The jury is still out on the success of amillionpenguins.com, the "wikinovel experiment where anyone can write and anyone can edit a novel-in-progress." Three weeks ago we took a look at the emerging e-tome which teetered between really bad and really bizarre. Surely one conclusion of the experiment will be that not everything that can be a wiki should be a wiki.
But online collaboration will only continue to increase, say the authors of newly released book, "Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything," in KnowledgeatWharton.com. One of the findings from their research is that 65% of the new (mostly born before 1980) generation of online customers "expects a two way relationship with the brands they select, with the ability to provide feedback and direct input." The expectations of these Internet users is paired with the technological advances of Web 2.0 results, the authors say, in a 'perfect storm' that will change the way companies do business. Examples include marketocracy, com, where virtual stock portfolios guide a real world mutual fund, 'global plant floors,' 'ideagoras,' and virtual worlds such as Second Life.
Marketers are learning to solicit feedback and input from customers via blogs, forums, video platforms, etc. They must also learn to identify relevant collaborative platforms and define the role of these platforms in their marketing mix.
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