Toward the Age of Neo-Entrepreneurs

Abstract

The information society is becoming the experience society, and will eventually shift into the ubiquitous meanings society. The technological environment is created especially by the advancing Internet, mobile computing, cloud computing, social media, and application services. In a society driven by cultural meanings, people's needs and demands will be increasingly oriented toward genuine feelings, personal experiences and the purpose and meaning of life. Consequently, production will be aimed at satisfying these demands. Small enterprises with close relations to the customers and with a radically new corporate culture are needed to answer these needs.

At the same time, we can foresee the emergence of the age of neo-entrepreneurs. The concept of entrepreneurship requires re-thinking: Society is moving away from ascetic Protestant values toward more hedonistic, romantic values, and so are the entrepreneurs. The future skills and competences are more generalized; high specialization is no longer enough. Multi-competent neo-entrepreneurs will excel in self-actualization and individual choices, added to enhanced possibilities for co-creation and collective creativity. Case results from a Futures Clinique exploring new business opportunities for entrepreneurs from 3-D worlds are also presented.