By Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams

Dear Friends of Wikinomics.

We are just finishing the manuscript of a new book.  The basic idea is that the principles of Wikinomics, the new Web and mass collaboration provide the keys to transforming more than the corporation (that’s what Wikinomics was about). Rather we can reinvent and rebuild just about every institution in society for an age of networked intelligence. Many of the organizations and institutions that have served us well for decades, even centuries, are stalled. The pillars of economic and social life that grew from the industrial economy have come to the end of their life cycle.

The financial services industry for example needs more than a fresh infusion of capital or some new regulations; it needs a whole new operating model — one based on integrity, transparency, and the sharing of intellectual property. Meanwhile the epitome of the industrial economy, the American auto industry has collapsed and evidently lacks the vision to move towards more sustainable and intelligent forms of personal transport. As companies in other sectors cut their costs to stay alive, many began to see that hunkering down, while necessary was insufficient for success. From manufacturing to retail smart managers have begun to initiate long over due changes to their structures and strategies.

The upheaval is now spreading to other sectors — from the universities and science, to entertainment and media, to government and democracy. The recent collapse of many newspapers is a storm warning of more to come. There is a growing appreciation that conventional wisdom isn’t going to cut it for success in this century.

There is no more important challenge than creating a green energy grid and reindustrializing the planet for sustainability. And thanks to the new web, for the first time in human history the peoples of the world are building a global movement — where everyone is on the same side.

So while the burning platform of the global economy is propelling change there are simultaneously new opportunities to marshal the collective ingenuity of society to solve problems on a time-scale that matters. The book argues that old notions of command and control leadership are giving way to new models of decentralized leadership and collective action. To achieve the goals of wealth creation, social development, justice, freedom and sustainability, we need to reinvent our institutions around a new set of design criteria for the 21st Century, including: Innovation, Collaboration, Self Organization, Transparency, Sharing, Interdependence and Integrity.

There are a number of initial title ideas below.  We’re looking for a title that informs readers what the book is about and is memorable.  Please respond as follows:

  1. Are there any titles and/or subtitles that work for you?
  2. Do you have any suggestions?
  3. Any other thoughts or comments?

Some Candidate Titles and/or Subtitles in No Particular Order

  1. The Age of Participation
  2. The Age of Reinvention
  3. Reinventing the World: The Wikinomics Manifesto
  4. Rebuilding the World: A User’s Guide
  5. Rebuilding the World – Volume I
  6. Rebuilding: How We are Reinventing Everything Right Now.
  7. Reinventing Civilization: The Do it Yourself Manifesto
  8. Reinventing the World: for the Age of Networked Intelligence
  9. Wikinomics and the World: How Everyone is Reinventing Everything Now
  10. Wikiworld: How we Are Reinventing Everything, Now
  11. 21st Century Platforms
  12. 21st Century Reboot: The New Operating System for Business and the World
  13. Rebooting the 21st Century: The New Operating System for Business and the World
  14. The New Platforms for Business and the World
  15. The Platform Revolution
  16. Platforms for Reinvention
  17. Participation Platforms
  18. Platforms for Innovation
  19. The New Platforms for Building the Future
  20. Platforms for Rebuilding the World
  21. Co-Creating the Future
  22. Building a World of Networked Intelligence
  23. Age of Opportunity: Building a World of Networked Intelligence
  24. The Wikinomics Age: Building a World of Networked Intelligence
  25. Are We the Answer?