I found this interesting article on http://www.btplc.com/Innovation/Innovation/women/index.htm - its worth a read! Very interesting and definately presents certain challenges...... :>) text is below
"The business of the future will see much of the intellectual work being done by intelligent machines - and only people with good interpersonal skills will do well.
This is the prediction of a BT futurologist Ian Pearson, who believes women will do especially well by providing the emotional skills machines won't be able to master.
Ian said: "Things will be very different. Machines may well have consciousness by 2015, with intelligence and ability levels comparable with people. Machines will generally do the intellectual tasks such as strategies, market analysis, designs and inventions."
People will have a very different part to play, he explained. They will be able to add the human element to the business, getting close to the customer on an emotional level, creating a different platform to do business.
"The more advanced technology gets, the more it forces us to appreciate human skills," he said.
Ian believes one effect of this will be women becoming more important in businesses of the future.
"The women's economy"
"It will be called the women's economy," he said. "Technology already means that a woman can drive a JCB without having to be as strong as Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the similar automation of intellect means that neither men nor women will be needed in most information economy type roles in future.
"But the social and emotional skills normally associated with women are harder to automate - as a man, I'm worried about this."
These changes will not happen suddenly but will take place over a period of decades, Ian explained.
However, he warned that a workplace dominated by women could have negative side-effects. The danger is that if men stop working and become bored, they may start to look for other challenges, such as starting up conflicts.
Possible conflict
Ian said: "European history suggests that when a large number of men are out of work they become easily 'rabble roused', and led to see other groups as the source of blame. History is peppered with conflicts of this kind and there is no guarantee peace will last so we need to be quite careful."
In terms of management structures, there will be little point in the traditional management hierarchy in the future, according to Ian.
As businesses become more technologically advanced it will be the workers who are the important people. Computers will coordinate the workforce and there will be virtual co-operatives competing with virtual companies. Fewer managers will be required to run the company as computers take over.
But, despite all these changes, Ian predicts the world will be a much more interesting place in the future.
"The business world will see enormous new markets, new channels to customers and almost every industry will be greatly affected. It will be a stressful time for those on top, but only those who keep their focus on the customer and are swift to adapt, will survive," he said
This is the prediction of a BT futurologist Ian Pearson, who believes women will do especially well by providing the emotional skills machines won't be able to master.
Ian said: "Things will be very different. Machines may well have consciousness by 2015, with intelligence and ability levels comparable with people. Machines will generally do the intellectual tasks such as strategies, market analysis, designs and inventions."
People will have a very different part to play, he explained. They will be able to add the human element to the business, getting close to the customer on an emotional level, creating a different platform to do business.
"The more advanced technology gets, the more it forces us to appreciate human skills," he said.
Ian believes one effect of this will be women becoming more important in businesses of the future.
"The women's economy"
"It will be called the women's economy," he said. "Technology already means that a woman can drive a JCB without having to be as strong as Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the similar automation of intellect means that neither men nor women will be needed in most information economy type roles in future.
"But the social and emotional skills normally associated with women are harder to automate - as a man, I'm worried about this."
These changes will not happen suddenly but will take place over a period of decades, Ian explained.
However, he warned that a workplace dominated by women could have negative side-effects. The danger is that if men stop working and become bored, they may start to look for other challenges, such as starting up conflicts.
Possible conflict
Ian said: "European history suggests that when a large number of men are out of work they become easily 'rabble roused', and led to see other groups as the source of blame. History is peppered with conflicts of this kind and there is no guarantee peace will last so we need to be quite careful."
In terms of management structures, there will be little point in the traditional management hierarchy in the future, according to Ian.
As businesses become more technologically advanced it will be the workers who are the important people. Computers will coordinate the workforce and there will be virtual co-operatives competing with virtual companies. Fewer managers will be required to run the company as computers take over.
But, despite all these changes, Ian predicts the world will be a much more interesting place in the future.
"The business world will see enormous new markets, new channels to customers and almost every industry will be greatly affected. It will be a stressful time for those on top, but only those who keep their focus on the customer and are swift to adapt, will survive," he said
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