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Fwd: new paper on p2p-urbanism
by Michel Bauwens 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

Dear friends, Michel has just put up my new paper at the P2P Foundation, so at least this version is officially published. Thanks to everyone for your helpful comments. http://zeta.math.utsa.edu/~yxk833/cognitivedissonance.pdf<http://zeta.math.utsa.edu/%7Eyxk833/cognitivedissonance.pdf> If you know someone who wants the source file, just let me know. Please feel free to republish the version from P2P, giving them due credit. http://p2pfoundation.net/Cognitive_Dissonance_and_Non-adaptive_Architecture Best wishes, Nikos -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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essential contribution to abundance economics?
by Michel Bauwens 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

Roberto, the first item is of particular interest: *Reviews* * Hartley Dean, Understanding Human Need, Policy Press, 2010, xvii + 217 pp, pbk, 1 84742 189 0, £21.99, hbk, 1 84742 190 6, £65* The concept of need is at least as complex as the human experiences to which we apply it, and this book brings some valuable order to the ways in which the term is used by policy makers and social scientists. The first substantive chapter (ch.2) understands 'inherent' need as needs which belong to every human being simply by virtue of our being human - and straightaway we are into a variety of ways of understanding need because the different ways in which we understand our human nature result in different understandings of inherent need. If we understand ourselves as utilitarian subjects then our needs will be understood as objective interests; if we understand ourselves as market actors, then our needs will be understood as subjective preferences; if we understand ourselves as psychological beings, then our needs will be understood as inner drives; and if we understand ourselves as members of a species, then we will understand our needs as (evolved) constitutive characteristics. Social policy is about the meeting of need, so how we understand need matters, which means that how we understand ourselves as human beings matters rather a lot. Whilst Dean recognises that all need is to some extent interpreted, he gives chapter 3 to 'interpreted need' as a concept: that is, to understandings of need drawn from our experience of society and its culture. All understanding of need is culturally specific, so, for instance, in our consumer society consumerism generates our understanding of need. Social policy relates to need as we understand it, and so to normative (i.e., expert-defined), felt, expressed and comparative needs, with their respective discovery methods: for instance, participatory methods for discovering expressed needs. Chapters 4 and 5 discuss poverty in terms of unmet need, inequality as a risk that some people's needs might not be met, social exclusion as exclusion from needs satisfaction, capabilities as the extent to which people are free to meet their needs, and 'recognition' as the extent to which people's needs are recognised. A tension underlying each discussion is that between the individuals' autonomy and our interdependency within society, and the related question: To what extent are my needs purely my own, and to what extent generated by and understood within our societal relationships? In this context Dean explores in chapter 6 what he clearly regards as a crucial distinction: that between 'thin' and 'thick' needs. Whilst a variety of expressions are given to this distinction, underlying all of them is the distinction between need as individual and need as social; and much of the rest of the book is taken up with exploring this distinction through discussion of differing theoretical standpoints. Chapter 7 develops a fourfold taxonomy of need constructed from the two main distinctions so far discussed: that between inherent and interpreted needs and that between thin and thick needs. Each resulting quadrant gives rise to a different social policy approach: *A taxonomy of needs-based approaches* (p.120) Chapter 8 explores the ways in which needs are understood to imply rights. Dean develops another fourfold taxonomy based on the distinction between 'doctrinal' (or normative) rights and claims-based (asserted) rights and the distinction between understanding ourselves as autonomous subjects (thin needs) and as potentially vulnerable and therefore interdependent subjects (thick needs). Each quadrant generates rights understood in particular ways: for instance, doctrinal rights and an understanding of the person as vulnerable generate citizenship rights based on needs understood as universal. Dean then shows how each of Esping-Andersen's welfare regime types prefers a particular category of rights: liberal welfare regimes selective