We-thinking

The We-economy is tightly connected and intensely digital. It’s focused on creating solutions, starting from the customer’s perspective. Value is created by combining products, services, ideas and information from a large number of contributors. Companies, public services and users and communities collaborate and co-create solution in networks.

To thrive in the We-economy companies need to shift from a conventional “Me-perspective” towards a WE perspective.

This means seeing yourself as part of a much wider set of stakeholders, and understanding that your success depends on the success of all others involved in creating a common solution.

Taking a we-perspective means realizing that you cannot create complex solutions alone, and that opening to co-creation with other stakeholders, including users, will give you access to greater insight at a lower cost.

Thus, the We-approach is one of interaction, collaboration and interdependence. This means accepting that other stakeholders must succeed and benefit as well: partners, employees, end-users, the community, the larger society and even the ecosystem that a company ultimately depends on. Our personal interests and the interest of the collective converge as we connect ever closer.

Openness and collaboration, fair sharing and accountability, trust, and attention to longterm and systemwide consequences are necessary elements, if we want to realize the positive potential of the developments that will change society in the coming years.