[plug] [OT] Open Source Business Plan

[Simon Scott]

> I've spent a long time planning what I would describe as an experimental
> new type of company. Basically is involves making the business plan
> freely available on the internet released under an Open Source license. 

Sounds interesting!

> 
> This would allow people all over the world to help develop the business
> plan and with it the entire company. In exchange for this anyone could
> use the business plan to start a company providing they follow the
> license agreement which in some ways would be similar to the GPL.

How would you manage this? I mean, if I got your business plan, who would I
conceivably give it to? I know what you mean, but there is no end product per
se from the business plan other than the business plan (ie, if I give someone
the business plan I also have to give them the source, which is the business
plan itself). 

> 
> Imagine an Open Source McDonalds with zero franchise license costs.

Someone would still have to hold the trademarks etc along the same lines as
linux.

> 
> The company would be completely transparent and much more open that
> companies today.

In what way?

> 
> Of course there would be a lot possible negative effects like your
> competitors knowing what your doing (even if they can't do that
> according to the license they probably still would) or a person deciding
> to start-up the same company in the same region as you. 

Survival of the fittest - consumer wins. If there are some real nasties in
there (like McCaston's opening a store next door) then just write it into the
license.

> 
> Now I am at a fork in the road and need to make an important decision do
> I open source my business plan or keep it proprietary like (probably)
> every other company on the planet?

It depends.

Is your business plan sufficiently advanced and/or different from other
business plans in the same area? What are you trying to achieve by 'open
sourcing' it? (I just had an idea - you could fork the plan for different
industries - and for the food and restaurant industry you could call it an
'open sauce' business plan <ack!>)


Nice idea, Id be interested in how you go about it.