Crowdsourcing

Who would have thought that companies such as iStockphoto and Threadless, which employ just a handful of employees, would be able to generate millions of dollars in revenue every year? How can enthusiastic amateurs and experienced professionals successfully work together to solve common problems? Jeff Howe reveals that the “crowd” is more than wise–it’s talented, creative, and stunningly productive. It’s also a perfect meritocracy, where age, gender, race, education, or job history no longer matter; one’s ability to perform the service or solve the problem is all that counts. If you can do the job well, you have it. But crowdsourcing has triggered real changes in the way work is organized and carried out.