The Year 2000 problem and the currency conversion to the Euro are consuming a lot of dollars that are then not available to spend on innovation. But natural forces tend to lead business to make the right investments without outside prodding. The best businesses are those that see software as a strategic weapon, if you will. Its future depends on its ability to use software to make that change. Businesses that don't understand that will fall behind.
Software is a technology that knows no political bounds.
Gain broad experience and seek an understanding of systems issues and of teams. There are two specific areas one should focus on. First, there's a need for continued growth in the levels of abstraction, from languages to tools to methodologies. Witness component-based software today. The second area is in the importance of the individual to the team.