Nine Issues That Will Matter Most in 2008

The 2008 Presidential election. Energy costs expected to continue their upward climb in 2008. Customers demanding more environmentally-friendly products than ever before. Each are challenges and opportunities that will frame 2008, and are three of nine areas that will have dramatic impacts across multiple industry sectors in the coming year, according to a report released last week by Deloitte & Touche USA LLP (Deloitte).

"Our experience tells us that breakthrough ideas in one industry sector are often realized by adapting leading practices from other industry sectors," said Deloitte's Ed Carey. "Our analysis takes a 'horizontal view' of leading practices that transcend industry sectors and helps to give executives new insights about issues and trends that are 'around the corner.'"

There were nine business issues that resonated across multiple industry sectors and could have a dramatic impact this year, including:

• Globalization
• Convergence
• Environmental Sustainability
• Rising Energy and Health Care Costs
• Transparency
• Technology Use & Integration
• The 2008 Presidential Election
• Talent Management
  

The 2008 Industry Outlook: A Look around the Corner report features the combined insights, analyses and recommendations from Deloitte's industry sector leaders and more than a dozen subject-matter specialists collected during a series of in-depth, one-on-one interviews.

The outlooks, trends and projections include U.S. federal and state government, telecommunications, technology and health.