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industrial revolution, and has occurred over far less time. Moreover, the acceleration of change in our
lives that results from the use of computer technology has been rapidly increasing. Technologists
speak about the rapid changes in the development of the Internet and its allied products. They even
joke that things are happening so fast that a three-month period is equivalent to an “Internet year.”
Funny, but true.
One of the biggest trends in the past several years has been the merging of heretofore separate
technologies. As we mix computer technology with communication technology and throw in
miniaturization for good measure, the products we may soon see are beyond imagining.
Mix together a PDA, a cell phone, and a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite receiver—we
already have such a device. Now consider: Such a device could remind you as you drive past the
supermarket that you were supposed to pick up bread on the way home. You‟d walk in the door to the
market, and this pocket wonder would tell you, based on your past love of Snickers candy bars, that
they are being sold three for $1 in aisle 2. As you move toward the checkout line, the clerk, who has
never met you, greets you by name because your pocket wonder has announced your arrival to the
screen on her cash register. While this scenario may sound fanciful, it is probably being tested
somewhere in the world while you are reading this. Given the tremendous entrepreneurial potential for
new products and services, how these technologies will be used in the future is wide open for the
resourceful.
Why “... and Next Week”? The horizon for change in the world of technology is very short. Each
year, major enhancements to both hardware and technology are released, rendering previous
technology obsolete. Some people are paralyzed about buying computers, because they are concerned
that the technology will change very soon. How right they are! The promise of technology is that it is
constantly changing. Today‟s worker must recognize that and learn to adapt to the changing methods.
Those who are technologically comfortable will be the first to gain strategic advantage in the work
environment and succeed. A word to the wise:
Hold on to your hat, and enjoy the ride. Adapt and go with it.
Downloadable Resources for this chapter available at
www.wiley.com/go/portablembainfinance
Information Technology and You
Information technology needs to be experienced, not just researched. The exercises for this chapter
on the book‟s Web site gives the reader a chance to do exactly that—experience. Build a spreadsheet
(or two or three) and see what happens when you copy formulas, use an assumption area, or make a
chart. Build your own computer figuration to understand the options. Recognize some of the latest
technologies in use when you visit your favorite Web sites.
Internet Links