rights, conservative regimes protective rights, social democratic regimes citizenship rights, and all of them conditional rights: and he offers a detailed critique of the 'welfare citizenship' to which social democracy has given birth. In the final chapter Dean suggests that 'our humanity depends … on social engagement and self-fulfilment' and that this implies universal and unconditional approaches to social policy and the meeting of both particular and common needs. His particular policy proposal is local social rights councils, but it could equally well have been a Citizen's Income, which does of course meet both particular and common needs as well as promoting both social engagement and self-fulfilment. The book contains summaries and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter, and a reading list at the end. There is an index, though unfortunately a flawed one: Bill Jordan is frequently quoted and is in the index; Fitzpatrick is also frequently quoted but isn't. Basic/Citizen's Income gets a brief mention on p.136, but you wouldn't know that from reading the index. But the index is a minor blemish on an important book: important because it lays an essential foundation for any future discussion of social policy and thus for any future discussion of universal benefits. *Bill Jordan, Why the Third Way Failed*, *Policy Press, 2010, iv + 228 pp, pbk 978 1 84742 656 7, £22.99, hbk, 978 1 84742 657 4, £65* Tony Blair's and New Labour's 'Third Way' expected contracts in free markets, detailed targets in the public sector, and close regulation of our collective life, to achieve social ends. Jordan's thesis throughout this carefully argued and quietly passionate book is that means need to cohere with ends: that is, that social and moral means are needed if moral and social ends are to be achieved; and that therefore individualistic market-oriented policies will struggle to deliver a sustainable and moral society. Under New Labour 'the collective processes at work in every society' were submerged beneath an emphasis on 'individuals, their choices, aspirations, and achievements'. What is now needed is a return to a social order understood as 'a moral order of interdependent members giving each other mutual recognition' (p.17). In the first part of his book Jordan outlines institutional arrangements which would enable 'justice, equality, wellbeing, respect and [a] sense of membership' (p.18) to flourish: lower benefits withdrawal rates, localism within a context of broader solidarities, and an openness to scientific advances. The second part of the book tackles the malaise into which New Labour stumbled: a reliance on contracts to solve social problems, and consumer choice. Jordan shows why contracts between a government and the commercial sector rarely work out as planned, and that consumer choice is rarely that. Underlying these particular problems was a touching faith in capitalism's ability to solve social problems, and in a rather dessicated economic logic. The proper role of economic science is as a tool in the cause of judgements made on the basis of moral regulation by social relationships constituted by ritual and symbol, and Jordan shows how New Labour failed to understand this. The third part of the book contains Jordan's policy prescription: a Citizen's Income to rebalance formal and informal work, and radical devolution of public services. He concludes that both contractual and moral regulation are required, and calls for 'a heightened awareness of broader common interests and a recognition of fellow citizens' (p.200). This book is classic Jordan, drawing in diverse material in the service of wide-ranging political critique and social justice. It is carefully argued - for instance, discussing in detail Žižek's doubts about a Citizen's Income; it is timely, because as well as offering a critique of the Third Way it asks questions of David Cameron's 'Big Society'; and it is gently inspiring, because it shows how a combination of not impossible policy changes could deliver a more just society. What is particularly uplifting about this book is that it could be read positively from within any of our three major political parties, which means that it has the potential to generate a common mind on how future social policy should be shaped. -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Fwd: Introduction to Socioeconomic Democracy
by Michel Bauwens 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

