Issue No 156 February 2006
Book Review
Megatrends 2010: the rise of conscious capitalism Patricia Aburdene
In 1990 Patricia Aburdene co-wrote the bestseller Megatrends 2000, predicting the workplace revolution inspired by network computers. She is back to give her latest predictions on the trends that will guide society and business over the next few years.
Many of the themes she identifies are common throughout the western world and revolve around concerns such as social responsibility and environmentalism. For example buying a Toyota Prius instead of a gas guzzling SUV, purchasing organic produce or the move towards businesses using ‘triple bottom line’ reporting.
The overarching concept that is woven throughout this book is the rise of what she calls “spirit”, which she explicitly defines in the introduction as
“Spirit, for me, is the attribute of god that dwells in humanity, the Great I AM, the Life Force, the aspect of us that most mirrors the divine.”
This ‘spiritual’ movement may be strong in the US where about 95% of the population believe in some form of god. However here in New Zealand where only 60% of the population profess a religion, this fixation on ‘spirit’ throughout the book may grate. She also endorses the validity of alternative medicines such as ‘therapeutic touch’ and the healing power of prayer.
Even if you do not agree with the spiritualism she describes, many of the other issues discussed are very relevant to New Zealand business, especially as we like to market ourselves as a clean, green and environmentally friendly country.
This is not a book you can pick up and browse. The writing style is complex and the numerous subheadings are written in a poetic or metaphorical style that often fails to identify the topic. To get value from this book you should ensure that you have a good amount of time available to read it and consider what is being said.
Hadrian Taylor
Business and Computing Centre
