[p2p-research] Self-organizing principles

Thu Jun 11 07:48:41 CEST 2009

perfect baa, can you post-date it to the 16th or after?

Michel

On Wed, Jun 10, 2009 at 9:14 PM, Bas Reus <bas.reus at gmail.com> wrote:

> Tx Michel. I can elaborate some more on my motivations and give some
> background.
>
> "*What about communication?*
>
> This above question I asked myself after reading two very inspiring pieces
> of work. The first is the PhD. of Mark Elliott, 'Stigmergic Collaboration. A
> Theoretical Framework for Mass Collaboration'. The second is a paper from
> Paul B. Hartzog, 'The Autocatalysis of Social Systems and the Emergence of
> Trust'.
>
> Paul argues that every act of communication is also an act of coordination.
> In order to communicate, both agents involved have to agree on the way
> communication works, which language is being used. But how do you agree
> without communication? Communication seems to be interrelated to
> coordination.
>
> Mark argues that stigmergy is a form of self-organizing, without the need
> for any communication. This should resolve the coordination paradox. Because
> agents leave traces in the system, other agents can act on them. This
> indirect form of communication is not directly addressed to anyone, but the
> one that notices the trace can act upon it. But how does coordination work
> here?
>
> The interesting part is that it seems there are some different approaches.
> Paul is talking about direct communication, while Mark talks about indirect
> communication. But coordination is always needed. And communication is
> always happening. Can stigmergy be the autocatalyst for communication? But
> how is communication being agreed upon? Please let us know your opinion.
>
> So why am I discussing this? Currently I am starting to research
> self-organization as the new dominant form of organization, and how online
> collaborative spaces can play a role there. Very much related to digital
> stigmergy, communication and coordination. The goal of this research is to
> help organizations, or, better, employees of organizations, how to
> participate in self-organized groups or online collaborative spaces.
> Participating starts by giving tools to employees to empower them, and to
> identify socially interesting online spaces where they can collaborate and
> co-create.
>
> *Self-organization and online collaborative spaces*
>
> Social structures are changing. Now we are more connected than we ever
> were, and this connectivity between humans will grow further and further. At
> the same time, people are spending more time participating more online. The
> Internet enables us to participate more globally, which changes the way we
> communicate and cooperate.
>
> By using the Internet, people leave traces by posting comments, having
> their visits being logged, writing articles, updating Twitter and Facebook
> statuses, etc. By doing this, the Internet as complex environment or system
> changes. These changes caused by humans influences behaviour of other
> humans. For example, articles on Wikipedia are created and getting better
> because people create articles and make changes to them. Even all changes
> are recorded and can be seen by anyone. Most of the time, these actions are
> uncoordinated, but stimulates a subsequent action. Direct communication is
> often not necessary. This phenomenon is also known as stigmergy, which is a
> mechanism of spontaneous, indirect coordination between agents or actions,
> where the trace left in the environment by an action stimulates the
> performance of a subsequent action, by the same or a different agent.
>
> Stigmergy is a form of self-organization. Because people are more and more
> connected, and make use of a shared environment, self-organization is
> happening more and more. People connect through social networks, and
> organize themselves without any formal contract. Contracts are at most
> social contracts, for example when people are striving the same goal.
> Actions and participations are not obligatory, but voluntary. This is very
> different from the most contracts that exist in most current organizations.
> People are free to contribute and produce, while their actions are judged by
> their peers a posteriori.
>
> People working together to produce goods and services through
> self-organization resembles a new, third, mode of production, which is
> called (commons-based) peer-production (Benkler, 2002). The central mode of
> coordination is neither command (as it is inside the firm) nor price (as it
> is in the market) but self-assigned volunteer contributions to a common pool
> of resources. On the Internet, producing and coordination costs are very
> low. Producing, or reproducing, digital goods have almost no transaction
> costs, and because of stigmergy, coordination costs are very low as well.
>
> Motivations for people to use the Internet to consume and produce are both
> market-based and social. Most people have to make a living, but are spending
