A good point brought up in the interview with my accounting TA, found here, is that companies will be more effective as far as the green initiative goes. This can include many things. LEED certification is one way for businesses to build green-certified buildings and to at least have environmentally-friendly structures, if nothing else. Another thing would be improved methods of recycling and using biodegradable products. I currently work for a UK-based bath and shower store called Lush, which has already accomplished many goals set by retailers, such as minimal packaging, recycling and reusing within the brand, ethical trade, no animal testing, etc. Companies working towards accomplishing these goals and others, like efficient use of utilities, as another example, will strive further to realize them in the near future.
Another important point is the advancement of e-commerce. In the 1990's, people did not fully understand how e-commerce worked, thinking that putting their business online would make them instant millionaires. Instead, however, it was merely another way for potential customers to purchase their product. Yes, the scope of individuals who had access to it increased, but it was definitely not a guaranteed success. After losing some faith, people and businesses became more educated on what e-commerce actually entailed. Today, most major retailers have websites selling their product. In the future, these sites will become much more user-friendly. New technologies, such as barcode scanning with cell phone apps, can be used by businesses to advertise.
The interpersonal side of business is bound to have some changes in structure, also. Right now and more so into the future, businesses are adopting less and less of a hierarchical pyramid structure, and more of a weblike interface. Employees support operations equally and managers help them work together more efficiently, rather than doling out tasks. This process of decentralization will undoubtedly revolutionize the face of tomorrow's business. For the past century, businesses have been focusing on expanding, being more efficient producers, and on industrialization in general. To say the least, goals have certainly changed. Mass production is easily achievable with currently-existing technologies, and the industrial revolution is well over. With new goals, a new type of management is needed. Rather than intensely focusing on the smaller operations of a business, which has mainly been taken care of by technological factors as far as production goes, the focus has switched to empowering employees. In the past, important decisions were left for top management to make. The goal, however, is to let other employees work in teams to come up with solutions themselves to better play a role in the company's operations. There is no set way to improve management, so risks must be taken. Some things will work, while others will not; this is the nature of the process. But in the end, better solutions will be found through this kind of trial-and-error, leading to a more efficient and ethical business culture.
One may ask, where does this process begin? In the classroom, of course. Here, business leaders of the future are learning the ins and outs of operations, structure, and management. If students are exposed more and more frequently to the variety of models employees and managers share in their interactions, they will be able to learn the benefits of equal input, rather than the traditional pyramid managerial structure. One must remember that as technology advances, as it has been doing astronomically so in recent years, consumer interest will change with it. Tomorrow's consumer will be more educated and aware; they will be interested in things like the green initiative and will be more critical of decisions made by firms, if they are not already. This will put pressure on companies to live up to consumer standards and will definitely change how businesses operate and present themselves to the public.
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