Wednesday, March 19, 2003

Handset makers find more ways to connect. Handset makers are looking to give people the ability to connect to different types of wireless networks--all on one device. [CNET News.com] comment [] 4:19:24 PM

Wirearchy? So, we invent a new word to cover a phenomenon that has been happing for the past decade?  Come on, the companies that "got" the message on how changing process from "scientific management" to empowerment were the ones that discovered greater productivity gains (take for example Google, which uses teams of engineers without the overhead of management to continue innovation).  This is hardly new.  However, continued advances in networking will only help to carry the trend forward into places yet to realize the true gains from technology advances. On to the Next Act. I see by Jon Husband that we're still caught in a fuck warp with the RIAA. On a positive note, Jon likes Xpertweb: It seems to me that if Xpertweb or its derivatives work, and if The Support Economy eventually becomes the next form of capitalism, the organizational forms that are spawned will not operate on hierarchical principles. This model will create an understanding of wirearchy, and how it operates. For now, the means to bring wirearchy into being are being explored, and the blueprints are being pored over by the architects, engineers and contractors. In Wirearchy, Jon writes, There¹s a shift happening, from command-and-control to champion-and-channel . When customers have more power and employees want to communicate and be heard, the dynamics have to change. The impact of hyperlinked, horizontal and vertical networks is beginning to be felt. This impact is creating new dynamics in organizations, and emergent forms of organized endeavours. [The Doc Searls Weblog] My cynicism aside, the definitions proposed by Jon do merit consideration: A working definition of wirearchy is: “a dynamic two-way flow of power and authority, based on knowledge, credibility, trust and a focus on results, enabled by interconnected people and technology”. Hierarchy has typically meant: - Size - Role Clarity - Functional specialization - Power Wirearchy is shaping up to mean: - Speed - Flexibility - Integration - Innovation Though I might either subsitute "interoperability" for integration, or at least add the term. Let's also substitute another term for wireachy (something to do with networks, social that is)... hmmm   comment [] 6:40:55 AM