Relationships 101... The "true impact of women" in the workplace will be demonstrated in "how we function as organizations." That's Barbara Sullivan, Global Program Manager - WorkPlace Resources at Cisco, writing in response to the recent Dispatch, Will Women Drive Office Demand? (Jul 1). Her tagline puts it simply, "Work: Something You Do. Not Someplace You Go."

According to Sullivan, "The end of the isolated management office and the cube farm will naturally evolve. However, their demise will be accentuated and accelerated by the female propensity for establishing relationships. Flexible, casual community spaces, temporal ownership, and a shift in the meeting versus private spaces...will soon be the norm. Even colors and textures will start to play a role as women appreciate more complex, layering approaches to their environment."

Amber Ragghanti at Grubb & Ellis|BRE Commercial in San Diego, urged me to look beyond issues of shopping and daycare. "As the boundaries of the historic business world evolve, so does the female role...Dads are Moms. Moms are bread winners. Shopping is a shared chore. As for office demand, think connectivity, efficiency and say good-bye to the ego office in lieu of lower overhead."

Martha Paschal, a non-profit housing developer in the Washington DC metro, reminds Dispatch readers that "affordable day-care" is still a hugely important issue. "Could you request ideas from around the country on how municipalities and employers are dealing with this issue, since in some cases people pay as much, if not more than, their mortgage for childcare?" Send Paschal your comments.

Spread the Word... Many thanks to Brian McGowan, CEO of Peracon, for sponsoring this week's Dispatch. Peracon provides online transaction management services. If you would like to tell Dispatch readers about your services, send e-mail or call 415-485-6700.

--Peter Pike