Nothing is changing faster than
technology. The IEEE is here to support its members and the IEEE needs to change
as new technologies emerge and older technologies mature. The demand for change
comes from the members through volunteers and it is for the IEEE to find these
new fields and adapt to supporting them. The IEEE's job, both the staff and the
leadership, is to support communities of members developing and using
technologies.
No one now needs reminding that economies are also quickly changing and the IEEE
needs to continue to change to reflect the benefits it can bring to the new
economies around our world. Our technical communities are world-wide.
Publications:
Technology, for which we in IEEE are partly responsible, has made mass
publishing almost as easy as a mouse-click. This allows the many expanded and
new services that are now available, and more that will be available, from the
IEEE.
However, the Internet and the resulting explosion of information also raises the
question of the value of refereed archival journals. IEEE publishing generates
net revenue for the IEEE that has paid for many other IEEE activities. Changes
here could mean that we will need to find another business model which
could be a significant disruption to activities.
Remember that no practical media for information is proven more archival than
printed paper - few would now be able to read a 9-inch floppy disk let alone a
7-track tape.
The IEEE has to stay ahead in continuing to improve quality and accessibility of
its publications while still serving long-term archival needs.
Finance:
In order to continue to serve its members, the IEEE as a whole as well as
societies, sections and chapters have to be well funded and the volunteers well
supported as they serve their local communities. This means that our revenues
must be well managed and our finances adapted to changing circumstances.
Conferences:
With the growing economies around the world and greater and greater
internationalization, our conferences will be more and more held outside
North America
. This raises logistical challenges, not just of distance but also of local
laws, finance and taxes, culture and language. The IEEE has to continue to
develop the support for volunteers meeting the challenges of different
economies, tax law, free information exchange and other issues that arise as
activities continue to expand their international reach.
