Open Source in the Boardroom
Click to Listen to the Show (24 MB MP3)
That’s open source, the general ethos, not Open Source, the public radio show. Because it’s not just about techies in their pajamas anymore, creating Linux for the glory of it. It’s also about gold-mine prospecting, and international coding competitions, and even soda marketing. It’s one of the ways — one of the few ways — that smart companies can get ahead of the rest of the pack, says business writer William Taylor in his new manifesto Mavericks at Work.
Taylor argues that companies of all kinds are very quickly waking to the notion that their consumers are smarter than they are… and are finally treating them as such. But this isn’t the touchy-feely, Open Source version of open source cooperation, knowledge sharing, and democratized participation — at least not as an end in itself. This is about cut-throat capitalism and the bottom line. This is about harnessing the wisdom and expertise of “pro-ams” — “amateurs who work to professional standards” — to beat the crap out of the competition, and to get rich in the process. Needless to say, we’re eager to learn.
William Taylor
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Author, Mavericks at Work
Founding Editor, Fast Company
Jack Hughes
- Founder and Chairman, TopCoder
Rob McEwen
- CEO and Chairman, U.S. Gold
Peter van Stolk
- Founder and CEO, Jones Soda
September 28th, 2006 at 12:17 am
As long as you’re having business authors on, you might as well consider Andy Savitz, who locally led PwC’s Sustainability Business Services practice, and has just co-authored The Triple Bottom Line.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:20 am
This is about harnessing the wisdom and expertise of “pro-ams†— “amateurs who work to professional standards†— to beat the crap out of the competition, and to get rich in the process. Needless to say, we’re eager to learn.
Why?
I’m am always eager to know more about how Capitalism works, as it is such a creative destructive force in society and impacts all our lives, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse, depending on where we are situated and whether we are better equipt to survive the storms. But do we really need to learn how to “beat the crap out of the competition” ? Why not learn how to cooperate with each other in order to build a socially just and safe world?
If you ROS is so eager to “get rich”, maybe it should get out of the public radio stream and jump into the roaring river of private media, where insightful voices are downed out by the noise from all the screaming heads.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:22 am
The last part of the previous post, starting from Why?, should not have been in italics.
September 28th, 2006 at 1:07 am
Just wanted to add some more depth about why I think Andy would be a neat counterweight to William Taylor.
Call me a skeptic, but the publisher’s note on Mavericks at Work lists business axioms as old as the hills: be different, listen to your customers, etc. Years back when I read The Cluetrain Manifesto, a marketing book much loved by bloggers, I said, this is new? Certainly, what is new is the ability to conduct public forums over the Internet. Maybe I’m too young: all of this is obvious to me.
Nothing against the book, it’s always nice to have a source which lists some winning ideas from business, and if they’re written in a good narrative form, they’ll stick.
The “open source” movement says that the user can be the implementer. But the “open governance” has a much wider appeal. That is, while I’m a shareholder in, and a customer of, Exxon-Mobil, there’s very little I can do to influence this firm, I don’t know enough about oil. But I do want open governance, whether it is the petroleum industry or the MBTA. (not to mention the very fact that the public is invited to board meetings of WGBH, which carries this show, says something about open governance).
Savitz focuses more on open corporate governance in The Triple Bottom Line– corporate accountability on not just financials, but environmental and social impact. The book also relies on the nitty-gritty details of compliance, testing, and reporting.
I guess you can frame the debate: maverick innovation vs. standards compliance. Which is more important for contemporary businesses to focus on?
September 28th, 2006 at 11:39 am
This show should be good - I hope it’s balanced with actual ompanies that beat the crap out the competition using pro-ams, and not just some author talking in broad terms with no one on air to provide a view from the trenches.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:40 am
‘ompanies,’ while funny sounding, should be ‘companies’
September 28th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
Sidewalker, I think you might be overreacting a little. I took it as David being a little facetious with the “rich” remark. You’re not against this program before you’ve even heard it, are you?
September 28th, 2006 at 6:03 pm
As I stated, nother, I am always interested to gain knowledge about the workings of capitalism and I look forward to the programme.
Were you being facetious David? If so, then I am sorry if you were offended. No, let me try that again. I apologize for my pointed comment. Wait! How about we talk about it over sushi and sake?
