Sharing Modes

Image by Ed Yourdon via Flickr

The recent KIN Summer workshop took a detailed look at 'The Psychology of Knowledge Sharing'. Russell Davies has just posted a great blog post on this topic referring to Clay Shirky's assertion that there are fundamental differences in behaviour, cost and motivation behind sharing products, sharing services and sharing information.

"Sharing Goods - the hardest to do, because if you give a physical good you no longer have it, you're deprived of it.

Sharing Services - like giving helping someone across the road - you don't lose out on physical stuff but it's an inconvenience.

Sharing Information - like giving someone directions - you don't lose stuff, it doesn't take much time, no inconvenience".

If you want to know more, take a look at 'Why We Cooperate' from MIT Press.