Every year holds a number of surprises, and change provides an opportunity to innovate and gain advantage over those who are slower to adapt.
Change creates opportunity, but not every company is able to respond quickly enough to take advantage of those opportunities. Others may respond too quickly, before they properly understand the implications.
At the start of a typical year, optimism is in plentiful supply. Any positive trend is seen as continuing, and any negative is seen as turning around. Normally the later in the year that something is predicted means the less likely it is to happen. But there are usually some events that nobody was prepared for. The last couple of years have witnessed a number of these events, and this year is no exception. From the partial retreat of COVID, to a semiconductor slowdown — even though a shortage still exists in some parts of the global supply system — to war, and increasing geopolitical tensions and government interventions.