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July 2019 Summary of Select Trends
Click on the source in (parenthesis) to visit the full article SECURITY The Russian Army plans to deploy small drones capable of swarming enemies and showering them with grenade-sized munitions. The drones are based on low-cost drones originally used by terror groups and paramilitaries such as the Islamic State across the Middle East. In one recent instance, according to Forbes, Israeli tanks were targeted by Palestinian Islamic Jihad drone dropping an improvised explosive device. (Popular Mechanics) INFRASTRUCTURE Autonomous vehicles have been in the news for years in many forms - for ride-sharing, delivering Amazon Prime orders and takeout to your house, and more. This month, 11 companies proposed guidance for self-driving vehicles. (VentureBeat) HOUSING We’re halfway through 2019 - a critical time to check the pulse of the housing market, as summer’s peak buying season is approaching its historical close. Six months in, it’s safe to say that the sky isn’t falling. But you might think of the real estate market right now as behaving like a C student that isn’t living up to its full potential. Check out data on this and other trends here. (Forbes) DEMOGRAPHICS The number of US adults accessing the internet via smartphone has nearly doubled since 2013. When organizations consider how to reach consumers and constituents, it’s important to know where and how their target audiences use and access the internet. Check out the latest research by Pew about internet usage and access by age groups, household income, education, and other key demographics. (Pew Research Center) TAXES Have you heard of the pink tax? The pink tax is the price hike associated with consumer products sold to women and girls vs. the same products designed for men and boys. Think: Deodorant, razors, toys and accessories, pink versions of other personal care products, etc. A woman pays 13 percent more on personal care products over a man purchasing the same kinds of products, for example. And that coupled with the gender pay gap, there are ways to combat these financial inequities while we all wait for these issues to change. (CreditCards.com) HEALTHCARE With emergency room alternatives, such as telemedicine, urgent care, and same-day appointments (for some health systems), hospital admissions for inpatient services have been in a steady decline in recent years and hospitals large and small have seen it affect profitability in various ways. Last month, hospital admission rates showed a glimmer of hope as hospitals have started implementing cost-cutting and profit-enhancing measures. (ModernHealthcare) TECH Information and data combined are the new oil of the 21st century. And whoever owns or controls the data is in a position of great power to control our lives. TikTok, a social network in India, is under similar scrutiny to Facebook and Twitter in the US in its relationship to fake news. (GadgetsNow) WORKPLACE Many companies are implementing data solutions and technology into their HR organization to accomplish a myriad of goals from decreasing turnover to taking fewer days to fill an open position. By using people analytics, some companies are making bank while others are missing out on the trend. But, is it just a trend? Some argue using people analytics and treating applicants like a sales opportunity are just a few steps in developing the talent of companies that will not just survive in the 21st century - but they will also thrive. (LinkedIn) ENVIRONMENT Science isn’t keeping up fast enough with media coverage and political attention, says one environmentalist. US cities on each coast and inland are battling with drinking water quality and its associated regulations and controversies. (Governing) |
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Cobalt Community Research is a national 501c3 nonprofit, non-partisan coalition that helps local governments, schools and membership organizations measure, benchmark, and affordably engage communities through high-quality metrics, surveys, dynamic population segmentation, focus groups and work groups. Cobalt combines big data with local insights to help organizations thrive as changes emerge in the economic, demographic and social landscape. Explore how we can help by calling 877.888.0209, or by emailing [email protected].
Cobalt Community Research is a national 501c3 nonprofit, non-partisan coalition that helps local governments, schools and membership organizations measure, benchmark, and affordably engage communities through high-quality metrics, surveys, dynamic population segmentation, focus groups and work groups. Cobalt combines big data with local insights to help organizations thrive as changes emerge in the economic, demographic and social landscape. Explore how we can help by calling 877.888.0209, or by emailing [email protected].