Network Capitalism Services

Mike Maples describes a fundamental shift from industrial capitalism to network capitalism, where businesses succeed by leveraging decentralized networks and algorithmic computation rather than traditional centralized production and distribution.

Key Points:

• Network Capitalism Core Concept:

  • Moves away from centralized command and control
  • Leverages mass computation and connectivity
  • Creates decentralized means of production
  • Uses algorithmic computation instead of economies of scale

• Real-World Examples:

  • Lyft:
    • Riders and drivers advertise presence in real-time
    • Algorithms form ad-hoc connections
    • Replaces centralized taxi dispatch system
  • Tesla:
    • Software-defined car company
    • Over-the-air updates
    • Leverages machine learning
    • Uses network effects from sensor data for self-driving
  • OhmConnect:
    • Applies software-defined networks to energy usage
    • Creates incentives for reducing electricity consumption
    • Uses network effects to manage home energy use

• Contrast with Traditional Business:

  • Traditional companies (like Burger King) use computers to track operations
  • Network capitalism companies use computers to fundamentally reinvent markets
  • Success comes from being software-defined and network-centric from the start

• Market Impact:

  • Software-defined network-centric companies consistently outperform traditional industrial companies
  • Every sector of the economy is being reimagined around micro means of production
  • Local economies are driven by algorithmic computation and global networks