Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Smells like reciprocity to me...

Jeremy Zawodny: writes
"The PC is no longer the only battleground. The Internet is the new medium and it has the effect of leveling the playing field. While this isn't a new insight, let me say it in two specific ways:

1. The web enables infinite distribution of content without any special effort or infrastructure.
2. The web extends the reach of our apps and services as far as we're willing to let them go.

Both notions come back to ubiquity. If your stuff (and your brand) is everywhere, you win. The money will follow. It always does.

The closer to everywhere you can reach, the better off you'll be.
Where is everywhere?

The notion of everywhere has changed too. It's not just about every desktop anymore. It's about every Internet-enabled device: cell phone, desktop, laptop, tablet, palmtop, PDA, Tivo, set-top box, game console, and so on.

Everywhere also includes being on web sites you've never seen and in media that you may not yet understand.
What to do?

So how does a company take advantage of these properties? There are three pieces to the puzzle as I see it:

1. do something useful really really well
2. put the user in control by allowing access to your data and services in an easy and unrestricted way
3. share the wealth

It sounds simple, doesn't it? Unfortunately, there are very few companies who get it. Doing so requires a someone with real vision and the courage to make some very big leaps of faith. Those are rare in today's corporate leadership. Startups are more likely to have what it takes, partly because they have less to lose."

Jeremy goes on to give advice for the business sector, but I think it is worthwhile to suggest how this applies to the non-profit/NGO sector. This is particularly relevant because not only do NGOs compete for funds, but they compete for mindshare. What if the "business model" was to compete for providing something useful, really well, which is controlled by the user and shares the wealth? Radical departure? What if organizations were rewarded (by getting funding) by exhibiting these charactaristics? Just imagine the face of social change, environmentalism, and promotion of peace.

[via Stephen Downes]

1 Comments:

Anonymous J Christian Connett said...

I want to praise you for your post! I am excited to see that you have a GREAT view on what we truly need.

That being said, please check out my brand new; ReciprocityBlog - http://www.reciprocityblog.com
Let me know what you think. Also, I will add you to our Blogroll...

Contact me at your convenience, I would like to discuss what we could do for you!

To forward thinking...
J Christian Connett, CPM

10:24 PM  

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