Christopher Barnatt - Research

Current Research Activities
All of my research stems from an interest in computing, technology, organizations and future studies, broadly defined! Since joining the Business School in 1990 I have published six books and a variety of journal papers, largely in the areas of e-business, IT strategy, and new forms of work and organization. My most recent book was A Brief Guide to Cloud Computing, published by Robinson in August 2010. My other books include my "Future Trilogy" of Cyber Business (John Wiley & Sons, 1995), Challenging reality (John Wiley & Sons, 1997) and Valueware (Praeger, 1999).

At present I am most focused on cloud computing, crowdsourcing, augmented reality (AR) Web 2.0, and as new forms of industrial convergence. This said, like any futurist, I do not like to focus too narrowly on anything in isolation. I am currently therefore writing about topics a diverse as Peak Oil and Peak Water, 3D printing, vertical farms, synthetic biology, electric vehicles, cybernetics, inorganic life and digital immortality. These and more are all included in my forthcoming book -- 25 Things You Need to Know About the Future – to be published by Constable in January 2012.

I am also the author of ExplainingComputers.com and ExplainingTheFuture.com and their associated YouTube channels, as well as the 3D Printing Directory.