021: Adjusting Business Models and Operations

This provocation encompasses the challenges posed by megatrends, including the impact that Covid-19 and Brexit have had on business models and operations. It considers how these challenges should be seen in the context of longer-term trends, the case for change, and the consequences of inaction.

The need for businesses to respond to the challenges posed by megatrends and external shocks, such as Covid-19, is paramount. Covid-19 has accelerated a number of trends, and some businesses adapted and adjusted their business models and operations quickly in order to deal with the new demand and disruptions in supply chains. However, there has been large scale disruption due to Covid-19 this has accelerated the speed of a number of megatrends in an extremely short period of time.