The document outlines six "Signals of Change" that are essential for organizations to understand to future-proof their success. The signals are: 1) Learning from the Future by using data analytics to anticipate trends, 2) Pushing decision-making to decentralized teams at the "edges", 3) Making sustainability and social purpose central to operations, 4) Restructuring supply chains to fulfill demands locally, 5) Using virtual environments to redefine how people work and interact, and 6) Applying scientific methods across industries to create sustainable innovations. The document argues that recognizing and responding to these signals will help organizations capitalize on opportunities emerging from the changing global landscape.

1. Signals of Change
The essential radar that leaders need
to see and seize the future
BUSINESS FUTURES 2021

2. Choose to change.
Out of global crisis comes a new world of opportunities.
In the process of tackling global challenges,
organizations have transformed.
How do we capitalize on this momentum
and optimize for the new global reality?
#BusinessFutures2021
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change

3. We give you the Signals.
Business Futures is Accenture’s structured approach
to identify Signals of business change that are
most critical for organizations to understand.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

4. Six Signals stood out as essential to the future success of organizations:
All six Signals present opportunities—
and incentives—to embrace change
and find new ways to grow.
Sustainable
Purpose
Move from
purpose-focused
to purpose-run
Pushed to
the Edge
Decentralize
decision-making
LearningFrom
theFuture
See change
before it
happens
Supply
Unbounded
Break physical
limits of
fulfillment
Real
Virtualities
Redefine reality
and place
TheNew
ScientificMethod
Become a
scientific
company
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021
Signals that will shape your future

5. Signal 1:
Learning From
the Future
Rather than focus on the past for insights,
leading organizations use data analytics
and artificial intelligence (AI)
to make decisions and define strategies
that better anticipate the future.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

6. Developing superior forward-looking capabilities creates
opportunities for organizations to stay one step ahead:
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021
Capturing opportunities that would
otherwise be unseen
Preparing for risk that would
otherwise be unexpected

7. 88%
of C-suite respondents to our survey said that using
more forward-looking data sets and analytic approaches
to better predict and respond to future events will be
important to their success.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

8. Signal 2:
Pushed to
the Edge
Leaders are responding to change
and challenge by pushing decision-
making authority to people at the
“edges,” relying on highly networked
teams to act with speed and agility.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

9. Applying the logic of edge computing to operating
models offers valuable opportunities for businesses:
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021
Better managing the risks associated
with fragmenting markets
Responding faster to changing
local preferences

10. 82%
of C-suite respondents surveyed said that operating
more like a broad federation of enterprises will be
important to their organization’s success.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

11. Signal 3:
Sustainable
Purpose
Responding to the call for
businesses to serve stakeholders broadly,
organizations are building sustainability
into the fabric of their operations—
and making social responsibility
sustainable.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

12. Now is the time for companies to embrace the
opportunities in becoming purpose-run:
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021
Closing the intention-delivery gap
will reap significant rewards
Incorporating sustainability lies
at the heart of new pathways to growth

13. 96%
of C-suite respondents surveyed said their business
processes and their corporate policies incorporate
responsible business practices, or will do so within
the next three years.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

14. Signal 4:
Supply
Unbounded
To meet growing customer needs for fast,
flexible, cost-effective, and sustainable
order fulfillment, companies are
restructuring their supply chains and
moving production to the point
of demand.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

15. Breaking the physical limits of their supply chains
enables organizations to do more with less:
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021
Decoupling fulfillment
from distance
Fulfilling more orders from a smaller footprint
and with less waste

16. 49%
of C-suite respondents surveyed said that their
organizations are currently meeting customer
expectations for order fulfillment.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

17. Signal 5:
Real Virtualities
As virtual environments enhance
our physical worlds and redefine our sense
of place, innovative organizations create
new ways for people to work, consume,
and socialize.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

18. Potential benefits of real virtualities include:
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021
Creating new value for organizations
and individuals
Improving employee and
customer interactions

19. 47%
of consumers are willing to pay extra for a product
they could customize using immersive technologies.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

20. Signal 6:
The New
Scientific Method
As scientific disruption enables the
creation of better, cheaper, and more
sustainable products and services, leading
companies will become scientific
companies—and apply science to tackle
the world’s fundamental challenges.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

21. The convergence of the sciences will bring about
major opportunities, including:
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021
Embracing the systematic change that’s
transforming how entire sectors of the
economy work
Benefiting from scientific-led disruption to
help create products and services that will be
better, cheaper and more sustainable

22. 82%
of C-suite executives surveyed said that investing in
sciences outside their traditional industry boundaries
will be critical to their own organization’s success.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

23. Shape your business future.
Decisions made over the next 12 to 18 months could determine
the difference between thriving and struggling to survive in
the next five years.
Now is the time to capitalize on change
and seize the future.
Business Futures 2021: Signals of Change
#BusinessFutures2021

24. #BusinessFutures2021
www.accenture.com/BusinessFutures2021
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