Consumer Awareness

Description:

consumer behaviour for the energy is quite an issue, as non of them has the awareness of how things is working and how we can improve the whole energy consumption habits, and how they can save energy during their normal habits and save money so its a win-win situation for both the consumers and the suppliers.

Enablers:

• prices of energy are getting higher
• less energy will be needed from suppliers.
• the saved money can be used on other stuff.
• win-win situation.

Inhibitors:

• Productivity growth in European countries
• European Labour Market Reform, more flexible labour policies and increase the incentives to work
• Support and facilitate very talented people not only the people whom we think need help.
• Attract talented people from around the world.
• Create a climate of entrepreneurship.
• Attenuate immigration policies for talented people whom like to stay in Europe.
• Create world-class educational institutions.
• Getting more woman into the workforce

Paradigms:

The aging of European populations will threaten living standards and prosperity. A new sort of welfare state needs to arise. However, the European members are still scattered on which fundamentals they have to build this new welfare state. A model based on individualism and collective facilities only accessible for the more prosperous civilians like the American model or a more Northern Europe (Scandinavian) approach, a model based on solidarity and unity with collective facilities for all its civilian.

Experts:

• United Nations
• EU
• Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
• Centraal burau voor de statistieken (CBS) for Dutch figures and trends

Timing:

• 2000: Trend identified
• 2005: Several parties and governmental institutions have done research on this matter and they all show that action is needed.
• 2010: Period in which the steepest increase of people turning 65 years or older is expected
• 2020 - 2025: One in five Europeans will be more than 65 years old.

Web Resources:

• Anti-aging Europe
• BusinessWeek - Global Aging
• McKinsey The economic impact of an aging Europe
• MGI The Coming Demographic Deficit: How Aging Populations Will Reduce Global Savings
• OECD
• The Economist - The economic power of women
• The Economist - Women and the world economy
• The New York Times - An Aging Europe May Find Itself on the Sidelines 1 2