Open Source Economic Development

Description

Faq from I-Open:

"What is Open Source Economic Development?

Open Source Economic Development is a set of models, tools and disciplines that enable diverse groups of people to engage in complex development projects in "the civic space".

How is this approach connected to open source software development?

Open source software development encourages the formation of voluntary open innovation networks. Through a set of simple rules, a complex community evolves to develop complex projects. These rules balance open participation with leadership direction.

How is this approach related to the idea of clusters?

They are closely related. Clusters represent open innovation networks. Open Source Economic Development represents a set of tools and disciplines to develop clusters.

Why is this approach needed?

Economic development takes place in a "civic space" outside the four walls of any one organization. In the civic space, no command and control system works. Instead, we must build and align resources through networks.

In order to scale these networks, we need a set of practices and tools that deliver value to the participants, while at the same time are simple to teach.

Open source has its "source code" that is open. What is the "source code" of Open Source Economic Development?

Participants are sharing their networks. They are making these networks visible and "open". Regions that figure out the importance of networks will prosper in the Second Curve economy. They will learn and align their resources faster.

What does the Second Curve Economy mean?

The Second Curve refers to how wealth is created. Its a broad classification of business models. In the First Curve economy, business models relied of hierarchies, functionally organized corporations that could "command and control" resources. In the Second Curve economy, business models are based more on open networks. This shift is business models creates a fundamental challenge to create new approaches to economic development." (http://www.i-open.org/our_approach/)