Future Focus for Applied Research

Nadine, I am sharing my reply with all students in our course because of its central importance. It is this, and I am using the wisdom of Peter F. Drucker here, not my own, although I agree with him. We tend to pursue problems, not opportunities. Drucker says "starve problems and feed opportunities." By this, he means, we can apply research to seize emerging opportunities also, not just fix problems, which are the results of yesterday and today's actions. Instead, as trend forecaster do, look to the future to see emerging opportunities to position yourself now to seize them as we move forward in time. Applied research, in short, can be future-looking, should be in the opinion of this writer, who in fact has written and teaches two doctoral courses on trend forecasting for JIU, not just now-fixated. As much as possible doctoral students should heed Drucker's advice - on which your humble servant here has acted as an educator - and pursue future-focused applied research - to seize new opportunities. Dr. Rux