The Future of Engineering, Manufacturing and Service Industry; also Technologies and its R&D; has a healthy movement in the future. There will be Positive Configurational Changes though.

The Small Industries and the Medium-Small will quickly adapt and innovate in this new scenario, as the weight of inertia and legacy methods will drag them, much less.

Large Business who are suppliers of components and systems for enabling such new methods and materials; will have a healthy business growth.

These changes manifest due to advancement in communication and web technologies, which shrinks the globe for advanced business collaboration and trade. This also ensures customer support is good, as customers directly interact with small-business personnel.

The structure in the future may be more like this -

Large Industry >> Small, Small-Medium >> Consumers

The  "Small, Small-Medium" will be the Arab or Phoenician in this workable/practical business arrangement. Customers get the direct attention they deserve, it creates tremendous opportunities for Entrepreneurship and Employment. It also ensures that cost-effective quality products and services reach the customer. It builds the local business/product solutions to be as effective as delivered by global competition. 

Learn Make Invent Build Succeed

If people put more time online on Wikipedia & other learning/knowledge sites. The world will become a better place for all.

Once Knowledge is Acquired, Analyze, Imagine & Create. May be an Article you write, Could be a DIY Craft, Gadget or Equipment you Make.

Learning & Creating, your Skills build up. Then you can Innovate, Invent, Teach. Then Manufacture Products or Provide Specialized Services.

Now you Earn Money, Small Biz or a Job. Enhance your tools & invest in innovation. Save Money to build a Reservoir for times Thick & Thin.

Once Established as a Good Firm, Brand or Professional, Use Money &  Power Responsibly. Do not get carried away by Indulgence, Hype or Con.

Collective Growth is Sustainable, Social Responsibility Foremost. Creating Jobs boosts the Consumer Base. Economy is Healthy-Happy Society.

From @delabs 20th Nov 2010. a Tweedle by me.

1. Alert - Aware, Awake, Assimilate, Conscious, Perceive, Interactive, Proactive.
   
2. Agile - Quick Reflex, Anti-Procrastination, Simple, Light, Spartan, Anti-Red-Tape.
   
3. Adept - Skillful, Capabilities, Learning, Knowledge Base, Trained, Educated.
   
4. Astute - Practical, Commonsense, Shrewd, Sensible, Experienced, Proven.
   
5. Armed - Tools, Equipment, Machines, Infrastructure, Manpower, IP, R&D.
   
6. Adaptive - Scalable, Configurable, Modules, Maintainable, Reserves, Inertia.
   
7. Accurate - Correct, True, Integrity, Honesty, Facts, Precise, Perfect, Sincere.