Future Trends and Professional Issues HPR 322 Chapter

Future Trends and Professional Issues HPR 322 Chapter 15

Change • Turmoil or Opportunity for Innovation? • Orientations to Change • Active vs. Passive ▫ ▫ What is occurring? Vs. What might occur? Reacting vs. Planning Leader vs. Victim vs. Survivor The future is not random. It is a reaction to the past

Living in an Era of Change • Most change-oriented periods in the history of mankind • Economically, Socially, Politically • Move from Centralization and Mass Production to emphasizing unique needs of individuals in a decentralized fashion

Perspectives on Change • Constant rather than an exception • Change is basic and substantive. New definitions of family, work, healthcare, male/female roles/relationships, diminishing resources, increasing toxic wastes, eroding social cements under increased stress • We must provide visionary leadership to meet challenges of the future

Information Era • Pre-civilized society -> agricultural revolution -> industrial revolution -> technological revolution (information era) • Paradigm shift to services that cater to individual needs based on values, tastes, behavior • Leisure experiences must be planned to meet changing needs

• Shift to commercial recreation/leisure opportunities • Measuring the impact of the services in terms of economic and social factors • Leisure Service professionals must focus on marketing, entrepreneurship, calculated risktaking, vision, knowledge of people and their behaviors

• The market will sort out those who can meet human needs in the most efficient and effective manner • Must create new strategies to meet emerging leisure needs and conditions

Futuring • Has been suggested as an art and a science • Develop ones ability to be both artist and scientist in preparing for the future • Not only projecting future trends and issues but directing the future by having a vision of a possible, realistic, attainable mission for the leisure service organization

Data-Based Strategies • Strategic Planning – Considers potential changes • Market Information System – Gathering information related to consumers in a systematic method on a regular basis • Short- and Long-Range Plans – 1 -3 yrs and 10 years or longer

Artistic Strategies • Intuitive and Creative – Transformational leaders • Formulating a clear vision of a desired future • Transforming that vision into reality • Change Making – ▫ ▫ Thrive on novelty Inspire others to clear vision Promote decision making Promote self-esteem through encouragement

• Visionary Leadership – ▫ Setting a new direction for an organization in times of chaos, turbulence, and uncertainty ▫ Create a vision AND steps and methods to implement it ▫ Vision empowers individuals with a sense of direction, purpose and desired state

• Entrepreneurship – Innovation ▫ Creation of new institutions, programs, services to meet societal needs • Intrepreneurship – When this is accomplished within an existing organization • Entrepreneurs are able to see things in bold new ways

Twelve Future Issues 1. Be prepared to serve an increasingly diverse population 2. Emphasize social purpose (benefits) 3. Achieve fuller public understanding of value of recreation, parks, leisure 4. Upgrade recreation and park facilities particularly in inner cities 5. Adopt benefits based mgmt approach

6. Promote recreation’s identity as health-related 7. Develop partnerships with environmental organizations 8. Employ marketing approaches to achieve fiscal self-sufficiency and gain public respect 9. Expand family-centered programs and agencies

10. Promote higher values and ethical practices in youth sports competition 11. Strive for fuller mainstreaming of persons with disabilities into community recreation 12. Plan for long-term role of recreation and leisure in a job-scarce economy now and in the future