Knowledge and human capital are critical components of any contemporary developed economy. While work in the primary and secondary sectors is largely process driven and routine, work in the tertiary sector requires problem solving. Working with information. And this industry division, the ‘professional, scientific and technical services industry’, is dominated by those who work with knowledge — accountants and lawyers, marketers and architects, as well as veterinarians and scientific researchers.
And just like other industries, this industry has undergone change in recent years and will experience more change in the years ahead. This article is an exploration what may lie ahead for this industry. What could happen in terms of careers and business. It is a futurist’s take on how things might pan out over the next 10 years or so.
This future is viewed through the lens of climate change and computerisation. This industry, as is the case in so many other sectors of the economy, is being shaped by these the two global megatrends There are other global megatrends, for example innovation springing from the convergence of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive sciences (NBIC), but their influence on the professional, scientific and technical services industry is not as significant.
