ABSTRACT
This chapter explores some key trends and then brings them together in a final discussion on the implications for strategic operations managers. It develops thinking about where current trends might lead. The chapter shows how international developments are changing and how operations managers might influence them. Given the pressure of customer choice, a service ethic is a necessary part of operations management in the future. As Alan Knight points out, the challenge for mankind is to produce a decent lifestyle for everyone on Earth, and one that can be sustained. The increase in pressure to be competitive and lean in the use of resources will mean that process innovation may experience 'churn'. The innovative business model not only helps cross-border e-commerce companies develop their international competitiveness, but also accumulates credit information on the platform to continuously make improvements.
