Citation
Randall, R.M. (2005), "Network idealists, unite!", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 33 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/sl.2005.26133caa.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Network idealists, unite!
Network idealists, unite!
In this issue, which focuses on innovation, we offer an intriguing article on a new form of innovator, the network idealist. You may be somewhat familiar with the network idealist concept because of what they do: for example, Craigslist, the free online classified ad service, competes with newspapers; Kazaa, a file-sharing service, upended the entertainment industry; Skype, a voice-over-internet telephony service, worries the telephone industry; MoveOn, revolutionized US political funding; and Linux, a programmer network, developed a software system that now threatens mighty Microsoft. Idealistic or anti-establishment entrepreneurs who developed organic, cellular, distributed network structures started all of them. They used financial, transportation and communications networks in novel ways to circumvent normal barriers to market entry. After you have read the article, “The networked idealist’s advantage” by Alex Lowy and Phil Hood, you may be convinced that this innovative business model is a force to be reckoned with in many industries. However, you may not at first see a way to make the concept work to your professional advantage.
But I had an “Aha!” moment when, coincidentally, I saw the chart (see Figure 1), which shows the countries where Strategy & Leadership readers are located. Wow! S&L is potentially a worldwide network, if you and other readers open your end of it. Working together, what innovative uses can we make of a network of strategists? Could we review case studies online? Could we set up online discussion sessions about strategic tools and techniques via the Discussion Forum already up and running on the ManagementFirst web site (www.managementfirst.com/forums/index.php)? Could we have an online letters-to-the-editor section? Your suggestions are most welcome (RRandallPublish@cs.com). In the meantime, I will be discussing networking possibilities with the contributing editors to get their input. I look forward to hearing from you.
Robert M. RandallEditor