> time online as well for maintaining social relationships. Combinations of
> the two are seen as well, and in both directions. People peer-produce while
> not being paid, but hoping to be noticed by companies that will hire them
> (or get credit). On the other hand, companies pay people by contributing to
> open-source projects, because they use these products. Individual people are
> peer-producing for both reasons at the same time, and for different
> projects. Their social interests can differ from their professional. These
> characteristics can be seen as an eco-system where people peer-produce for
> both motivations, and theoretically can switch very easy from one system to
> another, and from one project to another.
>
> The enabler for these self-organizing of people is the Internet. More and
> more tools are being created to be used online that amplify the
> possibilities to self-organize and peer-produce. Tools are getting more and
> more mature and make it more and more easy and inviting for people to
> participate. These self-organized groups are very knowledgeable, which makes
> these groups very powerful. Power is shifting from classic hiërarchical
> top-down organizations to decentralized bottom-up organized networks.
>
> Organizations need to adapt to the change of social structures and
> distribution of power. By starting to recognize that new organizational
> forms exist and have the right to exist, classic organizations can adapt to,
> co-exist with and co-operate with the decentralized self-organized groups.
> Trying to fight or ignore their existance and the value they have and
> produce will exclude companies from these groups, which is no good for them.
> Opening up by participating and collaboration is a better strategy. Many
> companies already do this, but it would be better to adapt to fit these
> existing groups more. Companies who empower their employees to speak about
> their company and to collaborate with self-organized groups outside their
> company are seen as more authentic and are accepted easier in those groups."
>
>
>
>
>
> 2009/6/10 Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004 at gmail.com>
>
> could be a little longer, the end is abrupt I think ...
>>
>> perhaps you could add what your motivation is, what you are trying to find
>> out?
>>
>> 2009/6/10 Bas Reus <bas.reus at gmail.com>
>>
>> Hi all. I agree on starting a blogpost. I am thinking of the following
>>> post, please review. Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>> "*What about communication?*
>>>
>>> This above question I asked myself after reading two very inspiring
>>> pieces of work. The first is the PhD. of Mark Elliott, 'Stigmergic
>>> Collaboration. A Theoretical Framework for Mass Collaboration'. The second
>>> is a paper from Paul B. Hartzog, 'The Autocatalysis of Social Systems and
>>> the Emergence of Trust'.
>>>
>>> Paul argues that every act of communication is also an act of
>>> coordination. In order to communicate, both agents involved have to agree on
>>> the way communication works, which language is being used. But how do you
>>> agree without communication? Communication seems to be interrelated to
>>> coordination.
>>>
>>> Mark argues that stigmergy is a form of self-organizing, without the need
>>> for any communication. This should resolve the coordination paradox. Because
>>> agents leave traces in the system, other agents can act on them. This
>>> indirect form of communication is not directly addressed to anyone, but the
>>> one that notices the trace can act upon it. But how does coordination work
>>> here?
>>>
>>> The interesting part is that it seems there are some different
>>> approaches. Paul is talking about direct communication, while Mark talks
>>> about indirect communication. But coordination is always needed. And
>>> communication is always happening. Can stigmergy be the autocatalyst for
>>> communication? But how is communication being agreed upon? Please let us
>>> know your opinion.
>>>
>>> So why am I discussing this? Currently I am starting to research
>>> self-organization as the new dominant form of organization, and how online
>>> collaborative spaces can play a role there. Very much related to digital
>>> stigmergy, communication and coordination."
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> 2009/5/29 Mark Elliott <me at mark-elliott.net>
>>>
>>> By all means (from my perspective) it's a great area for discussion -
>>>> might get a few comments even...
>>>>
>>>> 2009/5/28 Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004 at gmail.com>
>>>>
>>>> Hi Mark and Bas,
>>>>>
>>>>> perhaps we can republish your distinction on our blog and wiki?
>>>>>
>>>>> Michel
>>>>>
>>>>> 2009/5/28 Mark Elliott <me at mark-elliott.net>
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for the feedback Bas. And that's exactly right Michel, stigmergy
>>>>>> is in fact a form of communication, just an indirect one mediated by the
