One of the claimed sources of how this word came into use is from the Netherlands in the 15th century when workers would throw their sabots (wooden shoes) into the wooden gears of the textile looms to break the cogs, feeling the automated machines would render the human workers obsolete.

I’ve heard the changes occurring in business now likened to the industrial revolution, which I think is an ideal way for people to think of these.

The music industry
Has already been through massive changes with the introduction of digital delivery.

The print industry
Is currently in the process of change, with Kindle’s/etc. now starting to replace paper for the delivery of content.

The TV industry
Here is where changes are coming soon. In the past you needed an expensive TV studio and/or equipment, combined with many staff to produce content. Now, my iPhone can produce broadcast quality video, which can be edited on the phone and then uploaded to YouTube – then shared with millions of people and at very low cost.

With the introduction of Google TV’s as well, and the new Apple TV combined with increasing use of hard drive personal video recorders things are changing. Indeed, many people ‘time shift’ their TV watching so that it fits in with their own needs, rather than the times the TV stations prescribe that you will watch something.

It’s also affecting advertising – if people are watching a prime time programme in the morning was it worth paying top money for the slot when they didn’t watch it then?

As I ‘time shift’ my programming I fast forward through the adverts anyway, and I’m sure many other people do too. And with digital delivery of programmes on the Apple TV there are no adverts anyway.

These changes are something to be mindful of when reading or watching reports from the traditional media on the rise of the digital economy.

Changes in business are something that I have experienced myself in my own industry and how I became ‘the twittering tax man.’ Through launching and growing my own company over the last few years I have found that social media and networking have particularly enabled my business to grow in a recession.

I have written a book about the changes I have experienced, and how they can help other people too in their own business.

The book will be available in the UK and US imminently, and further details can be found at:

Chocks Away: Achieving freedom from the 9 to 5