Sharing Knowledge on alternative concept

(Using SOHO concept)

This article was published by Malaysia national newspaper, special edition on SOHO concept in Computimes on 29th Oct. 98.

Small Office Home Office (SOHO) working concept is gaining fast momentum especially with the advances in ICT (Information & Communication Technology), notably Internet. With the power of the technological tool, some adventurous businessmen / professional have used their creativity and ingenuity to do marketing of their products or services in the Cyberspace.

However, there are many who aspire to gain financial independence using SOHO working concept but they do not know how to go about it. This is especially so for those who are not experts in ICT like creating homepage, Internet marketing and e- commerce arrangement. An impression is created that Internet e- commerce or business is meant for the computer expert or larger organisations who could afford to invest in IT specialists' know-how.

But this is a mis-conception!

This writer wishes to introduce an interesting Internet facilities for those who are not expert in Internet technology, but having wealth of knowledge, experience, insights and wisdom to offer. In this respect Malaysia, with her many success stories and "Malaysia Boleh" spirit, will have much to offer.

An Internet Knowledge service provider (Outsights http://www.outsights.com) has set up a Knowledge database for the use of subscribers. An artificial intelligent software manages the stored knowledge and present to the users on demand. Users key in phrases or sentences of the required knowledge, the software will search for similar concept and offer answers or solutions. This is not the normal search engine for key words, which usually lists tons of irrelevant information. But it is a specific knowledge that is requested. If the answers are not satisfactory, the users communicate using email directly with the Outsights associate who had coded the knowledge object. The associate acts as Internet coach to give further assistance to the users. If the outcome is still not satisfactory, the pool of associates collective knowledge will be mobilised.

The described Outsights associates, who offer their knowledge and wisdom are operating like independent business consultants / coaches using SOHO working concept. His or her home PC or personal notebook with Internet access is the only tool required to get in touch with the customers in the Cyberspace. He or she needs only to supply his or her knowledge, new perspectives, insights of things, and wisdom. The associates get paid or compensated for their effort from the revenue generated from the users / subscribers. A large portion of the collected revenue will be distributed by Outsights to the associates, in proportion to the number of satisfied customers feedback.

The intended associates need to first take part as subscribers. Application needs to be made to Outsights to be qualified as associates, who will be trained to code knowledge objects recognisable by the computer software.

Interestingly, the successfully qualified associates, although offering his or her knowledge and wisdom, are also learners. They learn from the veteran associates, whose knowledge is in the knowledge database. These veteran associates are also the Internet coaches to the newly qualified associates. The associates continue to learn also from the feedback of the users / subscribers. The coaching and learning are coded into knowledge object to be deposited in the database. Hence a leveraging knowledge society is in the making, where a self-organising, self-generative and self-improving knowledge mechanism helps propelled mankind with collective intelligence to a new global village for which every one of us can live as a true community member.

Currently the knowledge domains are :

• Business Process Reengineering
• Career-Life Planning
• Change Management
• Customer Support
• Entrepreneurship
• Financial Management
• Intellectual Capital Management
• Knowledge Management
• Learning Organizations
• Management & Leadership
• Marketing
• Performance Management
• Personal Development
• Project Management
• Systems Thinking
• Total Quality Management

Depending on the level of maturity and interaction between users and associates, the above knowledge domains could expand to many other subjects that could have meaning, impact to our individual life, family, organisations, government, nations and this borderless society.

Outsights as a SOHO working concept, after all, is not merely a small business enterprise, but a significant contribution and participation in an emergent new world that increases our human intelligence and capacity to realise a global vision.

Readers of Computimes who are interested in taking part in the above Knowledge leveraging society, or making the SOHO working concept come true, are encouraged to visit Outsights homepage (http://www.outsights.com), or alternatively visit this writer's personal homepage (http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5621) in which more examples and experience in Outsights usage are posted, including coaching session on knowledge objects coding.

• Organisation Observer and Thinker
• Homepage http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5621
• An associate of Outsights
• http://www.outsights.com