More recently, scientists say their version of Google’s PageRank could be a simple way of working out which extinctions would lead to ecosystem collapse…….Dr Stefano Allesina realised he could apply PageRank to the problem when he stumbled across an article in a journal of applied mathematics describing the Google algorithm.

So the Medici effect is happening around us, its just unevenly spread!

I personally think the problem relies on the form. Working in Latin America I’ve seen how the lack of structure and process within most agencies drives an instinctive push for random collaboration. Many times this even goes beyond the building and extend to people from a myriad of areas far from marketing. The end result is what then becomes part of local culture.

Here in the US, my experience has been quite different. An interesting too. I’ve experience how structure limits mash up culture. Agencies spend quite some time building areas of expertise but that, regardless how much they try to avoid it, end up working in silos.

Having cultural agents within an agency (both Specialist and Generalist) in random areas as Maria Popova mentioned on her post, is a must if the goal is to build a culture of indiscriminate curiosity within any company.

To me the heart of problem lies with the conservative approach most agencies adopt with almost everything they do. It’s an intrinsic fear of change coupled with a reluctance to ‘rock the boat’ that sees most agencies making hires, delivering strategies, etc, based on a replication of the past. Rather than thinking about what needs to happen and in so doing admitting to clients, each other, that they don’t have all the answers, but that they can unearth them by collaborating more, thinking differently, hiring the consumers that buy their clients products for instance.

We’re a middle class industry, populated with middle class, degree educated, white, urban professionals. Undoubtedly that makes for a limited viewpoint. It clearly doesn’t mean that it’s the right viewpoint though.

Great post – thanks Giles for sharing it with me.