Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes was written by Don Tapscott in 2006.  It does a great job in exploring how companies in the early 21st century have used mass collaboration and open-source technology to be successful. Wikinomics is based upon four general concepts: openness, peering, sharing, and acting globally. Business outsourcing can also be used as an extension of mass collaboration in the business environment. It is broken down into a organized business body brought in specifically for a function or a mass collaboration that relies on free individual agents to come together and cooperate to improve or solve a problem.

      To touch on the four ideas, we will start with the idea of openness. It is not only open standards and content but also being transparent with finances and having an attitude that accepts external resources. Peering is more of a collaborative forum. Sharing is a less proprietary approach to products, properties, and knowledge. Lastly, acting globally involves embracing the idea of globalization and ignoring the boundaries of being physical and geography at all levels.

       There is a quote I would like to include that I found to be very interesting insight and has a great practical view! "Collaborative research is any research project that is carried out by at least two people. It happens in many ways, and is more common in some fields than others. Working with others on a research project can have several benefits, but there can be drawbacks as well." Wise Geek Website Many times each separate individual involved can do extensive research and can collaborate wonderfully by combining their strengths. The main goal is to usually divide the work of writing the results and navigating the publication process. Other times one can receive the burden of doing everything. This is when collaborative research is not in the best interest. Some may not put as much effort or time into finding the true information and will settle for what will do. 
       
      One example that I can think of personally is when I attend the promotions meeting for Cumulus Media, which includes the stations Kicks 101.5, All News 106.7, and The Walk 98.9. At the beginning of the meeting, everyone has to bring to the table their ideas for upcoming events and remotes.  Some people need a little more tweaking, so it's everyone else's job to collaborate and throw ideas out on how to close that point. By the end of the meeting, they have gone from a vague idea to an entire lengthy proposal with every detail enclosed. Sometimes, when the meeting is over and it is more informal, then more of the magic happens, when we are just having conversation. One idea will be said and another individual will comment, and it will snow ball into a remote or event.

        In class, we learned about how Wikipedia is a collaborative effort. Anyone and everyone can sign in and edit whichever topic they please. There are different opinions when allowing who the freedom to edit. One of the co-founders insisted that credentials must be a requirement to edit the Wikipedia pages but points have been made that a random 17 year old may know more than the individual with the credentials.
       Allowing the general public to edit and contribute can play into the discussion about the site that Dr. Wilson was discussing. Geni is an online family tree. Geni Website Anyone can link their family and findings to some one else's. It helps in expanding the knowledge and making the growth possible. These people helping the expansion are not necessarily licensed researchers but the general public who may truly have the right facts and can contribute valid information.

      Collaboration is so crucial to allowing things to be discovered and improving. From cyberspace to business meetings, collaboration is what brings things together and makes them possible to exist.