>>>>>> environment.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I haven't yet had a chance to read Paul's attachment, but I too would
>>>>>> argue that every act of communication also entails coordination. Actually,
>>>>>> as part of my phd, i developed a framework for collective activity that
>>>>>> specifically distinguishes coordination, cooperation and collaboration (pg
>>>>>> 39).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Cheers,
>>>>>> Mark
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 2009/5/25 Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004 at gmail.com>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi Bas,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I think the answer is that stigmergy is indirect, impersonal
>>>>>>> communication, you leave 'holoptic trails' that can be read by whoever will
>>>>>>> need them ... So there is communication if you like, but only indirect ...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Michel
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 2009/5/25 Bas Reus <bas.reus at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi Mark, Paul, et al.,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thank you very much for your responses so far.
>>>>>>>> @Mark: I read your abstract and some other pieces of your PhD. Very
>>>>>>>> inspiring.
>>>>>>>> @Paul: I read the PDF you attached, very inspiring as well.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> These pieces of work will definately move me to the right
>>>>>>>> directions. Reading the material, I note some differences that cannot be
>>>>>>>> both true, at least in some way. In the PDF Paul sent, you argue that every
>>>>>>>> act of communication is also an act of coordination, while Mark argues that
>>>>>>>> stigmergy is a form of self-organizing, without the need for any
>>>>>>>> communication.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> What are your thoughts about this? Of course, this conclusion can be
>>>>>>>> rather rough and lacks some theoretical fundaments, but this is a differnce
>>>>>>>> I noticed.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Very happy to discuss further as well, as this moves me to the
>>>>>>>> rights directions. Digital stigmergy in the form of mass collaboration, with
>>>>>>>> some rules of engagement set a priori to spark a autopoietic solution might
>>>>>>>> just be the way to go for me. But I'm very open for more suggestions.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Kind regards,
>>>>>>>> Bas
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> 2009/5/22 Mark Elliott <me at mark-elliott.net>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hi Bas,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Regarding,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Wikipedia can be seen as a self-organizing system where online
>>>>>>>>>> collaboration is taking place. This is a great example that we all know. But
>>>>>>>>>> what can be learnt from that? How did it become what it is today? Is it
>>>>>>>>>> because of self-organizing, or where there some rules agreed upon that made
>>>>>>>>>> it happen?
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> This is more or less exactly the focus of my phd<http://mark-elliott.net/blog/?page_id=24>- digital stigmergy as a core underlying mechanism in the coordination and
>>>>>>>>> stimulation of online collaboration. Here's the abstract:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> This thesis presents an application-oriented theoretical framework
>>>>>>>>>> for generalised and specific collaborative contexts with a special focus on
>>>>>>>>>> Internet-based mass collaboration. The proposed framework is informed by the
>>>>>>>>>> author’s many years of collaborative arts practice and the design, building
>>>>>>>>>> and moderation of a number of online collaborative environments across a
>>>>>>>>>> wide range of contexts and applications. The thesis provides
>>>>>>>>>> transdisciplinary architecture for describing the underlying mechanisms that
>>>>>>>>>> have enabled the emergence of mass collaboration and other activities
>>>>>>>>>> associated with ‘Web 2.0′ by incorporating a collaboratively developed
>>>>>>>>>> definition and general framework for collaboration and collective activity,
>>>>>>>>>> as well as theories of swarm intelligence, stigmergy, and distributed
>>>>>>>>>> cognition.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Accompanying this creative arts thesis is a DVD-Rom which includes
>>>>>>>>>> offline versions of the three Internet based collaborative environments
>>>>>>>>>> designed, built and implemented in accordance with the frameworks for
>>>>>>>>>> digital stigmergy and mass collaboration developed in the written work. The
>>>>>>>>>> creative works in conjunction with the written thesis help to explore and
>>>>>>>>>> more rigorously define the collaborative process in general, while testing
>>>>>>>>>> the theory that stigmergy is an inherent component of collaborative
