Josh has spent over 10 years consulting on digital business strategy. His focus over the last four years has been on applying Web 2.0 principles to deliver competitive advantage (from new business model development to customer engagement and communication strategies). Mr. Ross has been a guest lecturer at Harvard University and has spoken at conferences related to technology and digital strategy around the world. Past clients include Washington Mutual, Accenture, Best Buy, Autodesk, and Polycom.
Joshua holds a degree with honors in Chinese Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
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Joshua-Michele blogs at:
http://www.oreillynet.com/conferences/blog/web_20_summit/
http://radar.oreilly.com
http://toc.oreilly.com
Social media’s 2.0 moment: Responsiveness beats planning
April 24 2013
In 2004, O’Reilly Media delivered a counter-cultural (at the time) message: The dot-com bubble had burst, but the web was here to stay as an economic and social force. The meme they coined was Web 2.0, and their manifesto was … read moreThe blurring line between speech and text
June 14 2011
Recent social media gaffes show that our definitions and thresholds for speech and text must evolve. A third category has emerged: Internet-based updates that marry the ephemeral nature of speech and the archival permanance of text. read moreApril 26 2011
We live in an ever-accelerating world and the competitive terms of business are built upon achieving speed for many reasons. Here's a look at how speed shapes a variety of domains and experiences. read moreDemocratic technology and unintended consequences
February 01 2011
As the Egyptian government throttles information flow and citizens fight to maintain access to communications, we are seeing the contours of a struggle that will shape political and policy changes. read moreThe economics of gaining attention
November 01 2010
As our social, economic and political lives are increasingly mediated through a few consolidated technologies such as Facebook and Google, software exerts a profound influence on the way we engage with one another. read moreArchitecture is Destiny: A Tale of Two Cities and Lessons for the Social Business
March 20 2010
About three years ago my wife and I made the rash (and wise) decision to buy a 17th century home in Southwestern France . Puy L’Eveque is a 13th century medieval town situated on a hill overlooking the Lot River. Its narrow streets all lead upward to the summit -… read moreJanuary 15 2010
From Google to Walmart, managing vast information flows is becoming central to how you run an effective business. Beyond the technical developments that are allowing for new possibilities in managing Big Data there are also new roles emerging within companies large and small; data scientists, visualization specialists etc. In this… read moreUnderstanding Social Business - Webcast
January 07 2010
The term, "Social Business" has been gaining currency over the past year among influential thinkers such as Stowe Boyd, Jeff Dachis, Peter Kim, and Jeremiah Owyang. At its broadest definition Social Business describes the systemic challenges and new opportunities social technologies present to organizations. I have been writing for some… read moreAirline Security and Proportional Response
January 02 2010
I am flying to London this coming week on business. I have no idea if I will be able to use my laptop, emerge from my seat during the last hour of flight or be required to wear my underwear inside-out during the security check-in. Do I believe that any… read moreVideo: Roger Magoulas on The Next Device
December 02 2009
I recently sat down with Roger Magoulas, Director of Research at O'Reilly to talk about what he is paying attention to these days. I thought we would do a single, quick segment for Radar. I was mistaken. I have broken out the interview into several parts and will release them… read moreThree Paradoxes of the Internet Age - Part Three
November 07 2009
The myth of personal empowerment takes root amidst a massive loss of personal control. Social technologies are cloaked in a rhetoric of liberation (customers are in control, the internet fosters democracy, social technologies propagate truth etc.) that tend to obscure the fact that never before have we handed so much… read moreThree Paradoxes of the Internet Age - Part Two
November 05 2009
Individual perception of increased choice can occur while the overall choice pool is getting smaller This gem from Whimsley makes the point - with extensive statistical modeling supporting the argument - that our algorithm-obsessed, long tail merchants are actually depleting the overall choice pool despite the fact that as individuals… read moreThree Paradoxes of the Internet Age - Part One
November 04 2009
In the circles that I travel the Internet is often breathlessly embraced as the herald of all things good; the bringer of increased choice, personal empowerment, social harmony...and the list goes on. And yet, as with any powerful technology, the truth of its consequences eludes such a singular and happy… read moreParticipant Sensing -An Interview with Deborah Estrin
October 30 2009
While the iPhone doesn’t ship nearly as much as its humbler brethren - the iPhone opened up many minds about the potential of phones to do a whole lot more than talk. In that regard it is a peek into the future. The iPhone is a rich portable computer with… read moreOctober 24 2009
I am releasing my conversation with John Hagel in three segments. In the first segment we discussed the real-time web. Here we discuss the move from the information web to the Social Web. John makes the point that the rise of the Social Web feels “a bit like Back to… read moreAbandon Stocks, Embrace Flows - A Conversation with John Hagel
October 23 2009
John Hagel spoke yesterday at the Web 2.0 Summit on the panel, Web Squared and the Economy of Work... read moreAbandon Stocks, Embrace Flows - A Conversation with John Hagel
October 23 2009
This interview covers three “Big Shifts” that have dominated 2009 (1) The move to the real-time web, (2) the move from the information web to the Social Web and (3) the rise of mobile. Since John co-chairs Deloitte’s Center for the Edge I wanted to get his take on each… read moreOnly Connect - Should Broadband Access Be a Right?
