MetaCapitalism represents the ideal framework for companies and markets in the 21st century, which are being transformed by the ongoing e-Business revolution. This pivotal shift offers a limited-time opportunity for businesses to engage, with a deadline set at the close of 2002. Firms that fail to adapt their business models to the demands of MetaCapitalism by this time risk falling irreversibly behind the curve, as their more agile counterparts who embrace the change will likely experience significant growth.
The e-Business revolution has fundamentally altered the traditional business model, which was once heavily reliant on physical assets and capital investment. In the past, companies invested significantly in inventories, production facilities, and other tangible assets to produce and sell products. Key management strategies, such as reengineering, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and supply chain management, were all aimed at optimizing these assets to improve efficiency. However, the advent of e-Business has introduced a new paradigm that is less capital-intensive. This model leverages outsourcing for manufacturing and adopts a made-to-order approach to production. As a result, the focus has shifted from owning production assets to prioritizing brand development and customer relationship management. This shift has led to an "inverted" and "decapitalized" business model, where the need for capital is significantly reduced or redirected towards building brand equity and nurturing customer relationships. The rise of Outsourcing Networks has facilitated the creation of value-added communities (VACs), which, when interconnected, form a larger, dynamic marketplace known as a MetaMarket. This network of VACs and MetaMarkets is driving a major transformation in the business landscape, with the potential to generate economic growth and wealth creation on an unprecedented scale. This transformation is not sudden but the culmination of a series of global economic changes. The globalization of the world economy, the increased real cost of capital in the 1980s, advancements in information technology, and the divestiture of non-core business activities have all contributed to this shift. The rapid adoption of the Internet for business transactions and the significant market capitalization of early Internet firms have further accelerated this change. Industry experts like Grady Means and David Schneider predict a seismic shift in economic and business conditions, with the potential for global capital market value to increase tenfold in less than a decade. Bill Gates has suggested that if the 1980s focused on quality and the 1990s on reengineering, the 2000s would be defined by velocity. James Schiro of PricewaterhouseCoopers echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the need for companies to adapt quickly to leverage their financial, human, and intellectual capital in the e-business era. The B2B revolution is set to transform leading companies across industries, underscoring the importance of agility and adaptation in the face of rapid change.
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