Bright Side of 2011: Take One

NOTE: This is the first in our two-part analysis of technological trends in 2011. Check back with us on the New Year's Eve, December 31, 2010, when the second piece goes live.

What to expect in the year that's just around the corner apart from more financial woes and job insecurity even though the government is pouring billions into the depressed economy? 

Although your guess is as good as ours and you're welcome to chime in with your thoughts in the comment section, we took the plunge and broke down 2011 across several meaningful segments that are bound to impact our lives.

Let's start by saying 2011 is going to be the year we wanted three years ago when the financial institutions "borrowed" our global wellbeing. It was the first time we entered unfamiliar territory because the financial meltdown didn't affect just one country but all of us.

Economy: Time to get back to work

Internationally governments are feeling their way along the precipice because the depth and duration of the recession was beyond what most could clearly recall. They are moving – hesitantly though – but still slightly dazed by the headlights of the near miss.

At the same time the US government ground to a near halt because of the partisan politics that could last for two years.

In past recessions companies have finally become sick and tired of being sick and tired and realized that government – any government – can't move things forward.

When all is said and done, it's up to business to get the job done.

Most of the 80+ percent of the employed US population (ten percent tracked unemployed, eight percent dropped off the grid) are certain that conditions are and will continue to improve.

This was apparent over the holiday buying season where PC, consumer electronics and communications sales increased more than seven percent and a greater percentage were cash sales. The trend is that more notable considering the mounting additional personal and family debt.

You'll work harder in 2011

While company management is optimistic about growth they are paying closer attention to, market changes have enhanced their risk management and resulted in a much more effective and stringent cost control measures being put in place.

That undoubtedly means low to modest workforce expansion and greater attention to product line extensions rather than revolutionary new product introductions, at least for the next two years. Or to put it another way, more workload and pressure will be placed on the existing workforce until staff expansion is almost impossible to avoid.

Translation: You need someone who will empathize with you.