fyi: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Rob George <georgecsds(a)aol.com> Date: Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 6:05 AM Subject: Introduction to Socioeconomic Democracy To: michelsub2004(a)gmail.com, jevans(a)nonkilling.org The purpose of this Introduction to the work of the Center for the Study of Democratic Societies is twofold. First, it is to inform (or acknowledge agreement with) you that there are indeed rational, just, democratic, and peacefully realizable solutions to the world’s increasingly painful, unjust and unnecessary societal problems. Secondly, it is to invite you to participate in the democratic resolution of these unnecessary interlinked problems. As John Kenneth Galbraith laconically observed, “The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.” Yet the mishmash of conventional views, both amateur(ish) and professional(ish), is increasingly being seen and acknowledged to be the root cause of society’s needless and costly pain. The incompatible clamor for reduction of national, state, regional and municipal monetary debt, while insisting upon the provision of increased necessary governmental services for the already rich or hapless poor; the demand for reduced local crime and killings with “cost-saving” and "deficit-reduction" police layoffs, while tolerating/advocating increased global crime and killings with mercenary/military-industrial buildup; the plethora of unearned bonuses of nearsighted Banksters and unconscionable bludgeoning of necessary Budgets; the crescendo of cries for “unregulated” personal profit possibilities attempting to drown out the chorus seeking safe working conditions in dangerous, life-threatening and life-killing employment; the demand for more jobs, while neglecting the onslaught of economically efficient (and profitable, for whom?) technological advancement; the truly sad yet farcical salary conflicts between private and public sector wage earners, unionized or otherwise, surreptitiously encouraged by the economically comfortable who, equipped with "theoretically justifying economics texts" care about the welfare of neither; the increasingly familiar statistic that the “top” 1% of most any population controls more wealth than the “bottom” 90%, serving as a point of pride for a non-thinking citizenry of a laudably self-interested society espousing a contempt for a meaningful minimum wage; the increasing quibble between those who claim raising the retirement age and those who suggest reducing the retirement age can "help" solve the “lack of jobs” problem, while neither side considers either the advancement in automation or the rape and reduction in natural resources, and on and on, all add to the confusion and deadly conflict of humanity. Clear and unambiguous definition of these and numerous other critical matters is, of course, essential, if meaningful progress is to be realized. The definition of Socioeconomic Democracy, an advanced, fundamentally just and democratic socioeconomic system follows. It is on the basis of this definition of Socioeconomic Democracy that a straightforward politico-socio-economic Platform can be and has been articulated. It is further the case that this Democratic Socioeconomic Platform has been adopted by a presently existing political party and is now being considered for adoption by numerous other peacefully progressive political parties about the globe. Socioeconomic Democracy is a theoretically consistent and practically implementable socioeconomic system wherein there exist both some form and amount of locally appropriate Universally Guaranteed Personal Income and some form and amount of locally appropriate Maximum Allowable Personal Wealth, with both the lower bound on personal material poverty and the upper bound on personal material wealth set and adjusted democratically by all participants of that democratic society. As described at length elsewhere, Socioeconomic Democracy both creates economic incentive and provides necessary monetary funds to cause significant reduction in an almost surprisingly diverse array of unnecessary yet painful and deadly individual, societal and global problems. These problems are produced by currently inadequate, inaccurate and/or inconsistent assumptions, theories and practices of contemporary economics and politics. These unnecessary problems can be eliminated by a thoughtful and resolute application of meaningful democracy. These intimately intertwined problems include (but are by no means limited to) those familiar ones associated with: automation, computerization and robotization; budget deficits and national debts; bureaucracy; maltreatment of children; crime and punishment; development, sustainable or otherwise; ecology, environment, resources and pollution; education; the elderly; the feminine majority; inflation; international conflict; intranational conflict; involuntary employment; involuntary unemployment; labor strife and strikes; sick medical and health care; military metamorphosis; natural disasters; pay justice; planned obsolescence; political participation; poverty; racism; sexism; untamed technology; and the General Welfare. A successfully functioning Democracy requires, by definition, at least a majority of informed and thoughtful citizens