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We-think: The Power of Mass Creativity | 
 enlarge | Author: Charles Leadbeater
Publisher: Profile Books Ltd
Category: Book
List Price: £12.99
Buy New: £6.43
You Save: £6.56 (51%)
New (25) Used (6) from £5.80
Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 980
Media: Paperback
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.5 x 5.3 x 1.1
ISBN: 1861978928
EAN: 9781861978929
ASIN: 1861978928
Publication Date: February 18, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new book sourced directly from the publisher. Delivery in 3-5 days. Customer service 7 days per week
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| Customer Reviews:
 A good primer on the collaboration business model June 8, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Charlie Leadbeater has written a very well researched and approachable introduction to collaboration and creativity. His illustrations of how successful enterprises can be built by harnessing the "Pro-Am" (the amateur who is as skilled as a professional) are sources of hope. He is undoubtedly right but he has also missed a couple of good points. The first is that in science and engineering like Moore's Law (in respect of computer power) and Sod's law ( in respect of things in general) there is Stigler's Law of Inventions: "No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." No modern scientific or engineering discovery can be laid at the door of one person - the reality is that multiple entirely independent individuals come up with the same thing at the same time. From the lightbulb to the telephone this has always been shown to be true. This is where "We-Think" can gain its power since, thanks to the Internet entirely independent individuals can collaborate to innovate and invent at warp speed
The second point which Charlie misses (or, to be fair, probably choose not to mention since I believe he is is fully aware of the issue) is the inability of the legal system to protect inventions and technologies developed through collaboration. Brainstorming solutions to problems is overrated - it is easy to brainstorm but it is hard to execute the ideas that have come from the brainstorm. "We-Think" collaboration suggests a mechanism to do just that - but the business models to protect the collaborative effort do not yet exist. (I have some possible solutions but a review of this book is not the place to discuss them.)
All in all a fascinating and thought provoking read - hence the five stars.
 Where did the author go? June 1, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A lot of factual books acknowledge the input of others but then let it be known that the work is in the end totally the author's responsibility. Here the author admits to strong input from outsiders having let it be edited under a wiki format on the web. In the end I don't think you hear Charles Leadbeater's heart or soul in this book but a lot of pussy footing around the subject having tried to accomodate multiple viewpoints.
Contrast Benkler's Wealth of Network's which although available as a wiki the hard copy delivers Benkler's authorship.
Interesting book in the nonetheless in a Cluetrain sort of way!
balanaced April 3, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
A very well balanced book that looks at both the pros and cons of growing communities on the web. A book that will make you think.
This is a fantastic book... February 28, 2008
11 out of 14 found this review helpful
This is a fantastic book. Let me say I'm a sceptic when it comes to the web: okay, I buy from amazon but I think second life is really dull and I only signed up 3 friends on facebook before I got bored. So when I was given this I thought it would just wind me up. It did the opposite. It explains what `open source' actually means, why it goes way beyond the geeks who support linux or play tedious computer games and could affect us all. It suggest answers to those obvious questions like `if everyone is sharing all their knowledge how is anyone going to make a living?' Charles is also really encouraging about the impact of the new technology on the developing world - I always thought the divide between the `information rich' and `information poor' was just going to widen. And the book is optimistic!!! Read it. It inspires.
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