Table : TABLE 1.1 TRENDS ACROSS HISTORICAL PERIODS
TrendPremodern (pre-1800s)Modern Industrial Revolution (1800s–1950s)Postmodern (1950s–present)
Work hierarchiespeasants/merchants/rulersfactory workers/managers/national CEOstemp workers/global CEOs
Major work sitesfield/farmfactory/officeoffice/home/“virtual” or mobile office
Communication reachlocalnationalglobal
Communication transmissionoral/manuscriptprint/electronicelectronic/digital
Communication channelsstorytellers/elders/town criersbooks/newspapers/magazines/radiotelevision/cable/Internet/multimedia
Communication at homequill pentypewriter/office computerpersonal computer/laptop/smartphone/social networks
Key social valuesbelief in natural or divine orderindividualism/rationalism/efficiency/antitraditionantihierarchy/skepticism (about science, business, government, etc.)/diversity/multiculturalism/irony & paradox
Journalismoral & print-based/partisan/controlled by political partiesprint-based/“objective”/efficient/timely/controlled by publishing familiesTV- & Internet-based/opinionated/conversational/controlled by global entertainment conglomerates