|
Twenty years ago the internet was virtually unknown and only a few people had (very cumbersome and expensive) mobile phones. What has happened in the intervening period is remarkable. Technology has been one of the main drivers of business change and globalization. It has also become an increasingly integral and important part of our daily lives, both at work and at home. This collection of surveys and articles from The Economist examines how far technology has come and where it is heading.
Part one covers information technology. It examines how the industry is maturing in the post-bubble era, so that competitive advantage now depends on how the technology is applied, rather than the technology itself; explains why work still needs to be done to make information technology more secure and less complex for users; and reveals how the world of work is being transformed by technology, through outsourcing.
Part two examines the importance of consumer electronics, a field that has become the new centre of technological innovation, as the fruits of the computer and internet revolutions are applied to almost every aspect of everyday life. In particular, it examines mobile phones, video games and the idea of the digital home.
Part three evaluates three candidates for the next big technological revolution -- biotechnology, energy technology and nanotechnology -- and also considers the prospects for robots and artificial intelligence.
|
