Abstract

What are the major new growth markets of the future? Why do groundbreaking innovations – like the computer, the automobile or the steam engine in the past – increasingly fail to materialize? What are the current growth barriers that hinder the further development of economy and society?The reader will find answers to these questions in this book. The Theory of Long Waves serves as a scientific foundation. In short, it states that economic and social development is significantly determined by periodic cycles that last between 40 and 60 years. In honor of their discoverer Nikolai Kondratieff, these long waves are called Kondratieff cycles.Since the late 18th century, economists have empirically proven five Kondratieff cycles. The long waves have a particularly strategic role: those, who identify the respective current Kondratieff cycle early on are able to focus on the future, to take the lead in economic and social development and benefit the most from its momentum – just like the leading command of information technology during the last, the fifth Kondratieff cycle made full employment and increasing wealth possible for these countries.The fifth Kondratieff cycle ended with the turn of this century, while a new long cycle, the sixth Kondratieff, has begun. As the analyses in this book show, the health care market will be the driving force of this new Kondratieff cycle. However, health is not just seen in a physical, but also in a holistic sense, encompassing the physical, psychological, mental, psycho-mental, social and spiritual aspects.Why are health expenditures that were previously considered a mere cost factor going to assume the role of a growth locomotive in the future? We need to recall the findings of modern growth theory here: the most important source for economic growth in developed countries is productivity advancements. The analyses in this book show that a new understanding of health is indispensable to improve productivity on all levels of the economy and society. Thanks to this new understanding, health will become a strategic weapon for the next 50 years.This book is tailored to a general audience, includes 76 graphics and 13 tables and is aimed at stakeholders in economy and society, experts and managers and all those, who are interested in the future. The book is already in its seventh edition in the German-speaking countries. Aside from a profound analysis, the book also describes measures to develop the sixth Kondratieff.