E-Commerce Future Shock (Part 1 of 2)

“A powerful tide is surging across much of the world today, creating a new, often bizarre, environment in which to work, play, marry, raise children or retire. In this bewildering context, businessmen swim against highly erratic economic currents; politicians see their ratings bob wildly up and down; universities, hospitals and other institutions battle desperately against inflation. Value systems splinter and crash, while the lifeboats of family, church and state are hurled madly about. Looking at these violent changes, we can regard them as isolated evidences of instability, breakdown and disaster. Yet, if we stand back for a longer view, several things become apparent that otherwise go unnoticed. To begin with, many of today’s changes are not independent of one another.”

This is what futurist Alvin Toffler wrote in late '70s in The Third Wave. He was writing about the world and the civilization in general. We can say similar things for the business environment of today.