The prediction, in brief:

Now it is often better strategy to form multipartner, geographically distributed alliances of various specialist groups (consultants, suppliers, subcontractors, and so on) as needed for particular projects, then to disband and regroup as old projects end and new ones begin. We are entering the era of the temporary, recombinant, virtual organization-of business arrangements that demand good computing and telecommunications environments rather than large, permanent home offices.

Predictor: Mitchell, William J.

Prediction, in context:

In his 1994 book “City of Bits,” MIT computer scientist William J. Mitchell writes:”The very character of daily work is transforming … Robert Reich’s policy tract ‘The Work of Nations’ made a compelling case that advanced economies increasingly rely on highly skilled ‘symbolic processors’ who deal mostly in information. Others have pointed out that, while information-work organizations once could accumulate and retain in fixed locations, over long terms, most of the expertise that they needed to carry on their businesses, this becomes increasingly difficult in an era of economic globalization and rapid political, social, and technological change. Now it is often better strategy to form multipartner, geographically distributed alliances of various specialist groups (consultants, suppliers, subcontractors, and so on) as needed for particular projects, then to disband and regroup as old projects end and new ones begin. We are entering the era of the temporary, recombinant, virtual organization-of business arrangements that demand good computing and telecommunications environments rather than large, permanent home offices.”

Biography:

William J. Mitchell was a professor and dean of architecture at MIT and the author of the predictive book “City of Bits: Space, Place and the Infobahn” (1994). He also taught at Harvard, Yale, Carnegie-Mellon and Cambridge Universities. (Research Scientist/Illuminator.)

Date of prediction: January 1, 1994

Topic of prediction: Economic structures

Subtopic: Telecommuting

Name of publication: City of Bits

Title, headline, chapter name: Chapter 4: Recombinant Architecture

Quote Type: Direct quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://mitpress2.mit.edu/e-books/City_of_Bits/index.html

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney