Wikinomics

Starred review from September 15, 2007
Tapscott ("The Digital Economy"), chief executive of New Paradigm, a think tank and strategy consulting company, and Williams, New Paradigms research director, present a fascinating analysis of the quickly changing world of Internet togetherness, also known as mass or global collaboration, and what those changes mean for business and technology. As most listeners know by now, the word "wiki" is short for wiki wiki in Hawaiian, which means quick, and the best known of these collaborative web sites is, of course, Wikipedia. While the interesting history and implications of Wikipedia are covered, along with its inevitable spin-offs, such as Scholarpedia, Conservapedia, and Lyricwiki, the authors also discuss the background and impact of other success stories of global collaboration and explain how these tools have been integrated within the business operations of Procter & Gamble, Boeing, and BMW, as well as numerous software and smaller niche companies. Tapscott and Williams nicely weave their solid analysis with the accompanying reasonable calls for concern that reliable sources of business or information may be overtaken by an anonymous mass mediocrity and the equally critical concern that free goods and services created by the masses compete with proprietary marketplace offerings. The authors also provide sound suggestions for business leaders who wish to harness the collective capabilities and genius of mass collaboration to stimulate innovation, growth, and success. Alan Sklars rich, deep bass narration maintains listener interest in this densely packed work. Highly recommended for business collections in university and larger public libraries.Dale Farris, Groves, TX

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2007
The word "wiki" means "quick" in Hawaiian, and here author and think tank CEO Tapscott (The Naked Corporation), along with research director Williams, paint in vibrant colors the quickly changing world of Internet togetherness, also known as mass or global collaboration, and what those changes mean for business and technology. Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia written, compiled, edited and re-edited by "ordinary people" is the most ubiquitous example, and its history makes remarkable reading. But also considered are lesser-known success stories of global collaboration that star Procter & Gamble, BMW, Lego and a host of software and niche companies. Problems arise when the authors indulge an outsized sense of scope-"this may be the birth of a new era, perhaps even a golden one, on par with the Italian renaissance, or the rise of Athenian democracy"-while acknowledging only reluctantly the caveats of weighty sources like Microsoft's Bill Gates. Methods for exploiting the power of collaborative production are outlined throughout, an alluring compendium of ways to throw open previously guarded intellectual property and to invite in previously unavailable ideas that hide within the populace at large. This clear and meticulously researched primer gives business leaders big leg up on mass collaboration possibilities; as such, it makes a fine next-step companion piece to James Surowiecki's 2004 bestseller The Wisdom of Crowds.