LESLIE WILLCOCKS | Professor of Work, Technology and Globalisation, London School of Economics and Political Science


By 2020, five major long-term trends had been impacting international business. This article examines how the pandemic and related economic crises seriously disrupt these trends and will produce emergent, complex patterns. It then seeks ways forward. 


Establishing the point of departure, we look at public health and economic policy interventions and future scenarios. We assess the more likely global developments that businesses will need to prepare for. We suggest that the business challenge is to take into account six discernible emerging trends, and plan for and ride these as opportunities, rather than be overwhelmed by them.