Markets, Networks, and Communities - Cisco Edition
Around this time last year, I started discussing how
markets, networks, and communities are the natural bottlenecks of the post-network economy.
It got less attention than it should have at the time. But the economics are immovable - these modes of coordination
are the future of commerce.
Lately, my thesis has had significant momentum behind it, nicely summarized in this post by VCMike, which discusses, Ning, Reuters, and, most importantly from my perspective, Cisco.
Cisco's move is a very interesting one - much more interesting than the others.
Supply side networks radically alter the economics of most value chains, offering paths to enormously disruptive new sources of advantage, built around new kinds of economies.
The deep past's industrial economy was dominated by scale and scope in production. The network economy was dominated by scale and scope in specialization - core competencies. The post-network economy is dominated by still different economies - those which are as much external as internal.
Cisco's social networks are a way to let business begin playing with these economies - to begin exploring these new economics - at relatively little cost.
I think it will be a game-changing play - if it's executed correctly, and given the service and support it needs.
If you want more, check the briefing (on the right).