by Freedonia Industry Studies
July 15, 2021
Here we are… a year and a half after COVID-19 first came into the global consciousness with unprecedented lockdowns in China, with other countries to follow soon after that.
I know that I have used the word “unprecedented” more than I ever had previously… and I’ve seen it in a million headlines so I know that everyone else is too. In an era where everything sometimes feels unfamiliar and unprecedented… has the word lost all meaning?
A sizeable share of the Freedonia analytical team has 15+ years of experience forecasting and analyzing prospects for a variety of industries. We’ve watched recessions and recoveries, dot com booms and busts, financial crises, multiple housing and capital investment cycles, terrorist attacks, disruptive innovations, shifting consumer attitudes, regional pandemics, changes in trade dynamics, and more. And now we’re working through a global pandemic that has included supply chain crises, inflation, worker shortages, major changes in living and shopping habits, and very rapid acceleration of pre-pandemic trends.
Comparisons to previous economic periods aren’t what they used to be… “unprecedented.” Still, we collect reported tidbits, look for clues, watch patterns, consider impacts, analyze from multiple perspectives, seek out the knowns in the unknown while we look to make the new connections and relationships tell the story of an industry, of our economy, of our times.
When will “unprecedented” become “normal”? Stay tuned…
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