Spider and the Starfish
This assignment was to read "Spider and the Starfish" by Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom. This book was about decentralization and its impact on technology. After reading the book, we were to answer the following questions.
- In the seventeenth century, why were the Spaniards unable to defeat the Apaches? What implications does this have concerning current, or future organizational competition?
The Spaniards were unable to defeat the Apaches because the Apaches were a decentralized civilization which helped them persevere. Current and future organizations with a clear leader and a set hierarchy are easier targets and can be brought down by competitors. Organizations that are decentralized will be more difficult to target and bring down because competitors do not have a clear understanding of where to strike the organization. - Briefly compare and contrast centralized and decentralized organizations.
Centralized organizations have a clear hierarchy and a set management group which is easy to run and follow. Decentralized organizations on the other hand often are run by a group of people with the same common goals.
- List a few of the traits of a decentralized organization.
- No Leader
- Span of control is relatively small
- Puts up a greater resistance when opposed
- Information and ideas are flowing from the bottom to the top
- From a technical perspective, what is the primary difference between Napster and Kazza?
From the technical perspective, Napster is a centralized organization because it connects everything at a central server and Kazza is a decentralized organizations that allows people to connect to each other. - Is this reading relevant to the current competition between new organizations such as Uber and Lyft and existing taxi companies? Why or why not?
Yes, I think this reading was relevant to the current competition between new organizations such as Uber and Lyft. Uber and Lyft would be considered decentralized because the drivers own and operate their own vehicles within company. Taxi services would be considered centralized because the taxi companies own the vehicles.
