COMMUNITY-MANAGED COMPANIES?
When you’re founding a new company, how can you make sure that you satisfy the needs and whishes of your customers?
Well, one way would be to simply let the customers decide themselves. That’s what NVOHK, the “first community-managed, eco-friendly surf-inspired clothing company” wants to do. They are looking for 5000 users who agree to take a share in the company by paying 50 dollars a year. In exchange, says the website, they can make major business decisions and receive 35 percent of net profits (although they get it in “reward points” rather than in dollars).
The concept sure is interesting, although I’m not yet sure if something like that is going to work. For example, NVOHK doesn’t say anything on the site about how they will reach a decision about a complex subject (say, business strategy) from their 5000 or more geographically dispersed members.
What do you think? Do you know any other examples of “community-managed” companies?
On the 23. April 2008 at 07:18 o'Clock
Check out Threadless, http://www.threadless.com/. They produce tshirts with designs by users. The community can vote on which tshirts they want to have produced.