Release 2.0 Chapter 3 "Work": By Esther Dyson
A Brief Overview:
In this chapter the author takes a look at the net and how it will affect the working community. She looks at how the net will affect both the employee and the employer. Overall, she holds a positive outlook about what the net can do for the working world, but she also manages to point out some areas where the net needs to be regulated. She also describes some reasons why the net will not be able to entirely take over the business world.
Looking for Work:
According to Dyson the net allows people to access a wider variety of resources in less time. On the net people can search for temporary work or possibilities for a career change. She says that the desired jobs will not be found through "...clumsy search engines, but through online communities and specific-market online employment classifieds" (P. 58). These online employment classifieds will allow both employers and potential employees to make postings that can be viewed worldwide. Of course this is much more beneficial than being limited to just a local market. She seems to feel that these online classifieds will be the wave of the future. She feels that they will replace even the classified ads in the newspaper.
An example she gave to illusrate how the online classifieds work is the Scala Job Bank. Scala is the name of an accounting software company. This job bank they offer is a site on the net where companies who use Scala software can search for potential employees who already know how to use this software. People with knowledge of this software post their resumes on the site, and companies looking to hire someone search the site for the right person to hire.
Join a Network:
Dyson talks about networking and creating a job for yourself. These are tactics that people have been using for years, but She explains how the net makes these methods easier. First of all, networking is traditionally joining the community in which you desire to work, making your name known, and then looking for a job. Dyson says that the net is a great place to do these things. Joining online communities allows people looking for work to do networking in much less time.
Don't find Your Job; Define it:
The next tactic she covers is creating a job for yourself. What this means is to find a company with a problem or unreached potential and tell them that you have the solution. Of course companies would want to hear you in order to see if your ideas have potential. Dyson said that the net makes this process easier as well. I agree that this process is made a lot speedier by way of the internet. Using the net would enable you to make contact more quickly and with more companies in less time.
The Shrinking Company:
Dyson believes that the trend of the future is going to be smaller company size. She feels that the net will provide companies with more of the resources they need; therefore, some personnel in larger companies will no longer be needed. Companies will begin outsourcing, meaning that they will hire outside firms to do tasks that used to be done internally. Big and small companies alike will be able to benefit from outsourcing. Big companies will be able to cut down on their payrolls, and small companies will not have to feel the pressure for a need to expand. Smaller companies can specialize in certain areas of business and fine tune their services, which will be needed from time to time by bigger companies who have cut down on their staff. For example small companies who do inventory service are called in by bigger companies when there is a need for them.
Earning the Job:
Although Dyson thinks computers are the wave of the future, she still recognizes the human skills that will be necessary in order to survive the computer age. She describes four attributes that will help someone who is looking for work:
1. Creativity and Intelligence:
The most valued employees will be the ones who can keep coming up with ideas to help their companies stay ahead of the competition. People who are good at following routines will be able to stay afloat, but they will not advance. Employees will need to design products or come up with ideas that will give their companies the edge.
2. Real-Time Performance
In addition to creativity, successful employees will have to think quickly and accurately. Computers are speeding up the pace of the business world. Employees need to be fast enough to keep up with the computer age.
3. Self-Marketing
Another trait that will promote success is the ability to market one's self. On the net, this would mean attracting business and attention to one's company.
4. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence includes personal skills such as management ability, leadership, risk taking, and judgement. Change is inevitable and its always happening; therefore, leaders need to know how to deal with change. In other words, leaders need to have it all under control, or at least appear that way. They are the motivators, mediators, and decision makers.
The Net on the Job:
Dyson says that the net will quicken the pace on the job. Companies with personnel overseas will use the net to keep in touch with their overseas employees. In addition, employees will use the company intranet to exchange information or memos. This faster rate of information exchange will decrease the need for middle management.
Telecommuting:
Telecommuting allows companies to have employees do work from home or from locations overseas. People who work out of the home are more likely to be independent contractors rather than members of a team. Being able to work from home or travel to far away places makes this option of work attractive, but it also has its disadvantages. People who work on their own will not be able to enjoy the companionship of working with others. Telecommuting also does not take care of business that requires physical contact with others. Telecommuting in itself is not anti-social, but face-to-face interaction is not possible with this option of work.
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