My idea is that it might depend on PEOPLE, BENEFIT, CULTURE, BRAND, TOOLS, TOPIC, TECHNOLOGY, and more.

Who are these PEOPLE? Are they Lead Users?(users who are ahead of the majority of users and will BENEFIT from creating and sharing content for reasons of open innovation?) See also Von Hippel’s “Democratizing Innovation”. Or are they the “average man on the street” who are creating content for their own direct BENEFIT, for example like one does on Ebay.(How are the percentages there???)

Is there a strong community CULTURE where people are used to creating, sharing and interacting with each other? Does the BRAND appeal strongly and stimulate interaction?

Moreover, the better and nicer the creative TOOLS supplied, the more people will be engaged in co-creating. They must be highly user-friendly, stimulating and effective.

The TOPIC must trigger you. People need to feel a strong urge to create content. The topic might be of their greatest hobby or interest. The information given might be incorrect. Or it might be a highly controversial topic which requires immediate discussion or contribution.

Furthermore it might be argued that TECHNOLOGY is important too, as some online content collaborations are automatic / by default. That’s why Web 2.0 tools are so good as an enabler of this whole thing.

My hypothesis is that in the near future “businesses will become facilitators of user communities”. We’ve seen it off-line and now we can see it on-line. But until now it was only a tip of the iceberg…..Many of the current business models need to change to become more profitable and competitive in the future.

If you are interested, I’m doing a Masters project on this topic, send me a e-mail: info@webtwobusinessmodels.com

What do you think?????