An Experiment in Open Source Business Ownership
July 18th, 2005I don't have time to blog today...I'm preparing to fly out for the AlwaysOn Network event at Stanford...but I got this email about a very cool "wisdom of the crowds" concept where a group of 2,500 or so individuals will build and manage a new business by voting on the plan, who to hire, products to create, how to market them, etc. It's really a wild notion. I hope some journalist will pick up on this, interview the creator, watch the creation of this business over time, and write some interesting story about it.
Here's the email I got from the founder. I don't know enough about it yet to endorse it, but I like the experiment at first glance:
I've been searching the blogosphere for people interested in entrepreneurship and unique ideas to promote something new, www.thebusinessexperiment.com. It's an open source, "wisdom of crowds" approach to business. It may fail miserably, or it may change the way we think about business. I don't know, but it is my attempt to get these ideas more attention. I hope you will check it out and, if you like it, register and participate.
My initial post explaining it can be found at http://www.businesspundit.com/archives/002142.htmlBest regards,Rob May
Check it out and tell me what you think.
Posted in: Business Models Open Source
July 18th, 2005 at 22:07 PM
Hmmm. Very interesting. Can a business be run as a pure democracy? My gut says no. My instinct is that SOMEONE has to steer it, or you will have mass hysteria or illogical decisions being made. However, I always believe in testing everything, plus, I find the idea very intriguing. Therefore, I signed up to check it out. I'll participate to the fullest, and report back to you what's happening from time to time if you wish.
July 22nd, 2005 at 02:07 AM
Paul:
I am also at the AO Innovation Summit in Stanford and would love to meet you. I read your blog frequently and I truly appreciate the great content and advice.
Will you be in the conference tomorrow?
Best regards,
Carlos García
Chief Strategist, partner
NOBOX MARKETING GROUP, INC.
July 25th, 2005 at 04:07 AM
interesting. I'll sign on...there's also this: http://adbusters.org/metas/corpo/blackspotsneaker/home.html
July 24th, 2005 at 17:07 PM
Hi Paul,
I am very impressed by your cresdentials and thought you are one of the best person I could find to help me with my research.
As my company is holding the 1st Asian Corporate Blogging Conference, I am trying to gather some views from top level executives who are blogging.
Thus, I would like to establish a contact with you. However, I cannot find your email address, so I guess I can only leave my email address behind ::
blogo@maillennia.euro.st
July 25th, 2005 at 16:07 PM
In principle I love the idea but in reality I wonder...
I have a hard enough time as a one person business making decisions, and the bigger my clients in numbers of staff, the slower the decision making process.
I'll be interested to learn how this idea works.
Stay in touch,
Charlie Cook
Small Business Marketing Guru
www.marketingforsuccess.com
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