The internet has allowed for users to become innovative! The whole idea of crowdsourcing is something I would have considered a fad. Taking ideas and suggestions from people around the world and having experts work on those ideas is a very unconventional type of teamwork. Innovators, such as the average blogger/inventor are playing a crucial role in the success of many companies.
Users and companies seem to share a similar relationship to that of Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes. It's pretty cool how these two relationships benefit from one another, according to CBC- The-Current- Cambrian House Crowdsourcing. Its like companies are outsourcing ideas. Something I thought never could have been outsourced.
The following article I read, Big Firms Eye 'Open Innovation' for Ideas, really complimented the first. It also showed the alternative reaction of this relationship between independent inventor and big company. The big company can literally STEAL of the inventor's idea pitch. SO at the same, we as the average person, should watch out for this and make sure all the necessary forms be filled.
I found that crowdsourcing is the new way for both inventors to be creative and make a living, other than the conventional 9-5 job, and for companies to get an edge of competitors by having that outside thinking. At the same time, I feel that ethically, there can be some gray areas that can be exploited by the companies.
Interesting materials I looked at. Pretty cool stuff.
Stay tuned next week! CHANDOO OUT!
Through crowdsourcing, companies solicit ideas from voluntary innovators. Once an idea is submitted, it can be adopted by any business without compensation (if you are not the winner). It is difficult to prove your idea has been taken. It seems like the reward of the winning product is so small that it’s hard to imagine that anyone can make a living out of it. It’s more like a side job where you make additional cash.
ReplyDeleteWith crowdsourcing, I thought that companies were outsourcing their problems to creative thinkers while acquiring new ideas rather than outsourcing ideas. Someone please correct me if am wrong, I don't want to misinterpret what it means. But I agree with Samantha, I doubt that anyone can make a living out of it.
ReplyDeleteI feel like it is important for the people that are trying to be the winners of these jobs to ensure that they can retain any and all rights of their idea. If this happens I believe crowdsourcing will be incredibly effective while still fair to the designers.
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