Today, NewWOW shared its draft white paper, WORK 2020: The Effect of Higher Oil Prices on the Future of Work, with its membership. Using scenario analysis to examine how work systems would evolve under different possible future settings, the authors — Jim Creighton, Joe Ouye, and June Langhoff—looked at the larger context in which we will work.
The first section of the report examines four basic assumptions: (1) a dramatic increase in the price of oil; (2) continuing dramatic innovation in computer and communication sciences; (3) global warming; and (4) the impact of significant demographic trends.
Next, the authors describe current work trends that will affect work in 2020. Major topics include: • What will companies look like in the future? • Corporate social responsibility • What work will we be doing? • Changes in how people are managed • Business travel and sustainability • Changes in commuting • What will communities look like in the future? • What will happen to offices?
The paper also contains the beginnings of two scenarios of what the future might look like. These scenarios will be completed by members attending the February 2010 symposium. A final version of this paper will be published in March.
