The Death of Distance

While the world is quite large geographically, it is becoming smaller and small as we progress through the electronic age. In the upcoming years, distance will no longer dictate the costs of business or communication. In Cairncross’s prediction, “The Death of Distance”, she states that the world’s work force will be divided amongst the “three time zones”: The Americas, East Asia/Australia and Europe. She hopes that this fusion of countries and cultures will improve work efficiency and lower costs for business and communication. This however may not be the case in the future since the World is divided into twenty-four different time zones. However, if developing countries in Africa and the Middle East are included in this scheme, it my benefit the status of their developing economy and impact the world significantly. If this hypothesis proves true, it may essentially introduce a new “fourth time zone.”