Professional Documents
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Wikipedia PDF
Wikipedia PDF
Institute
BOS020
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This case was written by Katrina Ling, Institute Executive Fellow of the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute, under
the supervision of W. Chan Kim and Rene Mauborgne, Professors at INSEAD. Special thanks to Dr Zunaira Munir of
Strategize Blue for her research on Wikipedia. It is intended to be used as a basis for class discussion rather than to
illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation.
Copyright 2011 INSEAD
TO ORDER COPIES OF INSEAD CASES, SEE DETAILS ON THE BACK COVER. COPIES MAY NOT BE MADE WITHOUT PERMISSION. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION
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COPYRIGHT OWNER.
Most likely, you would type in the keywords such as highest mountain, rehoboam, or
social security number to perform an online search using Google, Yahoo or an alternative
search engine. The first answer returned on the top of the first page will typically be an entry
from the English version of Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia. For example,
Wikipedias top placement on Google using keywords social security number beats out even
the official US Social Security Online website whose entry is ranked second on the same
page.
When Apple launched its new iPad product on January 27, 2010, the Wikipedia article named
iPad was edited 745 times by 281 volunteer contributors within the first 24 hours, from 8:52
am that day to 8:13 am the next day, according to log entries in the articles history file. Apple
fans and consumer product experts swarmed over the iPad article on Wikipedia to provide
real-time updates as more information became available on this highly anticipated product
unveiling.
In fact, if one performs a keyword search on any of the popular online search engines today,
Wikipedia will likely be returned as a top source of news and reference information. The
Guardian describes the Wikipedia phenomenon as follows:1
Search at Google.com on evolution or Iraq or Aids or Gordon Brown, and the
same site will appear at the top of the organic list of results: Wikipedia. Alter your
search into one for John Keats or Muhammad Ali or Christianity or platypus or
loneliness, and the same thing will happen. Pacific Ocean? Wikipedia. Catherine
de Medici? Wikipedia. Human brain? Wikipedia. In fact, if you Google any
person, place or thing today, you're almost guaranteed to find Wikipedia at or
near the top of the list of recommended pages.
Carr, Nicolas. The net is being carved up into information plantations. The Guardian, May 17, 2007.
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Warmington, Al. Microsoft Encarta discontinued, due to Wikipedia popularity. March 31, 2009.
http://www.t3.com/news/microsoft-encarta-discontinued-due-to-wikipedia-popularity?=38541
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4
Fernanda B. Vigas et al. Studying Cooperation and Conflict between Authors with history flow
Visualizations. http://alumni.media.mit.edu/~fviegas/papers/history_flow.pdf
Giles, Jim. Internet encyclopaedias go head to head. Nature, 438 (2005), 900-901.
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If the value and profit propositions are strong but the people proposition does not motivate its
employees and business partners to implement the strategy with energy and commitment, then
this misalignment will likely result in execution failure. Similarly, if the organization offers a
motivating people proposition but lacks a strong value or profit proposition, then this
inconsistency in strategy formulation will likely lead to lacklustre performance for the
company over the long run.
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Appendix A
Strategy Canvas Template Value Proposition
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Appendix B
Strategy Canvas Template Profit Proposition
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Appendix C
Strategy Canvas Template People Proposition
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