Web Future 2000.5 -
A New and Constantly Evolving Ball Game

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There is a saying in French:"The more things change, the more they stay the same." The Net is, for now, the ultimate change agent, a constantly evolving frontier, transforming businesses and,indeed,an entire society with its rapid evolution. The Net, we've learned, delivers not only images and information but new business models and radically different paths to success at eye blinking, sometimes heart stopping speed for Net businesses who are trying to keep pace.

The Net meets the classic business school definition of an efficient marketplace, but with a speed which was unknown until today. Yes, typewriters gave way to word processors which were eclipsed by computers but not overnight..... over a period of years. Now many Net business models have 6 months or less to launch, fire up, succeed and evolve or die. There is a unique dynamic which is created on the Net, through the interplay of "Internet Time" - warp speed-- and the "transparency of competitive strategy". The result is that, as rapidly as new and innovative business models are created, they are also replicated and deployed by competitors. This makes for an increasingly efficient marketplace, but also one where players can become obsolete or squeezed out entirely in increasingly short cycles.

So, whether your Net presence is etail ( out of favor), B2C ( business to consumer, plummeting fast) B2B ( business to business, the new, New hot thing) or even those old stand bys, building community, or delivering content, you must seek to catch the next wave. Through constant attention and intense concentration, you must study the trends and look out into the future, develop some kind of early warning system so you can stay far enough ahead of the pack to see that you are riding the crest, instead of crashed to the shores.

Businesses which emerge as winners will have a Net centered vision focusing on globalization and ubiquitous communication; their strategy must center on speed and the implementation of the latest and most effective technology.

Trends to Watch

Personalization The web will be enabled to deliver only what you want to see, custom tailored to your interests and needs, thereby collapsing even more time, and becoming even more efficient.

XML Technology which will allow content to be streamed to many devices. Your cell phone,or any other Net enabled device,the types and variety of which are certian to proliferate in the near future. This is communication anywhere, all the time. You can buy stock while you shop in Tokyo or Paris, over your Palm pilot, your wristwatch or your auto module.

Profusion of Niche Markets As B2B markets proliferate, there may be room for only so many of the biggest players in each segment.. the General Motors, Fords and Chryslers... but,inevitably, there will be smaller niche markets developing around communities or more specialized fields.

Software That Manages Supply Chains This is software which enables outsourced manufacturing, allowing companies to remove the risk of having huge bricks and mortar infrastructures to support in lean times. Companies can also take advantage of competition in global markets getting the best price for its components in a simple, flexible operation which collapses time and reduces overhead.

End to End Transactions Increasingly, you will be able to access an online market place where your company can stream product availability to websites users, who stream back a purchase order, and on the same web site, you can get financing and shipping on your product, while the consumer completes an electronic transfer of funds to your account.

Electronic Payments Increasingly consumers will move towards electronic payments for airline tickets, groceries, gas and just about everything else. In the Net world an increasingly secure and trusted payment infrastructure will drive increased sales.

Clearly many of these trends focus on B2B. It may be the New thing, but inevitably, one day, there will be a new, New Thing. "The more things change, the more they stay the same." But if you ride this wave, stay in the game as the worth of your web site crests, you'll be ready for the next wave.