The freedom and mobility of information through cyber space is becoming a much larger part of the modern world that we live in. This virtual world feels no boundaries in terms of its physical geography and has the ability to conduct an infinite amount of tasks at any one time, anywhere in the world.
When looking around for some information on this subject of virtual transferral of information and services I can upon something titled ‘The Weightless Economy’ (Pratt 2000). This is simply the concept that a product can be designed, made, advertised, sold and distributed with only an electronic presence, i.e it never takes any physical form, therefore is completely weightless. A good example for this type of industry is software development and sales. A company can design and produce the software via a computer, advertise on the internet and sell via e-commerce (internet sales). The software can then be downloaded straight onto the user computer. There fore there is almost no need for any geographical location and transportation. The product never enters the physical (real) world.
This then challenges the concept of physical mobility. It simply renders it unnecessary. Now obviously this is only one part of a global marketplace at the moment but if it were to expand then it could alter the way in which the think of and design pretty much everything. Town and city centres, i.e. the high street, will have to compete more and more with internet sales and e-commerce, which could come to a point whereby there is no longer a need for the physical shop, therefore no need for the high street, and in doing so changing the way our towns/cities are made up, designed and moved around.
Neil
Interesting point neil!
ReplyDeleteHowever, i really disagree, as a keep shop holic and user of both the internet and the high street for shopping, I dont think that the high street will die out, there will always be a need for it, in my eyes!
You can see thought a computer screen, but you cant, touch or smell, through one and that its why it will never die!
Having everything avalible to us, is just alowing us to become even more lazy and obesity is on the rise!
However, i do apprechiate the convieneance of being about to shop from home anytime of the day!
"Saying that there will be no need for the high street, because of internet shopping.
Would be like saying there is no need for sex, because of porn!!"
James Atkinson
Think about it!
Jess
I think the e-commerce is a real aspect of our society, (almost)everybody use it to find something imossible to find in the local shops. But i desagree with the expression "weightless economy", because these commerces have a physical form, first you have the servers to stock datas, and then you have always an office and warehouses to stock the real products.
ReplyDeleteAnd finaly you needs to use physical transportations to deliver theses products, so even if the trade is online I think there is a real impact in the real world.