Social Learning and Participatory Databases

According to New Growth Theory, economic progress depends on the speed at which knowledge spreads. Cultures that foster knowledge acquisition will experience rapid economic growth. Peter Morville has written an analysis of social learning.

We use people to find content.

We use content to find people.

I discuss a related idea in Participatory Databases.

It makes sense that total strangers would not call me about an air conditioning repairman. Why should they trust me? But my friends and associates could take advantage of this information, if they had a way to get to it.

This is one potential use for a participatory database.

Discussion Question. Is social learning just a warm and fuzzy buzzword, or are there real economic implications and/or a real business opportunity?