September 29th, 2006 at 1:07 am
I’m not convinced the Imperial CEO is dead in favor of the ‘humble’ entrepreuner who convincingly listens. Certainly, I would never claim that active listening and one-on-one with others isn’t exciting and beneficial in the boardroom. This really supports an environment of innovation. Furthermore, lateral dialogue is more important in the business world every day as information speeds accelerate. However, there can be a strength in strong personalities that are confident to excercise their thoughts and act on good decisions with recognition. The Imperial CEO can be intimidating at times, but this personality also lends itself to charismatic characteristics. Loyalty is engendered in those who work for the Imperial CEO, because of the confidence that is necessary to lead business through competitive markets.
September 29th, 2006 at 11:26 am
Hey guys,
Sorry to have been such a ghost.
I just wanted to say that I thought this show was fascinating. Y’all are justifiably wary of harping on OS, but I thought this was a really successful hour. Thanks!
Henry
September 29th, 2006 at 1:28 pm
[...] McEwen of US Gold, and Peter van Stolk of Jones Soda—participated in the show on “Open Source in the Boardroom.” It was great fun–and a great chance for y [...]
October 2nd, 2006 at 9:15 am
[...] S. Gold’s Rob McEwen, and Jones Soda’s Peter van Stolk at public-radio’s Chris Lydon’s site. Check out the book. Honestly, I read it on vacation. It&# [...]
October 2nd, 2006 at 9:09 pm
This recent wave of commercial open source development should be approached with caution. While the process generates a rejuvenating spark, as in the examples on this episode, it fails to recognize the long-term contribution of innovators. These contests undermine innovation.
Many of the innovation sources to the companies in this episode were compensated in cash. These prizes, though a nice windfall, can’t possibly reflect the future earnings these commercial enterprises garner. In effect, commercial open sourcers who don’t offer at least a little equity in their venture are discounting the hard work of their sources. It’s only a matter of time before the sources figure this out.
Lydon alluded to these companies going a bit further, suggesting they could offer health insurance. It’s too bad this insightful question was laughed off by Taylor, because it might have lead to an interesting discussion about the real value of innovators.
Unless contibutors are compensated at least a little for their work, this system is doomed.
October 3rd, 2006 at 8:01 am
[...] I’m listening to a great (podcast) show about how Open Source relates to business. Open Source in the Boardroom - Chr [...]
October 19th, 2006 at 5:42 pm
I LOVED this show! It deserves to be in your TOP TEN LIST of all time shows! Many open source shows are interesting, especially those on political topics, but this was the first BUSINESS show I have heard that so entranced me I missed two turns on my normal commute!!!
In particular, I liked both the stories that David Taylor told and the stories that his case study providers told–All three were great! But Rob McEwen stole the show!
I would love to try the same format with some of the more interesting case study providers from MY new book–Outside Innovation…Richard Duvall from Zopa, Mary Obana from KokoFitness, Greg Selkoe from Karmaloop and Mitchell Baker from Mozilla and maybe, while we’re on the topic of Open Source, Pat Kerpan from Cohesive FT… Let me know and we’ll make this happen!
Patty Seybold
October 27th, 2006 at 4:41 pm
[...] caution. While the process generates a rejuvenating spark, as in the examples on a recent episod [...]
November 28th, 2006 at 7:43 pm
[...] n principle, the advice is simple: engage in full and frank discussions, …Read more: here This entry was posted on [...]
November 29th, 2006 at 4:20 am
After reading the chapter on applying Open Source concepts to business, I started thinking about how I could apply the concept to my own work.
I’m a guitar teacher with a website that gets between 6500 and 7500 visits a day. I’m looking for a way to convert my website traffic into some additional income (the website’s main purpose is to advertise my guitar lessons). I’ve decided to offer $100, plus 10% of profit in 2007, to the best idea submitted by January 31. I realize it’s not much money, but it could be fun to give it a shot. I’ll bet some of you marketing geniuses out there would have some good ideas.
Details here: http://www.heartwoodguitar.com/WordPressBlog/?p=70
Good luck,
Rob
December 2nd, 2006 at 2:00 am
[...] principle, the advice is simple: engage in full and frank discussions, … Read more: here
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February 22nd, 2007 at 2:15 pm
Of course this is a cheap source of labor and sure it’s good for business. But C.L. neglected to push Taylor about the health insurance crap (”saucy” business) and other patronizing comments that came out of Taylor’s mouth, brushing it aside as Taylor intended.
C.L. is falling for the spin as these CEO’s expect the populace to.
As WC Fields said “never give a sucker an even break”. And business never will until and when people are hurting and get smart enough to see what is being done to them. Instead, they will be lulled into early graves from blacking out on fast food-induced diabetes. I guess it’s ok then.
Eventually, all the king’s horses and all the king’s men will come tumbling down again….on all our backs. If you can’t compete then it’s survival of the fittest. I guess we all deserve what we get.
~mz