October 17 2009
This week gave us two reasons to reconsider the state of broadband connectivity in the US. First, Finland has announced that it will guarantee broadband access as a right for all its citizens: Starting next July, every person in Finland will have the right to a one-megabit broadband connection, says… read moreA Conversation with Dr. Walter Scott of DigitalGlobe
October 17 2009
Dr Walter Scott founded Digital Globe - a company you are likely not familiar with though you probably interact with their satellite imagery on a regular basis via Google Maps, Bing and others. It is only recently that mapping technology and production has been driven by mainly commercial interests especially… read moreReal Time Search with Wowd: A Conversation with CEO Mark Drummond
October 13 2009
During last year's Summit I had the good fortune to interview Kevin Kelly (see Technology is the Seventh Kingdom of Life). In the interview Kevin made the case that we have only scratched the surface on how to coordinate group activities on the web: there must be hundreds of effective… read moreGoogle Analytics for the Real World: A Conversation with Sharon Biggar of Path Intelligence
October 12 2009
In preparation for the upcoming Web 2.0 Summit I am posting a few conversations with attendees that embody the Web Squared Theme. Path Intelligence uses sensor technology to understand shopping behavior in retail spaces by detecting and tracking the RF signals from mobile phones. As Sharon Biggar, co-founder, succinctly puts… read moreGoogle Analytics for the Real World: A Conversation with Sharon Biggar of Path Intelligence
October 10 2009
In preparation for the upcoming Web 2.0 Summit I am posting a few conversations with attendees that embody the Web Squared Theme. Path Intelligence uses sensor technology to understand shopping behavior in retail spaces by detecting and tracking the RF signals from mobile phones. As Sharon Biggar, co-founder, succinctly puts… read moreStop Giving the Newspapers Your Advice - They Don’t Need It
September 15 2009
Speculation about the demise of the news business and advice about what they should do about it is everywhere. It makes for great, self-congratulatory sport but it won’t help the news industry. Why? Because the news industry doesn’t suffer from a shortage of ideas or possible revenue models, it suffers… read moreThe Productivity Myth: Step Away From the Twitter - Get Back to Work
July 31 2009
Ever since I posted a how-to on establishing guidelines for social media in the workplace, the issue that has generated the most energy concerns productivity. Employers it seems are very worried about lost productivity due to social media usage (Facebook, Twitter etc.). I can’t really get my arms around it… read moreAmazon, Zappos and Buying What You Can’t Compete Against
July 24 2009
Amazon bought Zappos. At first I was a bit surprised. Like an aging celebrity going to the “big theater in the sky” it is unexpected when you first hear about it - but upon reflection not surprising at all. It smacks of inevitability. Amazon has consistently displayed a genius for… read moreAmaZappos or ZappoZon? Amazon, Zappos and Buying What You Can’t Compete Against
July 24 2009
Amazon bought Zappos. At first I was a bit surprised. Like an aging celebrity going to the “big theater in the sky” it is unexpected when you first hear about it - but upon reflection not surprising at all. It smacks of inevitability. Amazon has consistently displayed a genius for… read moreIn Defense of Social Media (At Least Some Of It)
July 02 2009
Scott Berkun just posted a great rant titled, Calling Bullshit on Social Media. I suggest everyone read it. Berkun raises good points - and I agree the hype around social media warrants taking a critical look. Despite being in general agreement, there are a few areas I can't abide, starting… read more“Silicon Valley’s First Phone Company” -A conversation with Ted Griggs
June 27 2009
Ribbit bills itself as “Silicon Valley’s First Phone Company.” Recently I sat down with Ted Griggs, Ribbit’s CEO to talk about that tag line, Ribbit’s business and what’s behind their recent acquisition by British Telecom. It will be interesting to see how the telecommunications industry is going to handle the… read moreSocial Science Moves from Academia to the Corporation
May 21 2009
