Examining the factors propelling the evolution to a virtual workplace and the arrangements being used to implement these changes in a societal context. THE DRIVING FORCES IN THE V IRTUAL SOCIETY

The term virtual society refers to all components that are part of a society’s culture based on the functional rather than the physical. It extends to include significant enhanced effects or actions, physical behavior of non-physical entities, and the supporting use of telecommunications and computing technologies. Companies no longer talk about “work at home’’ programs. Rather, they talk about “work anywhere, anytime” where laptops, fax machines, cellular phones, networks, email, and voice mail are in the state of transformation toward the virtual society. After all, does it matter to the recipient whether that critical voice-mail message was sent from a client’s office, an airport, or a