Happy New Year 2017 & The Road Ahead!

Happy New Year from APCA!

We trust you had a fun, prosperous and productive 2016, and wish and want to enable you to have an even healthier more prosperous and more productive 2017.

There were so many issues, events and trends that occurred, were surfaced or observed throughout an amazing and seemingly endless 2016, and you can be certain that these same issues, events and trends will only accelerate as we enter 2017. 

Issues, trends and observations ranged from major shifts in political leadership and voting sentiments, the global tectonic shifting of capital and manufacturing bases, the wider introduction and diffusion of game changing technologies (robotics, autonomous vehicles, AI, FA, bitcoin, cryptocurriences, blockchain and gene editing among others) and the accelerating realignment and skilling up of people across regions, industries and functional areas. This was especially evident in areas such as human resources as talent again becomes the biggest competitive differentiator ahead of technology.

Some major events seen during 2016 include:

1. The surprise demonetization campaign in India which appears to have severely crimped productivity and consumer sentiment in the last quarter as well as the continuing Make In India campaign.
   
2. China's renewed efforts regarding capital controls (of outbound capital / capital flight).
   
3. China's full embrace of factory automation and mechanization even at the risk of displacing large numbers of workers and stifling the establishment of a wider based middle class.
   
4. China's need to improve or even introduce professional management and leadership skills as well as control and guidance of her increasing shared of overseas operations from both organic growth as well as acquistions.
   
5. Japan's anemic economy, still pinched through oil imports (as the nuclear power generation stalls from almost criminal mismanagement) as well as increasing taxes, regulations and compliance. The key for Japan will be to foster an environment for fresh-blood startups, improve outbound exports and expand ROI-positive M&A activities (Japan has a terrible track record on M&A activities) but whether it has the political will to do so remains to be seen.
   
6. The rise of awareness and acceptance of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as well as the diffusion of knowledge about BlockChain and other applications built on it.
   
7. The acceleration of HR departments into not just Business Partners but also Talent Acquisition, Development and Management professionals, coaches and subject matter experts.
   

From APCA's perspective, all of these provide incredible excitement, challenges and most of all opportunities for coaches to demonstrate and market their value through the solutions they provide.

Happy New Year!