participating in the political process in a wide variety of ways, ranging from essential theoretical developments to myriad practical activities. Those interested in contributing, in any sense, to the further development and realization of the ideas and benefits presented here, which are applicable throughout the world, are urged to get in contact with us, when you are ready. We further wish to reiterate our desire and determination to collaborate with all other individuals and organizations committed to all the other necessary aspects of the general survival and healthy developmental challenge confronting the human race. The following are a few relevant links connecting to material describing the evolution and exposition of the theory and practice of Socioeconomic Democracy: 1) Center for the Study of Democratic Societies http://www.CenterSDS.com <http://www.centersds.com/> 2) Socioeconomic Democracy: An Advanced Socioeconomic System http://www.centersds.com/thebook.htm 3) “A Democratic Socioeconomic Platform, in search of a Democratic Political Party” http://www.centersds.com/dsep.html 4) “Socioeconomic Democracy: A Nonkilling, Life-Affirming and Enhancing Psycho-Politico-Socio-Economic System” Global Nonkilling Working Paper #4|2010 http://www.nonkilling.org/node/20 5) “Socioeconomic Democracy: A Nonkilling, Life-Affirming and Enhancing Psycho-Politico-Socio-Economic System” Also appearing in PelicanWeb’s Journal of Sustainable Development http://www.pelicanweb.org/solisustv06n10page2robleygeorge.html 6) A list of the historical development of the ideas of Socioeconomic Democracy, as presented by this writer, starting in 1968, is available at http://www.centersds.com/biblio.htm 7) A Biography of this writer is available at http://www.centersds.com/bio.htm Sincerely, Robley E. George georgeCSDS(a)aol.com Director, Center for the Study of Democratic Societies<http://www.centersds.com/> Coordinador, Nonkilling Economics Research Committee<http://www.nonkilling.org/node/7> SocioEconomic Platform Policy Adviser, Canadian Civil Rights Party<http://www.raphael-louis.socialgo.com/groups/profile/8> -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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our egyptian coverage
by Michel Bauwens 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

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Re: [P2P-F] Wikileaks etc.
by Michel Bauwens 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

Dear ATHINA, you may have seen my take here at http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/social-media-and-social-revolutions-what-is-t… and some good analysis I have found, http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/social-media-and-social-revolution-2-the-disc… and: http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/ulises-mejias-the-twitter-revolution-must-die… 37 links on the internet aspects of Egypt, http://www.delicious.com/mbauwens/P2P-Egypt+P2P-Activism as well as 57 on the effects of the blackout, http://www.delicious.com/mbauwens/P2P-Egypt+P2P-Infrastructure brand new, but will grow in the future is http://www.delicious.com/mbauwens/P2P-Revolution vs http://www.delicious.com/mbauwens/P2P-Repression and of course, http://www.delicious.com/mbauwens/Wikileaks Michel On Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 10:48 PM, Athina Karatzogianni <athina.k(a)gmail.com>wrote: > Hi Michel > > I just emailed the CPOV list from the Wikipedia conference Geert did last > year the following email > > ------------- > Hi .....CPOV list > > > ......I am emailing the list to start a discussion, if people are at all > willing, on Wikileaks as > a side issue to this, and the overall social media factor concerning the > protests in Tunisia, Egypt and soon > to be elsewhere. > > The spectrum of issues is so far and wide, that attempting to take in the > empirical reality quickly enough to > advance our theoretical understanding of what is happening in so many areas > is head spinning. > > I am currently writing a couple of chapters for different book efforts, one > looking at Wikileaks as an actor in global politics and their effect > in relation to the content released and the media political economy of how > it was released, and another looking at Wikileaks > internally and the organizational, ideological, and internal issues > emerging in regards to leadership and forking to Openleaks. > Wikileaks is in a way a starting point to address issues lurking in my area > of expertise during the last decade. > > I hope this is not seen as too self-involved and I am wondering whether > other where doing similar work, > in which case it would be interesting for me to exchange some views on this > list or via one-to-one emails/chats at this point. > ------------------ > > I dont know whether you would be interested in starting some kind of debate > in the p2p list