Each year, Stratford publishes its Global Trends Report to help leaders step back from day-to-day noise and focus on the structural forces shaping the year ahead. The 2026 Global Trends Report is now available, offering an executive-level view of the pressures affecting how organizations operate, compete, and plan.
Rather than predicting specific outcomes, this year’s report brings together insights from Stratford’s work with leadership teams alongside reputable global research to highlight where constraints we see emerging and why traditional approaches to strategy, execution, and risk are being tested.
What’s Inside the Report
The 2026 Global Trends Report explores eight key trends already influencing organizations across industries and regions, including the accelerating role of AI, rising cyber and geopolitical risk, energy and supply constraints, shifting expectations around trust, and the move from static planning to continuous reallocation.
Throughout the report, leaders will find:
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A clear view of the forces shaping the operating environment in 2026
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Strategic context on why these trends matter for decision-making and execution
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Practical questions designed to support leadership and board-level discussion
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Why It Matters
For many organizations (particularly mid-market firms) these trends surface quickly and with fewer buffers. Limited slack, lean teams, and faster decision cycles mean external pressures can translate into execution risk just as quickly as opportunity. This report is designed to help leaders identify where pressure may already be building and where focus and alignment will matter most in the year ahead.
Ready to Explore the Trends?
Download the 2026 Global Trends Report to gain a concise, leadership-focused perspective on the forces shaping 2026—and the questions leaders should be asking now.