Megatrends 

Megatrends mark middle- to long-term perspectives in society, economy, technology etc. We analysed 12 megatrends (Silver Society / Demographic Change, Neo-ecology, Mobility, Urbanisation, Connectivity, Gender Shift / Diversity, Globalisation, New Work, Knowlege Society / New learning, Health, Individualisation, Safety and Security) and tried to identify impacts on the future of the creative industries. There are impacts both on new products and services as well as on the way to work and the structures of the companies of the future.

Megatrends offer manifold opportunities for new, individualised products and services, customers and market segments. This development tends to forward entrepreneurship in the creative industries and beyond. Entrepreneurs must be able to analyse trends and future developments in order to identify consequences for their business. That implies:

  • To be able to identify chances as well as risks 
  • To know and be able to use different sources of information on trends and developments (e.g. trade-organisations, specialised consultants)
  • To know and be able to use basic methods and tools of “impact assessment” 
  • To be able to think in the “philosophy” of business models.

Innovative approaches in innovation management and entrepreneurship require new competences

Success in innovation is highly connected with business model innovations: the economic success does no longer primarily depend on new products, new services or new processes, but on new business models. Innovation is no longer the result of technological development and market-/customer analyses, but of a new definition of the rules of the game in nearly all branches. The emerging role of business model innovations opens new opportunities for entrepreneurs and startups. Furthermore the new strategic approach of many established concerns opens new opportunities for employees with entrepreneurial spirit.

Following the new understanding of innovation(-processes) there has also been a shift in the understanding of entrepreneurship. One trend is that an entrepreneur doesn’t have to be an “allrounder” who knows everything around the management of a business. This tasks - communication, logistics, accounting etc. - can be delegated to external specialists. The business concept is in the center of the foundation of a company – and the (administrative) functions mentioned above are organised by cooperations. The entrepreneurial design has to be “user-oriented” and must follow the principles: simplicity, scareability, “white-label”solution, minimize risks, experimental pre-start, intelligent prototyping. In this mindset the entrepreneur is something like a moderator of a process who coordinates and orchestrates the different duties in connection with running a business successfully.
The core competences of an entrepreneur are close related to the business concept – the modern profile of qualifications/vcompetences/skills of a successful entrepreneur covers the ability:

  • to inspire the employees (and business partners) of the concept 
  • to develop an innovative (business) concept
  • to identify trends and technological developments early 
  • to implement the concept 
  • to adapt the concept to changing framework conditions.

The basic knowledge in business administration is still relevant in entrepreneurship – but there are some fundamental changes in the “core” issues of business administration. The developments that can be summarised with the term “crowd-#” have a profound impact on business knowledge. Especially funding has changed fundamentally (“crowdfunding”). The catalogue of basic skills in business administration for entrepreneurs has to be enriched by topics as crowd-funding, social-media, new organisational concepts, new leadership concepts, (virtual) cooperation etc.