>>>>>>>>>> processes which incorporate collective material production.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Supported by a range of contemporary examples of Internet
>>>>>>>>>> activity, including the accompanying creative works, it is found that
>>>>>>>>>> stigmergy is a deeply rooted mechanism inherent in not only traditional
>>>>>>>>>> material collaborative processes, but a range of emerging online practices
>>>>>>>>>> which may be broadly categorised as digital stigmergic cooperation and
>>>>>>>>>> collaboration. This latter class enables the extreme scaling seen in mass
>>>>>>>>>> collaborative projects such as Wikipedia.org, open source software projects
>>>>>>>>>> and the massive, multiplayer environment, Second Life. This scaling is
>>>>>>>>>> achieved through a range of attributes which are examined, such as the
>>>>>>>>>> provision of a localised site of individualistic engagement which reduces
>>>>>>>>>> demands placed upon participants by the social negotiation of contributions
>>>>>>>>>> while increasing capacity for direct and immediate creative participation
>>>>>>>>>> via digital workspaces. Also examined are a range of cultural, economic and
>>>>>>>>>> sociopolitical impacts which emerge as a direct result of mass
>>>>>>>>>> collaboration’s highly distributed, non-market based, peer-production
>>>>>>>>>> processes, all of which are shown to have important implications for the
>>>>>>>>>> further transformation of our contemporary information and media landscape.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Happy to discuss further :).
>>>>>>>>> Mark
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Wed, May 20, 2009 at 4:51 PM, Michel Bauwens <
>>>>>>>>> michelsub2004 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Hi Bas,
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I'm copying Gus, and  his initiative on Studies in Emergent Order,
>>>>>>>>>> who may point you to some extra resources
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Mark Elliot studies stygmergy, i.e. communicative swarming,
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I'm sure paul's panarchy is also related,
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Michel
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On Tue, May 19, 2009 at 11:17 PM, Ryan Lanham <
>>>>>>>>>> rlanham1963 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autopoiesis  is a starting point.
>>>>>>>>>>> There are huge literatures in self-organizing systems in computer science
>>>>>>>>>>> and AI.  There are discussions of self-organization in physics and in
>>>>>>>>>>> communications theory.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I think one of the most accessible and best recent studies is
>>>>>>>>>>> called Wikinomics.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> You might want to look into the literature on social network
>>>>>>>>>>> analysis and join the mailing lists at INSNA which have covered these topics
>>>>>>>>>>> from sociological and mathematical perspectives for several years.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> In biology, you my find your topic goes toward swarm science.
>>>>>>>>>>> Swarms are also heavily discussed in crowdsourcing literatures.  All of
>>>>>>>>>>> these approaches overlap collaboration and self-organization.  There are
>>>>>>>>>>> even literatures in constitutional and legal theory.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Ryan Lanham
>>>>>>>>>>> rlanham1963 at gmail.com
>>>>>>>>>>> Facebook: Ryan_Lanham
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> On Tue, May 19, 2009 at 10:17 AM, Bas Reus <bas.reus at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> All, this is a repost of a topic started at
>>>>>>>>>>>> http://p2pfoundation.ning.com/. Please advice.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> P2P friends, here a topic on self-organizing. Currently I am
>>>>>>>>>>>> trying to define this theme by making a list of themes that overlap
>>>>>>>>>>>> self-organizing somewhere, and help to define the theme seen from an online
>>>>>>>>>>>> collaborative point of view.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Self-organizing to me can be a system that is highly adaptive,
>>>>>>>>>>>> flexible and 'bottom-up'. When seen from an online collaborative point of
>>>>>>>>>>>> view I tend to think of empowerment and rules of engagement.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Of course Wikipedia can be seen as a self-organizing system
>>>>>>>>>>>> where online collaboration is taking place. This is a great example that we
>>>>>>>>>>>> all know. But what can be learnt from that? How did it become what it is
>>>>>>>>>>>> today? Is it because of self-organizing, or where there some rules agreed
>>>>>>>>>>>> upon that made it happen?
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> I'd like to be inspired by your thougths on this subject.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks, Bas.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Original topic:
