The Dream Society How The Coming Shift From Information To Imagination Will Transform Your Business

"The Dream Society . . . provides dramatic insights into how marketing will operate in the 21st century."Atlanta Business Chronicle A fascinating look into the future of business, as featured in Fast Company The future is uncertainthe world is constantly changing. While anything can happen, some things are far more likely than others. Rolf Jensen, internationally renowned futurist, provides readers with a tangible look at what the future will be like over the next 25 years. By identifying what lies ahead, Jensen gives people the knowledge they need to make informed decisions and strategically align themselves to capitalize on the unknown future, a future Jensen calls "the Dream Society." This dream society is characterized by the commercialization of emotions. In this provocative exploration, Jensen says that it will no longer be enough to produce a useful product. He shows that, for a product to be successful, its primary purpose will be the ability to fulfill an emotional need. Those who understand the workings of this dream society will be the ones who create the new products, new markets, and new businesses that dominate the world of tomorrow.

“As usual these two future-finders have their fi ngers on the pulse of what’s happening--and what we need to know about. In every business, in every organization, the seven most important words these days are: ‘But wait! A story goes with it!’ You need to read this book to fi nd out why.” —Alan Webber, Co-founder, Fast Company magazine “A great story sparks our imagination, challenges us to think, and resonates with our collective conscience. Ryan Mathews and Watts Wacker’s story about telling stories does exactly this. It is an essential guidebook for capturing and conveying the essence of corporate identities and enriching brands.” —Paul A. Laudicina, Managing Officer and Chairman of the Board, A.T. Kearney Storytelling is the universal human activity.Every society, at every stage of history, has told stories–and listened to them intently, passionately. Stories are how people tell each other who they are, where they came from, how they’re unique, what they believe. Stories capture their memories of the past and their hopes for the future. Stories are one more thing, too: They are your most powerful, most underutilized tool for competitive advantage.Whether you know it or not, your business is already telling stories. What’s Your Story? will help you take control of those stories and make them work for you. Legendary business thinkers Ryan Mathews and Watts Wacker reveal how to craft an unforgettable story...create the back story that makes it believable...make sure your story cuts through today’s relentless bombardment of consumer messages...and gets heard, remembered, and acted on. THE TEN FUNCTIONS OF STORYTELLING Discovering what stories can do for your business THE ABOLITION OF CONTEXT Telling stories when the past no longer defines the future THE FIVE MOST IMPORTANT STORY THEMES Leveraging themes your audiences will understand and believe APPLIED STORYTELLING 101 Storytelling for your industry, your company, your brand, and you MASTERING YOUR STORYTELLER’S TOOLBOX Making your stories more compelling, more believable, and downright unforgettable Use Storytelling to Gain Powerful Competitive Advantage in Today’s Increasingly Skeptical Marketplace Leverage the incredible power of storytelling in marketing, sales, investor relations, recruitment, change management, and more Indispensable techniques for every CxO, entrepreneur, and marketing, sales, and communications executive The latest breakthrough book from best-selling futurists Ryan Mathews and Watts Wacker

A testament to the enduring value of spoken communication for persons of all ages and walks of life

“A liberating read that will cause you to act in your own best interests and the best interests of everyone working within your sphere of influence.” —John Hoover, New York Times–bestselling author of How to Work for an Idiot The number one reason cited in exit interviews for an employee quitting is “my manager.” This can be for multiple reasons—including one that many managers and executives aren’t even aware of: Today’s employees simply don’t respond to the old hands-on, militaristic management styles. They are highly independent, individual professionals with their own fully developed ideas. Leaders and managers who try to micromanage them will inevitably confront widespread disgruntlement, absenteeism, and turnover . . . and increase their own and their employees’ stress levels. The Hands-Off Manager offers a new vision for all managers. With stories, examples, and activities for the reader to practice, this book shows any manager—new or seasoned—how to coach and mentor employees rather than hover over their shoulders and goad them into action. In this system, each employee’s strength is honored and honed in a climate of partnership and mutual goal-setting—a powerful ingredient for organizational growth and success.

Tourism is an economic and social phenomenon that is centered on a tourist’s experience and is dependent on the experiences that are co-created and provided to tourists. Tourism destination managers must understand what tourists perceive as engaging, intense, and memorable in order to remain successful. However, care must also be given to the residents’ perception of local tourism development and how it impacts their community. This is a fundamental aspect for tourism development since host communities that support tourism development tend to be more hospitable with tourists, which influences their satisfaction and loyalty. Moreover, the interaction with residents of host communities is a crucial component of the quality of the tourist experience, contributing to the long-term success and sustainability of destinations. The The Handbook of Research on Resident and Tourist Perspectives on Travel Destinations is a collection of innovative research that examines travel destinations from the resident and tourist perspectives in order to better support and inform the tourism development process and to make the destinations attractive to visitors while at the same time contributing to resident quality of life and happiness. While highlighting topics including sustainable development, hotel management, and customer satisfaction, this book is ideally designed for government officials, tour developers, travel agencies, brand managers, advertising agencies, restaurateurs, public administrators, hotel managers, tourist industry professionals, academicians, researchers, and students.

Considerable progress has been made in understanding the underlying mechanisms driving the long-wave behaviour of the world socioeconomic development. A controversial mechanism discussed is the close relationship between K-waves and the outbreak of majors wars.

Readers seeking to gain a handle on the internet's global expansion will find this book rich in scholarly foundations combined with cutting-edge discussion of emerging ICTs and services and the complex societal contexts in which they are embedded. To explore possibilities to the fullest extent, a sociotechnical systems approach is employed, focusing on the interplay of technical, social, cultural, political, and economic dynamics to explore alternative futures (ones that are not part of the dominant discourse about the internet). These shared perspectives are not well addressed elsewhere in current discussions. Awareness of these dynamics, and the fluidity of the future, is important, as humankind moves forward into the uncertain future. Due to the sociotechnical complexity of the Internet, policymakers, businesspeople, and academics worldwide have struggled to keep abreast of developments. This volume's approach is intended to stimulate dialogue between academics and practitioners on a topic that will affect most aspects of human life in the near-term future.