Global Positioning System Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 5
Future Whereness Applications
5.1
Society Futures
Before considering more futuristic uses for Whereness that could be used when it
is a mature technology (perhaps by 2015 or earlier in the cases of some
component parts), it is important to consider how societal and business
environments might have changed by that time. There is a growing trend in
business to actively study the future:
1
some publications are becoming available
that inform the activity, for example, the BT Technology Timeline [1]. The
following sections apply current corporate foresight thinking to the future of
Whereness.
5.1.1
More Wealth
Figure 5.1 is a version of Maslow's hierarchy of needs [2], which represents
resources spent by society as a set of layers. The size of the layer represents the
importance and cost of the various needs that are ordered in terms of criticality. At
the lowest layer are the essentials for survival. In the middle layers are the
important future needs but not strictly essential needs; examples include education
and family relationships. At the very top, where resources are thin, there is a small
residue of resource for “self-actualization” that would include, for example,
participation in the arts.
1
Future study is often referred to as “foresight” or “futurology.” It is a multidiscipline activity and
includes economics, sociology, politics, and science/technology.
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