>>>>>>>>>>>> http://p2pfoundation.ning.com/forum/topics/selforganizing-principles
>>>>>>>>>>>> I already got some inspiration from Michel, on some available
>>>>>>>>>>>> research and interests.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>>>> p2presearch mailing list
>>>>>>>>>>>> p2presearch at listcultures.org
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> http://listcultures.org/mailman/listinfo/p2presearch_listcultures.org
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>>> p2presearch mailing list
>>>>>>>>>>> p2presearch at listcultures.org
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> http://listcultures.org/mailman/listinfo/p2presearch_listcultures.org
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>>> Working at
>>>>>>>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhurakij_Pundit_University -
>>>>>>>>>> http://www.dpu.ac.th/dpuic/info/Research.html -
>>>>>>>>>> http://www.asianforesightinstitute.org/index.php/eng/The-AFI
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Volunteering at the P2P Foundation:
>>>>>>>>>> http://p2pfoundation.net  - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net -
>>>>>>>>>> http://p2pfoundation.ning.com
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Monitor updates at http://del.icio.us/mbauwens
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> The work of the P2P Foundation is supported by SHIFTN,
>>>>>>>>>> http://www.shiftn.com/
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>> -----
>>>>>>>>> Mark Elliott, PhD
>>>>>>>>> Director, CollabForge pty ltd
>>>>>>>>> collaboration ~ mass collaboration ~ social software
>>>>>>>>> http://Collabforge.com ~ http://Mark-Elliott.net ~
>>>>>>>>> http://MetaCollab.net
>>>>>>>>> Phone: 0421 978 501 (international callers: +614 21 978 501)
>>>>>>>>> Twitter: MarkElliott
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Working at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhurakij_Pundit_University -
>>>>>>> http://www.dpu.ac.th/dpuic/info/Research.html -
>>>>>>> http://www.asianforesightinstitute.org/index.php/eng/The-AFI
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Volunteering at the P2P Foundation:
>>>>>>> http://p2pfoundation.net  - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net -
>>>>>>> http://p2pfoundation.ning.com
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Monitor updates at http://del.icio.us/mbauwens
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The work of the P2P Foundation is supported by SHIFTN,
>>>>>>> http://www.shiftn.com/
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> -----
>>>>>> Mark Elliott, PhD
>>>>>> Director, CollabForge pty ltd
>>>>>> collaboration ~ mass collaboration ~ social software
>>>>>> http://Collabforge.com ~ http://Mark-Elliott.net ~
>>>>>> http://MetaCollab.net
>>>>>> Phone: 0421 978 501 (international callers: +614 21 978 501)
>>>>>> Twitter: MarkElliott
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Working at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhurakij_Pundit_University -
>>>>> http://www.dpu.ac.th/dpuic/info/Research.html -
>>>>> http://www.asianforesightinstitute.org/index.php/eng/The-AFI
>>>>>
>>>>> Volunteering at the P2P Foundation:
>>>>> http://p2pfoundation.net  - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net -
>>>>> http://p2pfoundation.ning.com
>>>>>
>>>>> Monitor updates at http://del.icio.us/mbauwens
>>>>>
>>>>> The work of the P2P Foundation is supported by SHIFTN,
>>>>> http://www.shiftn.com/
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> -----
>>>> Mark Elliott, PhD
>>>> Director, CollabForge pty ltd
>>>> collaboration ~ mass collaboration ~ social software
>>>> http://Collabforge.com ~ http://Mark-Elliott.net ~
>>>> http://MetaCollab.net
>>>> Phone: 0421 978 501 (international callers: +614 21 978 501)
>>>> Twitter: MarkElliott
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Working at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhurakij_Pundit_University -
>> http://www.dpu.ac.th/dpuic/info/Research.html -
>> http://www.asianforesightinstitute.org/index.php/eng/The-AFI
>>
>> Volunteering at the P2P Foundation:
>> http://p2pfoundation.net  - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net -
>> http://p2pfoundation.ning.com
>>
>> Monitor updates at http://del.icio.us/mbauwens
>>
>> The work of the P2P Foundation is supported by SHIFTN,
>> http://www.shiftn.com/
>>
>
>

-- 
Working at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhurakij_Pundit_University -
http://www.dpu.ac.th/dpuic/info/Research.html -
http://www.asianforesightinstitute.org/index.php/eng/The-AFI

Volunteering at the P2P Foundation:
http://p2pfoundation.net  - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net -
http://p2pfoundation.ning.com

Monitor updates at http://del.icio.us/mbauwens

The work of the P2P Foundation is supported by SHIFTN,
http://www.shiftn.com/
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