A good book to put someone to sleep. It can be read in about a day, if that is what you are looking for. It barely predicts anything but it certainly points out some past precedents that have future implications.

A good book for Geography or Urban Planning Majors.

This book is the 1990 update to the blockbluster, Megatrends, by John Naisbitt from 1982. The date in the title of this book is a reference to the end point of the forecast period.

I had first read the book near the time when it came out. I decided to reread it now because I was interested in examining how accurate the forecasts turned out, and then to study how the correct forecasts had been developed. Content analysis has long been a Naisbitt forte, and I wanted to see another test of its strengths and potential weaknesses.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well the themes had held up. These include:

(1) a global economic boom prompted by the information economy, freer trade, and a government bias towards economic expansion over political ideology.

(2) a rapid growth in participation in the fine and finer arts.

(3) the emergence of free markets in socialist economies. Here the progress has even been more rapid than most would have expected.

(4) increasing similarities in global lifestyles with increased cultural nationalism.

(5) privatization of the welfare state in the western democracies.

(6) economic and cultural influence of Pacific Rim countries and California greatly expand.

(7) women become much more important in leadership roles.

(8) biotechnology makes great progress and raises major ethical issues, while biology becomes a more common metaphor.

(9) religious revival led by fundamentalism and the desire for deep, personal experience.

(10) triumph of the individual in becoming free of institutional constraints to become more in charge of one's own destiny. "The new responsibility of society is to reward the initiatives of the individual."

The conclusion talks about the importance of overcoming the scourges of disease (such as AIDS) and global poverty.

As a result, I would have to give this book five stars for forecasting . . . realizing how chancy that business is by nature.

On the other hand, I found the book to be long and tedious to read. I gave it three stars for the quality and clarity of explanation of the key points. In many cases, examples drone on and on, but relatively few points were made or supported directly. Perhaps it is just my perspective, but the chapter on women in leadership seemed particularly weak from this point of view.

Equally of interest were the things that were not forecast: that communism would fall except in a revised form in China and Cuba; that the United States would become a more dominant economic and political power; that Japan would have a terrible decade; and that government power in the world would be curtailed at such a rapid rate. But few got these factors right, and they used different methods from Naisbitt and Aburdene. I suspect that is because content analysis should be slow to pick up on these kinds of changes, but power analysis works well as demonstrated by James Dale Davidson and Lord Rees-Moog in their excellent books using this method.

Where will we be in 2010? A continuation of these trends is likely, but what will be the new ones? You'll have to think about that for yourself.

After you have finished enjoying this book and thinking about what it means for your future, I suggest that you consider how you can expand your own individual potential. As the Army likes to say, "Be all that you can be."

Use the irresistible trends to your advantage for breakthrough gains!

I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with a good many of the reviews written on here about this book. I first read this book in the mid 90's and am in the process of re-reading it today, and to a great degree many of the chapters are indeed still relevant. The strongest chapter in the book has to do with the rise of women in leadership positions. This was very forward looking in 1990 when it was written. At that particular time, there was only one female U.S. senator (Nancy Kassebaum), today there are 13 (including two each in California and Maine).
Admittedly, there are some areas where the authors got it somewhat wrong. For example, the renaissence in the arts has not occurred at the expense of sports to the degree that the authors had thought it would. And the age of Nanotechnology has not been as progressive as they predicted. However, these are trivial points in an otherwise fine collection.

This book--obviously, from the title--is trying to capitalize on the authors' previous bestseller "Megatrends," which was indeed full of fascinating and insightful information.

But "Megatrends for Women" does not appear to employ the content analysis methodology that made "Megatrends" so right on the money. Instead, this is made up almost entirely of anecdotes and quotes from various activists/advocates. In short, it's not an objective sociological study, it's personal politics.

As a woman who often writes on women's issues, I was hoping this book would provide substantiated evidence of social trends. It doesn't--and, unless you happen to agree with the authors' feminist point of view, it's a bit of a bore.

I was disappointed to see the world's religious traditions so dismissively trashed in this book. I thought that the civilized world learned about religious intolerance in the wake of the horrors of World War II. Perhaps the co-authors may wish to examine the trend of unimaginative journalists bashing organized religion.

I think that recent history boasts of women whose vision and leadership is enriched by the values and ethics of their religious traditions. Dorothy Day is an outstanding example of this trend.

It is an exciting time in history as women are continuing to emerge as compelling leaders in global society. Religious intolerance aside, Megatrends for Women is an interesting look at the remarkable trends shaping our world.

I really enjoyed this book. It made me think about what I am doing with my time, and how I can improve myself and the world around me. I was disappointed with the lack of African American input in the areas of business, politics, and religion. Also, whats going on in the South, from your book, NOTHING!! Women are a powerful force in this country, and the world. I think we should take it back!!!