Electronic New Media and the auto industry: New Dimension in "Market facing" Systems

Abstract

Revolutions often start well before the first shots are fired. Deep social trends develop over time, waiting for some precipitating event, a new set of leaders, or a technology that allows organizations to behave differently. The precipitating event usually catches our attention, or seems surprising --- but the direction of the revolution is typically evident well beforehand, This manuscript is about converging trends in three major industries , autos, information technologies, and 'media' (including advertising and the broader media) trends that almost certainly presage a revolution in "market facing" systems that link these industries to their markets, and to each other. Each industry has created revolutions in the past, and has demonstrated the 'early warning' phenomenon. The first 'auto-mobiles' were invented about a century before the Ford and Daimlers commonly thought to be the early prototypes of today's cars. Early steam engines on oxcarts really started the revolution that seemed to take off with the Ford assembly line decades later. "Computers" were invented decades ago. And while they were 'revolutionary' in the 1940?s and 1950?s, those developments were merely early hints at the significant upheaval we now experience In computation and communications industries. The broadcast industries, seeded in the last half of the 1800?s through telegraphy and telephony, have revolutionized the way the modem world communicates, develops culture, and conducts commerce. Advertising bonds the media industry to the broadcast media industries. While it is impossible to predict the future, it is possible --- when one steps back from the daily battle for the bottom line --- to reflect on social trends that are waiting for precipitating events. Then, when Precipitating events really do happen; it is easier to understand at least the basic directions the revolution will take. As of the mid- 1990?s we see merging trends in three major industries: