DWD20200330

David's Time With Peter F. Drucker 2020.3.30 The first question is whether the steady growth in the number of older people will continue to provide market opportunities——and for how long? In all developed countries older people have become the most prosperous group in the society, with their post retirement incomes in many cases substantially higher than their preretirement incomes. Their numbers will continue to increase. But will their income stay high or go down? And will they continue to spend as freely as they have been doing? And——the biggest question mark——will they continue to want to be “young” and spend accordingly? The answer to these questions will very largely shape the consumer market in the developed countries and with it the economy altogether. And what does the shrinkage in the number of young people——and especially of people under eighteen,that is, babies, children and teenagers——mean for the economy and for the individual business? Is it only a threat? Or may it also be an opportunity for a particular institution? That there will be fewer children might be seen as a tremendous opportunity for upgrading schools everywhere. So far, Japan is the only country that even understands that the crucial element in a country's ability to perform is the truly important part of the educational establishment, and needs to be treated, to be respected and to be paid as such. ——《Management Challenges for the 21st Century · Chapter2》(Peter F.Drucker,1999)