or the foundation blog that is focused on these issues, > perhaps collaborating on the p2p aspects of wikileaks and the internal > issues could be something everyone could talk about > > Cheers > > Athina > > > -- > <http://www.routledge.com/books/search/keywords/karatzogianni/> > Dr Athina Karatzogianni<http://www2.hull.ac.uk/FASS/humanities/media,_culture_and_society/staff/kar…> > Lecturer in Media, Culture and Society > The Dean's Representative (Chinese Partnerships) > Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences > The University of Hull > United Kingdom > HU6 7RX > T: ++44 (0) 1482 46 5790 > F: ++44 (0) 1482 466107 > E: a.karatzogianni(a)hull.ac.uk > Check out Athina's work<http://www.routledge.com/books/search/keywords/karatzogianni/> > > > -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Re: [P2P-F] [p2p-research] New MIT Press publication Access to Knowledge in the Age of Intellectual Property: understanding the state of play in global knowledge politics
by Michel Bauwens 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

great book indeed: http://p2pfoundation.net/Access_to_Knowledge_in_the_Age_of_Intellectual_Pro… see also the excerpts that were published in the blog, Michel On Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 11:37 PM, Samuel Rose <samuel.rose(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Via http://twitter.com/rcadler (Richard Adler) > > http://www.boingboing.net/2011/02/03/access-to-knowledge.html > > Access to Knowledge in the Age of Intellectual Property: understanding > the state of play in global knowledge politics > > > > -- > -- > Sam Rose > Future Forward Institute and Forward Foundation > Tel:+1(517) 639-1552 > Cel: +1-(517)-974-6451 > skype: samuelrose > email: samuel.rose(a)gmail.com > http://forwardfound.org > http://futureforwardinstitute.org > http://hollymeadcapital.com > http://p2pfoundation.net > http://socialmediaclassroom.com > > "The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human > ambition." - Carl Sagan > > _______________________________________________ > p2presearch mailing list > p2presearch(a)listcultures.org > http://listcultures.org/mailman/listinfo/p2presearch_listcultures.org > -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Fwd: Final Presentation: MY WEEK 2.0 - January 31 to February 6
by Michel Bauwens 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Sven G <svengoyvaerts(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 12:18 PM Subject: Final Presentation: MY WEEK 2.0 - January 31 to February 6 To: geoff(a)anti-thesis.net Dear all, This is a 'thank you' addressed to you personally by way of an invitation to my final presentation over at the post-master research course a.pass<http://www.apass.be/apt.php?cwPage=home>in Antwerp. For those people living abroad: you can tune in to the website<http://www.apass.be/apt.php>of our department onto which I post daily over the course of this final project *MY WEEK 2.0*<http://www.apass.be/apt.php?cwPage=browse%2Fprojecthome&cwProject=149> . In the attachment you will find some pictures of my installation set up on the 7th floor of arts centre deSingel in Antwerp - open daily from 11h to 18h. A new desktop video I posted today, as part of my presentation, where I credit each and everyone of you around 16 minutes into the video, can be watched here <http://www.vimeo.com/19546755>. Should you be in the country, then I do hope to see you at the exhibition of my year's work at my house in Antwerp this Sunday, February 6. All the best, Sven <http://www.apass.be/apt.php?cwPage=browse%2Fprojecthome&cwProject=149> -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Re: [P2P-F] ICE'2011 - Aachen from 20 to 22 June 2011 // LLSS 2011 - Barcelona from 29 August to 2 September 2011
by Michel Bauwens 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

thanks Mark, I'm sharing with the list, I personally can only go to events where I can get reimbursed or paid, even if only a little Michel On Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 1:16 PM, Mark Petz <ravenwyn(a)gmail.com> wrote: > I have been invited to submit for this. I won't go - too busy this year, > but maybe you want to submit something? Or have people that would like to. > You can send an exploratory mail to Marc if you want and probably it is OK > to network the conference details to others. > > Markus > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Marc Pallot <marc.pallot(a)esoce.net> > Date: Wed, Jan 26, 2011 at 6:54 PM > Subject: ICE'2011 - Aachen from 20 to 22 June 2011 // LLSS 2011 - Barcelona > from 29 August to 2 September 2011 > To: ravenwyn(a)gmail.com > > > Dear Markus, > > First of all, I'd like to wish you and your family all the best for the New > Year > with a lot of happyness and success all along 2011! > > There are two up-coming events that might be relevant to you: > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > The 17th Int'l conference on Concurent Enterprising ICE 2011 that will > take place in Aachen, Germany, from 20 to 22 June 2011. > > http://www.ice-conference.org/ > > This year the ICE conference will focus on “Innovating Products and > Services for > Collaborative Networks”. We would like to encourage you to submit an > extended > abstract, here are the important deadlines: > > Submission deadline for Extended Abstracts - 11 February 2011 > (Short extension in the deadline is possible on request) > > Notification of acceptance decision - 01 March 2011 > Submission of final paper - 01 April 2011 > > Submission of workshop proposals - 01 May 2011 > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > The second Living Lab Summer School (LLSS2011) that will be held in > Barcelona from 29 August to 02 September 2011. > > http://www.ami-communities.eu/wiki/LL_Summer_School > > This time it will be a complete week (5 days) and there will be a limited > number > of participants (about 70) for a good level of interaction. > > Go there for further information about the LLSS2011 and registration > (payment of > the registration fee will be available later on for registered people): > "the earlier you register, the better chance you have to book a seat" > > > We look forward to seeing you at these events, > Marc > > Marc Pallot > Centre for Concurrent Enterprise, > Nottingham University Business School > Collaborative Work & Infrastructure, > ESoCE-NET > > ------------------------- > > You are a registered member of the AMI@Work communities. If you want to > unsubscribe from this mailing list, please setup your mailing preferences > at http://www.ami-communities.eu/bscw/bscw.cgi?op=mailings > In case you forgot your password or user name follow the instructions at > http://www.ami-communities.eu/pub/bscw.cgi?op=id&[email protected] > In case you want to change your email address enter your new email address > at http://www.ami-communities.eu/bscw/bscw.cgi?op=chemail > wait for the registration email and confirm the new email address with > the registration link. > > > > -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Re: [P2P-F] Open Innovation and How to Foster it appols for X-post frm Nick Jankel
by Michel Bauwens 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

thanks Mark! On Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 1:27 PM, Mark Petz <ravenwyn(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Frm Nick Jankel <nick(a)wecreate.cc> > > > http://www.wecreate.cc/nuggets/nugget/the-key-to-sustainable-growth-buildin… > > Home <http://www.wecreate.cc/> > Nuggets > The Key to Sustainable Growth: > Building an Open Innovation Culture > The Key to Sustainable Growth: Building an Open Innovation Culture > > *January 26, 2011* > > A landmark report from The Judge Institute at Cambridge University, > published in the Journal of Marketing, has finally proved something of > unprecedented importance to all innovation professionals. Innovation success > is not driven by innovation process, star hires, R&D spend, budget or even > the country in which the company is based. In the study of 800 firms across > 17 countries, company culture was the single greatest determinant of > profitable innovation. Yet developing a culture of innovation, especially of > radical innovation, is extremely challenging - perhaps nothing could be more > challenging for an organisation, particularly those entrenched in > conventional, risk-averse and hierarchical management practices. What is > more, the usual costs associated with such a wholesale change management > process are prohibatively high in this economy and risk alientaing staff. > But there is another way... > > For those that commit to creating such a culture, the rewards are rich > indeed. Having an innovation culture is perhaps the greatest asset a company > such as Apple or Pixar has. It provides them with a unique, defensible and > sustainable capability to overcome market challenges whist concurrently > shaping the market to fit their own ideas and vision. We believe creating > bot just an innovation culture but an open, collaborative innovation culture > is the preeminent business challenge of this century. Given the evolutionary > law of requisite variety (organisms that thrive best are those that most > closely match the features of their environment), it is clear that > organisations that match the increasingly open and networked culture of our > emerging society will be best placed to capitalize on the vital role > distributed creativity (I.e. the wisdom of the crowd) can play in creating > profitable innovation. The era of GM stye hierarchies is coming to a close. > The future belongs to those who innovate, and do so collaboratively. > > Here are the 7 specific, smart and cost-effective tools and mechanics - the > ‘jewels\ to engineer an innovation culture that won’t break the bank or be > resisted by ‘business as usual’ attitudes and conventional behaviors of the > majority. > > 1. FOCUS ON FOSTERING A VIRAL INNOVATION CULTURE ONE MIND AND TEAM AT A > TIME > > Top down hierarchical initiatives designed to ‘make’ a company innovative > are expensive and far from certain to work, especially in challenging times > when entrenchment is common and ‘change fatigue’ an issue. Whilst one needs > definitive innovation leadership and commitment at the top, it it usually > fastest, more efficient and more effective to create an innovation culture > at the grassroots, one team / mind at a time. To make grassroots > transformation happen fastest, one needs to create a set of simple (but not > simplistic) tools, practices and principles, the best of which are set out > below. As Buckminster Fuller said, small interventions - put into motion in > specific sweetspots in the system - can create massive change. He called > these trim-tabs (after the tiny part of a rudder that can alter the course > of the largest tankers). A great way to find them in your organisation is > observational / ethnographic research into how your teams do and think and > what real and perceived obstacles exist for innovation. Then small but > powerful changes can be designed to transform ‘business as usual’ into > ‘innovation as usual’. The goal is to create the maximum conditions likely > to lead to sustained innovation - not mandating it from on high. Lasting > competitive advantage comes from harnessing distributed creativity inside > and outside of the organisation as a matter of course - no longer from > managing (through command and control) a small group of innovators in > traditional R&D depts. > > 2. INSTITUTIONALIZE INNOVATION HABITS USING HEURISTICS > > Innovation is not a ‘thing’. It is a set of behaviours or habits, driven by > a governing mindset. This is what a company culture is. Apple’s “best feat > may be the culture that helps generate so many folks who’ve gone on to > create great products elsewhere” (Business Week). As well as coaching and > training, we suggest designing and instilling a set of heuristics (or rules > of thumb) which the organisation uses semi-religiously and becomes ‘the way > things are done here’. E.g ‘Always look for the win win win.’ or ‘Fail fast > but only fail once’ or ‘Do things nobody else will do’. This also includes > strategically re-designing the way meetings are run, projects signed-off, > people appraised etc that generates an innovation culture every day. For > example, when people rubbish or critique an idea at any time in a meeting, > ensure that any team member has the right to challenge them to think of two > good reasons why the idea is good (and there are always two good reasons for > any idea, no matter what). New recruits can be invited as a matter of policy > to present to the team / management the 3 top things they would change about > the organisation, the company or its products, perhaps a month after joining > (when their critical capacities and lack of group think are keenest). These > small changes ensure new habits are built in the everyday moments when > culture is created and maintained. > > 3. DEFINE WHAT INNOVATION LOOKS LIKE USING THE POWER OF CHECKLISTS > > It is vital the the organisation gains consensus on what quality, > innovation and creativity look and feel like when you do create them. This > means knowing what the ‘minimal viable’ value add is. To create a common > approach - as well as ensure optimal iteration of all ideas as far as they > can be pushed - we use checklists, which are designed around organisational > values, business practices and goals. Checklists have been proven to be > extremely powerful in shifting behaviour in the real world and they are very > simple. They can be put on credit card sized aides, desk accoutrement or > within forms on and off line. > > 4. GIVE MAVERICKS & THEIR NETWORKS PERMISSION TO INVENT THE FUTURE > > Lack of ideas is never the problem. Most of the winning ideas already live > within your teams, partners, customers / users and networks. The trick is to > harness them within impactful and / or profitable innovation. Mavericks > within the team (and outside the organisation) have more ideas and passion > than most. But often they are sidetracked, ostracized or ignored. Clustered > around them are often the other kinds of people needed to generate > successful innovation - commercializers and those great at implementation. > Centralised R&D / innovation prevents distributed innovators from > prototyping, testing and iterating at the rapid pace they can work at when > not managed centrally. Give natural innovators permission - and space / time > / budget / credibility - to turn their ideas into innovations. Research also > shows that diverse teams are often