The Future is Young

Why this book

An action agenda rooted in a fact-based dialog

It has become painfully visible that many traditional frameworks and communication grids have outlived their usefulness. They have blocked rather than encouraged bringing different parts of society together for a meaningful, open-ended, no-holds-barred discussion about issues that will affect all of us. They have also been slow to accommodate the rise of new stakeholders and to reflect the realities posed by technological disruption in all segments of life. On the other hand, social networks have created an illusion of a ‘global democracy’ where everyone is a specialist, and noise tends to drown out signals. Fact-checking and metrics have become an essential protection against the proliferation of opinion presented as analysis, and against fake news amplified by global echo chambers. The question of metrics – and their limits As in all thoughtful pursuits, we need tools and handles to grasp what is unfolding around us. We also need firm departure points. We believe that the wealth of data points and trend analyses we have collected and published since 2000 in the form of a series of annual global indices – the Network Readiness Index, the Global Innovation Index and the Global Talent Competitiveness Index – are a robust volume of information and knowledge that can serve as a reliable starting point in this project. We also need to be fully aware that not all dimensions of human endeavors can be measured. What is in this book? The content of this book is guided by three main principles: 1. Building a prosperous future requires a deep understanding of the past and the present

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