????現在，許多公司都明白了生態系統的好處，也知道把其中的參與者相互聯系起來能帶來價值。構成這個系統的包括供應商、合作伙伴、制造商和消費者。舉例來說，一臺傳真機沒什么價值。但和另一臺傳真機連起來之后，它突然就有了價值，盡管它本身沒有任何變化。連在一起的傳真機越多，價值就越大。

????現在，想象一下這樣的情形：這些傳真機會相互學習，它們通過互動掌握了新的能力，可以更好地完成工作。連接在一起的傳真機越多，互動的潛力就越大，學習的速度就越快。

????這就是動態生態系統的根本動力：參與者互動的目的是更快地學習，自我完善，具備更多能力，同時提升整個系統的價值。這個系統中的成員思路和資源共享，深感目標一致、充滿熱情，能夠學會如何更好地使用某種產品和服務，這些都會給成員帶來裨益。

????現在看一下樂高機器人（Lego Mindstorms）社區。有了這個平臺后，樂高發現絕不是只有12歲的小男孩才喜歡樂高機器人。這家公司鼓勵粉絲分享已經組裝好的和正在組裝的樂高機器人。粉絲們也在探討著他們遇到的困難和他們發現的解決辦法，組裝出新機器人或者找到新方法的粉絲能在這個平臺上獲得認可和獎勵。

????樂高讓所有人都能接觸到它的機器人軟件。粉絲們則對這款軟件進行了修改和擴展，以便共享。樂高定期向粉絲們發起挑戰，促進了他們之間的團隊合作。比如，樂高最近提出的挑戰是“組裝一個可以幫助老年人提高生活質量的機器人”。現場活動給了那些狂熱愛好者面對面展示技能的機會。參與者還可以申請加入一個名叫“Mindstorms Community Partners”的專門團隊。它的任務是為樂高想出新點子，開發并測試新產品和新的軟、硬件。

????目前，商業生態系統大多為靜態系統，關注重點是在一定數量的參與者之間就一批固定的資源進行協調。但企業可以把它們轉化為動態系統。比如說，連鎖咖啡店可以向杯子和紙制品供應商提出挑戰，讓它們解決食品和飲料突然灑出來的問題。或者，它還可以提出一項覆蓋面更廣的挑戰，內容是消滅包裝廢棄物或者降低整體碳排放水平，同時鼓勵自己的合作伙伴共同來解決這個問題。這樣的挑戰能促使生態系統中的成員開展合作，建立相互聯系。由此產生的結果就是在一個較大的靜態系統中培育出一個、或多個動態生態系統。

????結論是，通過動態生態系統可以創造更多價值（如果采用正確的方法，它就會擁有不斷產生價值的能力），但建立這樣的系統需要全新的態度。在競爭中實現更好地協作比贏得競爭更重要，在這種情況下，人們面臨的最大風險可能是錯過在動態生態系統中參與快速學習、完善自我表現的機會。

????本文作者約翰?哈格爾三世是德勤管理咨詢公司董事，在德勤設在硅谷的Center for the Edge擔任聯合董事長。本文作者約翰?史立?布朗是Center for the Edge獨立聯合董事長。（財富中文網）

????譯者：Charlie

????By now, many businesses are aware of the benefits of ecosystems -- communities of suppliers, partners, vendors, and customers -- and the idea that there's value to connecting participants with each other. One fax machine alone, for example, has no value. Connect that fax machine to another, however, and suddenly the machine has value even though nothing about it has changed. The value grows with each additional machine connected.

????Now imagine that the fax machines can learn from each other, gaining additional capabilities and getting better at what they do with each interaction. The more fax machines connected, the greater potential for interactions and the greater the rate of learning.

????That is the fundamental power of a dynamic ecosystem: Participants interact with each other with the goal of learning faster, getting better, and increasing the capabilities of each participant and the value of the entire community.

????In a dynamic ecosystem, participants benefit from sharing ideas and resources, a sense of common purpose or passion, and from learning how to use a product or service better.

????Consider the Lego Mindstorms community. Once its platform was in place, the company discovered that the love of Lego robotics extended well past the 12-year-old boy. The group encourages members to share completed and ongoing projects. Members discuss challenges they are having and solutions they have discovered, while the platform allows them to be recognized and rewarded for developing new products or expertise.

????Lego makes its robotics software openly accessible, and Mindstorms members have modified and built extensions off of it that they can share with each other. Periodic challenges, such as the most recent "to build a robot that can be used to improve the quality of life for senior citizens," encourage members to team up. Live events allow enthusiasts to meet in person and showcase their skills. Participants also have the opportunity to apply to be part of an exclusive team, the Mindstorms Community Partners, which develops and tests new ideas, products, software, and hardware for Lego.

????Most business ecosystems today are static. They focus on coordinating a fixed set of resources among a limited set of participants. But companies can turn those static communities into dynamic ones. For example, a coffee chain might pose a challenge to its cup and paper goods suppliers to solve the problem of accidental food and beverage spills. Or the company might pose a broader challenge of eliminating packaging waste or reducing its overall carbon footprint and encourage its partners to work together on the problem. Such challenges allow members to work together and begin forming relationships with each other. The result: one or more dynamic ecosystems nested within a larger, static one.

????The bottom line is that you can derive more value out of a dynamic ecosystem (if done right, it can be the gift that keeps on giving) but creating one requires a new attitude. In a world where out-collaborating the competition is more important than out-competing it, the greatest risk you face might be in missing the opportunity to participate in the rapid learning and performance improvement of a dynamic ecosystem.

????John Hagel III, director in Deloitte Consulting LLP, is the co-chairman of the Deloitte Center for the Edge based in Silicon Valley. John Seely Brown is the independent co-chairman of the Deloitte Center for the Edge.