Memory is often described as being like a muscle - the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. In an age where information is just a click away, are we losing the capacity for remembering information and data... and does it even matter? 

In my role consulting with and speaking to business leaders, the most common complaint I come across relates to what managers describe as a lack of work ethic in young people. While many of the frustrations of older generations centre on the fact that Gen Y often prioritise their personal life over their professional obligations, the point still stands that work ethic in western society has steadily eroded in recent years – to the detriment of organisations and the customers they serve.

In the late 16th century, a medical student in the Italian city of Pisa observed a swinging chandelier with interest. Later, after scrutinizing a collection of chandeliers of all shapes and sizes arcing from left to right the student, one Galileo Galilei, concluded that whatever their form or size, chandeliers take roughly the same time to complete one arc.

Galileo's subsequent experiments led to theories that rocked the prevalent school of thought in Europe at the time – namely that the universe revolved around the Earth.

Of all the shifts and changes that the coming year will bring, I suspect that 2013 will be looked back on as the year that marked the Death of the Gatekeeper. Known technically as 'disintermediation', recent years have seen the viability and necessity of middlemen significantly eroded – an erosion that will gather pace in the coming 12 months.

From travel agents to financial planners and stockbrokers, modern technologies and the Internet in particular have seen a profound change in the nature of distribution. The gates have been blown wide open – consumers can now connect directly with service providers and have access to ample information with which they can make intelligent buying decisions.