Wikinomics

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Wikinomics
Image:Wikinomics front cover.png
Front cover of Wikinomics
Author Don Tapscott, Anthony D. Williams
Language English
Publisher Portfolio
Publication date December 2006

Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything is a book by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams first published in December 2006. It explores how some companies in the early 21st century have used mass collaboration (also called peer production) and open-source technology such as wikis to be successful.

Contents

[edit] Concepts

According to Tapscott, Wikinomics is based on four ideas: Openness, Peering, Sharing, and Acting Globally. The use of mass collaboration in a business environment, in recent history, can be seen as an extension of the trend in business to outsource: externalize formerly internal business functions to other business entities. The difference however is that instead of an organized business body brought into being specifically for a unique function, mass collaboration relies on free individual agents to come together and cooperate to improve a given operation or solve a problem. This kind of outsourcing is also referred to as crowdsourcing, to reflect this difference. This can be incentivized by a reward system, though it is not required.

The book also discusses the seven new models of mass collaboration:

  • peer pioneers
  • ideagoras
  • prosumers
  • new Alexandrians
  • platforms for participation
  • global plant floor
  • wiki workplace

The last chapter is written by viewers, and was opened for editing on February 5, 2007.

[edit] Summary of Academic Reviews

A review of this book in the Harvard Business Review states "like its title, the book's prose can fall into breathless hype." [1] A review of this book in Choice recommends the book for "general readers and practitioners," but cautions that the authors "present an optimistic overview of successful collaborations and business ventures", "use unique terms (e.g., marketocracy, prosumption, knowledge commons)", should have given "more consideration [to] the darker sides of human motivation as well as groupthink and mass mediocrity", and "primarily draw on their own observations of businesses and trends for the ideas presented." [2]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Harvard Business Review, March 2007 v85 i3 p34(1)
  2. ^ CHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries August 2007 v44 i12 p2147

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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