Crowdsourcing is the process of transferring of production responsibilities to people interested in it. In other words, it is such a way to optimize business processes of your company by means of mobilization of human resources for fulfilling of objectives which occur during implementation of business projects, in governmental and social management.
The concept of outsourcing is simple: a certain task is delegated to the group of people interested in the project (usually it happens by means of the Internet). They fulfill a task and send their variant of decision to the company. Company studies it, chooses the one which suits best and implements it in its production and commercial operations.
Very often crowdsourcing is compared with outsourcing. However, these two notions have significant differences: outsourcing is a way to optimize business processes by means of fulfilling of certain tasks by professionals and on a paid basis, when crowdsourcing supposes fulfilling of tasks by non-professionals without any payments.
One of the brightest examples of outsourcing as a tool to optimize business processes of a company is the process of editing of Oxford English Dictionary. Editors offered ordinary people to send variants of definitions with descriptions of their theoretical usage. As a result, the company has got more than 6 million of letters for the last 70 years.
When crowdsourcing is used payments aren’t used or have a nominal character. The whole volume of works is fulfilled by non-professionals who spend their free time to create a general content, to provide a research, a development or fulfillment of the stated task.
Crowdsourcing depicts those things that are regarded as “user innovations”, when companies count on final consumers not only as customers but also as the participants of creating of new technological features and optimize their business processes.
This direction was formed in order to bring to life the desire of an ordinary person to see implementation of his offers for free. The general process is managed by one company to which the final result will belong to.
Spheres where crowdsourcing is used
Crowdsourcing in business
Fulfilling of certain objectives of business projects. For example, developing of a company logo, creating of a text, searching for sponsors, fund-raising, etc.
Crowdsourcing in social sphere
Social crowdsourcing supposes involvement of a large group of users in state activities. Solving of certain questions connected with social practice, sponsorship, cooperation between people.
Crowdsourcing in policy and state activities
Projects of discussing of various laws and state initiatives are included in this area. Discussions can be made in a form of voting as well as in a form of gathering of concrete opinions.
Crowdsourcing is a thing which helps companies to develop and to enlarge their effectiveness. Such practices as crowdsourcing as well as outsourcing can be good tools to optimize business processes of a company.