better than crack teams at solving > complex problems so ensure that the team is made up of people that dont have > the same perspectives. Encourage team member to understand the vital > importance of their own personal and professional networks in their > innovation capacity - and give them time and space to nurture their strong > and weak ties inside and out (including online and in social media). Banning > Facebook may not make your organisation more competitive. > > 5. HARNESS THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE BY CELEBRATING THE ROLE OF INNOVATION IN > GENERATING FLOW STATES AND PERSONAL FULFILLMENT > > IIf you want people to shift to be more creative and inventive, show them > the benefits of being innovative rather than forcing them, cajoling them or > threatening them. Being innovative is a fundamental competitive advantage to > any professional and also has many positive benefits within our personal > lives. It allows us all to solve our own, and our organisation’s, problems > no matter what life throws at us. More than anything, innovators tend to > experience the psychological phenomenon of ‘flow’ far more often than others > because they are so engaged. Inspire your teams to explore their potential > as innovators and creative leaders for their own benefit. Fear rarely > creates the right conditions for innovation and it is vital to repeatedly > prove to people that taking risk and making mistakes will not lead to ‘pain’ > (in the form of ridicule, alienation etc) Once they start to shift, it is > vital that you trust them to grow and develop themselves and their ideas. > All innovation projects can lead to valuable learnings for individuals and > the organisation. This means you reframe ‘failure’ as ‘successfully learning > how not to do something’. > > 6. INCENTIVISE INNER MOTIVATION AS MUCH AS LEVERAGING FINANCIAL OR > PROFESSIONAL REWARD > > Recent research has shown that human beings are highly motivated by the > excitement and kudos of cracking a problem or mastering a new skill. In > fact, when we reward inner motivated people with money or promotion, often > their performance falls! True innovators are highly motivated by > problem-solving, making things better and taking on new challenges so allow > them to self-organize and self-direct. That said, for many others types of > people necessary within innovation teams, unless innovation habits or > behaviours are measured in evaluation programs, it will not be prioritized. > Ensure your incentivisation levers are balanced, rewarding innovation with a > mix of credibility / kudos, promotion and material benefits. With open > innovation, sharing rewards is as important as sharing the efforts. > Incentivising entire teams can work better than incentivisng individuals > which can just drives non-collaborative practices. > > 7.GIVE INNOVATION CLEARLY SANCTIONED SPACE (& BRING IT TO LIFE) > > Unless innovation has an officially sanctioned physical place and > conceptual space, it will often peter out. GIve people time to experiment, > try new protocols, shift their mindset as well as space to take real risks > and make mistakes. Signal to teams that some areas of the office (which can > grow over time as the viral innovation culture spreads) are set up for > innovation. In some cases, taking people out of the office into a new space > like a ‘skunkworks’ - where new habits / principles apply rather than the > old ways of doing things - can radically shift their behavior towards > innovation (and it can replicate the start-up atmosphere that leads to more > disruptive innovation). Turn complex innovation processes and approaches > into visual tools that can go on walls, in rooms and even on the floor. We > even work to turn innovation process into 3D experiences, as in the latest > museum exhibits, that act as both training programs, design tools and *aide > memoires*. > > -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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Fwd: Visit Paintings Online : Google Art Project
by Michel Bauwens 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dante-Gabryell Monson <dante.monson(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 12:57 AM Subject: Visit Paintings Online : Google Art Project To: hc_ecology(a)yahoogroups.com, sustainable_solidarity(a)yahoogroups.com, econowmix(a)googlegroups.com zoom into paintings : http://www.googleartproject.com/ * <http://www.googleartproject.com/>" Explore museums from around the world, discover and view hundreds of artworks at incredible zoom levels, and even create and share your own collection of masterpieces."* -- P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss: http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens; http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

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