COMM 101 – 17/11/2012 – Copyleft

COPYLEFT is a play on the word COPYRIGHT. It describes the use of copyright laws to offer the rights to reproduce, possibly adapt, and distribute copies or modified versions of a work. All modified and extended versions of the work have to be free (=libre) as well. This is why it is different from a mere uncopyrighted work belonging to the public domain where one uncooperative person can convert a version of the original work into a proprietary product. Finally, copyleft is a general concept that requires in its application the development of specific licenses adapted to the work.

The reason why I wish to address the concept of copyleft in this blog is because I personally strongly believe in the strengths of this idea. Even if it was initiated in the 1970s and well exploited in the domain of computer software; there is still a lot to do to unleash its full potential in the Business World. The beauty of copyleft is that the product copylefted can be accessible to anyone in a way that allows them to develop it, improve it and adapt it. It enhances freedom and creativity, community and sharing, collectively aiming at a better outcome. Cooperators are given the cake AND the recipe. I wish to conclude this blog with the dream that good ideas could finally benefit and be developed by everyone. I started my blog with Emmanuel Faber and Grameen Danone Foods Ltd. so I shall end with him as well: during his lecture he actually shared with us his enthusiasm regarding COPYLEFT. The models of factories Danone took time to develop for its social enterprises in Bangladesh and elsewhere are actually copylefted to foster the expansion of such projects and with it the improvement of humanity’s living conditions.

Yours, V.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyleft

COMM 101 – 13/09/2012 – Reconciling 2 Nobel Prizes with 1 Yoghurt… that’s a good Pri[z]e!

I was asked today to think about the social responsibility of business. Here are a few thoughts…

The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits“, writes the Nobel Prize in Economics Milton Friedman. “Money can remain the means of business but not its end”, claims on the contrary the Nobel Peace Prize and creator of microcredits Muhammad Yunus. Business, to me, is meant to improve the people’s lives and have an impact towards a better world. I might be French, dear Milton, but I’m not “speaking prose” here… and unlike Molière’s Bourgeois Gentilhomme, I’m not 70 and still study Business Fundamentals so please leave me my hopes to re-define a little bit with modesty on Yunus’ line what Business is… with a yoghurt. 🙂

I attended one month ago a conference by Emmanuel Faber, executive vice-president of Danone. Here is the story he told us about: in March 2006, Danone and Grameen, the worldwide known multinational company on the one hand and the people’s bank created by Yunus on the other hand; worked together to create Continue reading