The Information Entrepreneur

Introduction by Adrian Hurel

Never has the cliché 'It's a small world' been truer, particularly in the world of business. How else could a salmon farmer in the remotest part of Scotland find new customers in the Middle East? In the new wired world, time and distance are no longer barriers that limit business growth and globalisation. The Internet has put world markets within reach of cottage industries and the pace of change allowed by the networked economy continues to race on more quickly than ever before. We can almost feel the web of communications wrapping itself around us.

As the world closes in and markets become more reachable, all of us are forced to examine the implications of the information age. The need for Information Entrepreneurs, cannot be ignored, not only to ensure success, but to guarantee survival. With oceans of information available at the speed of light, it is obvious that traditional ways of working from both a corporate and individual perspective will continue to change. The question is, how?

No one is quite sure. What was unimaginable a few years ago - maybe even months ago - is now reality. Most of the world has yet to catch up.

One certainly remains; change brought about by the information economy will continue at an unbelievable pace and only those who adapt to this pace will succeed. They will be entrepreneurs who manage the barrage of information, access what they need for success and act swiftly. Companies that enable their people to function as Information Entrepreneurs by providing the infrastructure and encouragement to act on their knowledge capital are those who will lead.

This is an exciting area of change for those willing and able to adapt; old models no longer apply.

Reproduced with kind permission 3Com ©1999

Adrian Hurel: 3Com Managing Director UK and Ireland