I just finished reading Wikinomics – How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams. I read Tapscott’s earlier book Digital Capital: Harnessing the Power of Business Webs back in 2000 when it was first published. Wikinomics updates many of the same ideas contained in the earlier book but with a spin on the new Web 2.0 collaborative capabilities that have recently become more popular on the web.

This book is worth a read if you are developing a new Web 2.0 application that seeks to create value from the interaction of your users. Several business models are explored and examples of several well-know companies are given.

The central concept for me is the “business web” or b-web concept which Tapscott & Williams define as “clusters of companies that come together over the Internet.” The b-web concept was introduced in Digital Capital and is also related to the more linear Value Chain concept first described by Michael Porter in 1985.

The examples given focus either on consumer websites like MySpace, Wikipedia and Second Life, or collaborative R&D business webs used by large companies like BMW and Boeing.

On a smaller scale, Accelerance has formed a business web of global partners that develop custom software for small and medium sized clients. You gain access this web through our Outsourcing Jumpstart programs and the global partners are judged on how responsive they are to your needs.

Look for announcements in the near future on changes to our global b-web including an expansion to include many more service providers that serve our clients that develop software.

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