Workplace 2000

It seems that the only thing we can rely on these days is that the turbulence in our business lives will increase. As customer requirements fluctuate and competitive environments change rapidly, businesses must be fleet of foot in response to the changes around them. They must be efficient in their use of resource and effective in their working practices. The paper begins with a potted history of work and information technology. This is used to understand some of the fundamental structures which underpin the business world of today; a world of hierarchies, bureaucracy, rigid workstyles and information overload. Then the paper considers how technological advances are empowering organisations to compete in this “more-for-less” world by freeing themselves from the legacy systems of the past. In conclusion, a different paradigm is offered to meet the demands of the new business reality; a paradigm of virtual business