Globalization & Collaboration

Don Tapscott, author of Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything, states that the new art and science of wikinomics is based on four powerful new ideas: openness, peering, sharing, and acting globally. This section of my blog explores that theory and why.

Openness: A specific example here is when Microsoft and Cisco decided to work together in certain markets. Traditionally, these two companies were competitors but decided that it would be beneficial to their respective customers if they were to instead work together. Even thought they dominated in different markets, as they began to expand, they found that they were stepping on each others toes. These markets included security, mobile computing, information technology architecture and unified communications.[1,2]
This is a good idea because the union of these two companies will allow for products that are interoperable thus decreasing customer confusion as to which products will best enhance their current product base.

Peering: This is where a multitude of people come together to collaborate on a certain project and work to enhance it. This is particularly true with open source technology. As an example, we can look at a file format called open Document. It "is a file format for electronic office documents such as spreadsheets, charts, presentations and word processing documents." "Organizations and individuals that store their data in an open format such as OpenDocument avoid being locked in to a single software vendor, leaving them free to switch software if their current vendor goes out of business, raises their prices, changes their software, or changes their licensing terms to something less favorable."
This is a good idea because it gives people choices of what type of software they are using as well as the flexibility to change. They are not locked into one vendor thus being or becoming a victim to high licensing fees or incompatibility with new software.[3,4]

Sharing: When we think of sharing, I believe peer to peer sharing comes to mind. This gained popularity with peer to peer sharing applications such as Filezilla, and eDonkey (primarily music sharing apps). When sites such as Kazaa and LimeWire were targeted because of illegal file sharing, users sought to get around the legality by sharing with one another (which is borderline permissible). There are other peer to peer entities that operate from the same ideals. For example, there is peer to peer lending sites. These sites allow for borrowers and lenders to come together is a way that is beneficial to them both. It is beneficial for borrowers in that they usually receive a lower interest rate and beneficial for the lenders in that they will usually receive a better return on their investment (loan to the borrower).[5]

Acting Globally: What this idea is all about is companies being able to "know the world, its markets, technologies, people" and culture. AN example of a company that does this well is IBM. IBM understands what it takes to have a global presence and cater to those in these individual markets. There are different demands in the market which is highly dependent on location. IBM understands these challenges and is a true global company. "As the largest provider of IT services in the world, IBM manages thousands of client and partner relationships in some 170 countries." [6]


These collaborative technologies do address the global issues that we have looked at so far. Within the goals set by the MDG, it is understood that the world's most robust countries and corporations must unify to eradicate poverty and increase education. By employing the idea set forth in this reading, there is no doubt that eventually, the goals will be reached.


References:

1. http://news.cnet.com/Cisco,-Microsoft-Cozy-competitors/2100-1014_3-6203541.html

2. http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/MSFTCisco/default.mspx

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source

4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDocument

5. http://www.peer-lend.com/

6. http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/25498.wss