network-economy
An economic system where relationships between suppliers and users are organized through networks rather than traditional market transactions.
2 chapters across 2 books
The Age of Access: The New Culture of Hypercapitalism, Where All of Life Is a Paid-For Experience (2000)Jeremy Rifkin
This chapter introduces the central thesis of 'The Age of Access,' describing the transition from a capitalist economy based on ownership and market exchanges to a new economy dominated by networks and access. It explains how physical property is increasingly leased or rented rather than owned, while intellectual capital becomes the primary source of value, shifting economic power towards those controlling access to ideas and knowledge. The chapter also highlights the cultural and economic implications of this shift, emphasizing the decline of traditional ownership in favor of short-term use and service relationships.
The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies (2014)Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee
Chapter 4, "The Digitization of Just About Everything," explores the pervasive impact of digitization across various domains, highlighting how digital technologies transform information creation, distribution, and consumption. It discusses the rise of networked platforms, the exponential growth of data (including social media and big data analytics), and the implications for knowledge, culture, and economic activity. The chapter also references key examples such as IBM Watson, social media forecasting, and large-scale digitization projects like Google Books to illustrate the scope and scale of digital transformation.