ABSTRACT
The final chapter looks to the future of the office economy. It is probably no exaggeration to state that the office economy faces a more uncertain future than at any time in its modern history. Political, economic, social and technological changes are driving enormous change to disrupt many old assumptions. In looking to the future, it is imperative to distinguish short-term and current events from long-term change. For example, as this chapter was being written, the Covid-19 pandemic was being played out, along with a public discussion suggesting little short of an existential crisis for the office. This chapter speculates on the future of the office economy in the context of long-term change; not the immediacy of today’s headlines. The final part of the chapter speculates that the next, fifth age, of the office economy might be characterised by the ‘network office’.
