The Forthcoming Information Revolution: Its Impact on Society and Firms

Abstract

The impact of the industrial revolutions on all aspects of our society, work and life has, undoubtedly, been substantial. Will all the talk about the information revolution produce similar, far-reaching changes? By examining analogous inventions of the industrial and information revolutions, this paper argues that the latter is on target and that by around the year 2015 it will be at about the same stage of development as the industrial revolution is today. This would mean extensive changes which will affect the way we shop, obtain services, work, educate and entertain ourselves. Furthermore, the impact of information technology on firms and management will be considerable, resulting in flat, horizontal organizations and an intensified competitive market place that spans our entire planet as people will be capable of buying goods and obtaining services from anywhere in the world by using computer networks like Internet.