It’s been more than 15 years since Tim Berners-Lee designed the World Wide Web. It’s been over three years since Trends highlighted the birth of Web 2.0. Where does this transformation stand today? What are its implications for consumers, businesses, and society? And, what lies ahead? We’ll explain.

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New tools are emerging that are creating exciting Web-based business opportunities for those with imagination. With these tools, entrepreneurs are creating new and exciting services, by combining and integrating information flows and functionality from multiple sources. What will this mean for you as a manager, investor, or entrepreneur? We’ll provide the answers.

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Even in the late 1980s, a few leading-edge companies were replacing their teleconferences with videoconferences. But it was only after the widespread adoption of broadband that this mechanism became a cost-effective alternative to face-to-face meetings. What are its implications for business effectiveness and efficiency, as well as business travel? After its long introductory phase, where does it go from here? And what opportunities and threats does it create for you as a manager, consumer, or investor? We’ll clarify the picture.

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In response to deteriorating airline service quality, travelers are increasingly turning to private aircraft. As a result, more and more planes crowd the skies, and the recent introduction of a new class of very light jets will only increase congestion. Crowded skies, plus unexpected weather conditions, unfamiliar terrain, and overworked air traffic controllers bring the increased danger of mid-air collisions and other calamities. Fortunately, the same information technology that is transforming life on the ground is paving the way for a whole new era of safe and rapid air travel. What will this mean to you? Who will be the winners and who will be the losers? Fasten your seat belts and prepare for some unexpected answers.

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As hard as it is to believe, organ transplants have been a reality for less than 50 years. And in the United States alone, thousands of people still die each year while waiting for suitable organs. In addition, many of those who do receive organ transplants die when their bodies reject the organs. But soon, those problems will be a thing of the past, as labs successfully manufacture replacement organs that precisely match the recipient’s body. A string of recent breakthroughs puts us on the path to delivering replacement hearts, lungs, kidneys, and livers within the coming decade. The payoff in terms of quality of life, savings in medical costs, and the continued contributions of those whose lives are saved will be enormous. We’ll explore the implications and opportunities.

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As we’ve explained in previous issues, college campuses represent a leading-edge microcosm of our culture. Therefore, we should not be surprised to find the “culture wars” magnified within those ivy-covered walls. The Trends Editors long ago identified this decade as a critical inflection point for American society, when decades of movement toward moral relativism would peak and begin to recede, and moral absolutists would come to represent the dominant social perspective. A flashpoint in this war illustrates what we’re talking about: Today, there is a battle afoot between self-styled “boinkers” and equally committed “abstainers.” What are the implications for business, society, and politics? We’ll uncover the truth.

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