Introduction

Contenidos

• Content and Arrangement.
• Topic Selection and Inclusion Criteria.
• Comments and Suggestions.

In this volume of Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries (EEI), readers will find essays covering specific businesses as well as broad business sectors that have, for the most part, shown evidence of significant growth in the recent past or potential for exemplary growth in the near future. In some cases, these areas of commerce fall within older, well-established industries—prominent examples include semiconductors, beverages, and tourism. More commonly, the essays focus on offshoots of relatively new industries, such as developments in electronic commerce, Web development, minimally invasive medical technologies, and genetic engineering. Students, entrepreneurs, investors, and job seekers alike will find information on technical subjects as arcane as optical sensing or encryption systems, and on topics as commonplace as juice bars and gambling casinos.

Content and Arrangement

The essays are arranged alphabetically within the book. Within essays, readers may encounter statements referring them to related areas of potential interest, such as: "Also see the essay in this book on Fertility Medicine."

In each essay, readers may expect to find some or all of the following aspects discussed:

Industry Snapshot. Provides a brief overview of the topic and identifies key issues.

Organization and Structure. Discusses the configuration and functional aspects of the business, including sub-industry divisions.

Background and Development. Relates the genesis and history of the industry to date, including major technological advances, scandals, pioneering companies, major products, important legislation, and other shaping factors.

Pioneers. Discusses individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of the industry.

Current Conditions. Provides information on the status of the industry in the late 1990s well into 2000, with an eye toward challenges on the horizon.

Industry Leaders. Profiles major companies, and may include discussion of financial performance.

Work Force. May contain information on the size, diversity, and characteristics of the industry's labor force, as well as discussion of skills needed by employees.

America and the World. Contains information on the global marketplace in relation to the topic discussed.

Research and Technology. Furnishes information on cutting edge developments, areas of research, and their...