The last decade has seen the most formidable technological advances in information and communication technology ranging from fibre optics to micro electronics, computers, and of course the Internet - the fastest growing consumer service the world has experienced so far. Global information super-highways have been developed and because of them decisions are now being made quicker than ever before. As we enter the new millennium, the prospect of a global village supported by a wide information infrastructure will provide new chances but also risks. To benefit from the chances and to cope with the risks the market needs to prepare for and react on changes. Therefore, this paper presents some prediction techniques to forecast the future of information technology within the next five to ten years. Possible scenarios illustrate some exemplary applications in the business and private life, leading to a discussion of the impacts on economy and society in the large scale.     «

The last decade has seen the most formidable technological advances in information and communication technology ranging from fibre optics to micro electronics, computers, and of course the Internet - the fastest growing consumer service the world has experienced so far. Global information super-highways have been developed and because of them decisions are now being made quicker than ever before. As we enter the new millennium, the prospect of a global village supported by a wide information inf...     »