This is the latest of a series of posts addressing questions regarding social technologies. These topics will be opened to live discussion in an upcoming webcast on May 27 with a special guest to be announced. In order to control a thing you must first classify that thing -- and… read moreMay 20 2009
This post is part three of a series raising questions about the mass adoption of social technologies;. Here are links to part one and two. These posts will be opened to live discussion in an upcoming webcast on May 27. (special guest to be announced shortly) In 1785 utilitarian philosopher… read moreMay 19 2009
This post is part two of the series, “The Question Concerning Social Technology”. Part one is here. These posts will be opened to live discussion in an upcoming webcast on May 27. In January 2002 DARPA launched the Information Awareness Office. The mission was to, “ imagine, develop, apply, integrate,… read moreThe Question Concerning Social Technology
May 18 2009
I am an evangelist of social media and an active participant: on Linked In (business), MySpace (music) and Facebook (increasingly my online identity), I blog on several sites and I am a daily user of Twitter. I also make my living speaking to companies about the value and operating principles… read moreRadar Interview with Clay Shirky
February 16 2009
Clay Shirky is one of the most incisive thinkers on technology and its effects on business and society. I had the pleasure to sit down with him after his keynote at the FASTForward '09 conference last week in Las Vegas. In this interview Clay talks about The effects of low… read moreStimuluswatch.org; The Falling Cost and Accelerated Speed of Group Action
February 14 2009
Stimuluswatch.org is a great example of how easy it is today for people to, as Clay Shirky says, “organize without organizations.” Stimuluswatch.org began after Jerry Brito attended a mayor’s Conference and posted this request: "Let’s help President-Elect Obama do what he is promising. Let’s help him “prioritize” so the projects… read moreSecurity in the Age of Social Networks
February 06 2009
Over the past four years we have seen an explosion in the volume of personally identifiable information (PII) online as social software and user generated content have allowed millions of people to create, manage and share their data in the cloud. While the rewards have been pretty clear (lower barriers… read moreWhat Does It Mean To Be An Internet President?
January 21 2009
FDR was our radio president, JFK was our television president and Barack Obama will be our Internet President. Quietly at noon yesterday, as the world was fixated on the televised inauguration of Barack Obama, some obscure IT managers flipped a switch (metaphorically) and transferred Change.gov to Whitehouse.gov... While the inauguration… read moreWork On Stuff That Matters: Video Interview with Tim O'Reilly
January 15 2009
Over the past few months I have been interviewing various people that are "on our Radar" so to speak. It recently occurred to me that we had never done a video with Tim. So last week Kirk Walter (bless him!) grabbed his camera and Tim and I took a walk… read moreJanuary 10 2009
This interview is with April Allderdice, CEO and cofounder of MicroEnergy Credits. MicroEnergy Credits has developed a mechanism using microfinance institutions and GPS cell phones to allow carbon credits to reach small households in the developing world. Until now the relatively high transaction costs involved in set up and verification… read moreSoftware for Civic Life: An Interview with Mike Mathieu of Frontseat.org
December 30 2008
In this interview Mike Mathieu, founder of Frontseat.org, discusses how he is helping to build “software for civic life”. Using publicly available data and web services (many of their applications use S3 and EC2) Frontseat creates simple, highly functional tools like Walkscore (rating neighborhood walkability) and Countmore (helping students in… read moreZappos: If You Are Great at Something - Let It Go... (Or Resell It)
December 22 2008
I am fascinated by what I see as Zappos' ongoing evolution from a simple, online retailer to a leading online innovator. A few months back I wrote about Zappos pioneering what I called “Experience Syndication" with their Powered by Zappos (PBZ) service. In brief, PBZ syndicates the end-to-end value of… read moreCatch 22: Too Big To Fail, Too Big To Succeed
December 08 2008
Hat in hand the U.S. Auto Industry lined up for their slice of government aid and it appears as of this posting that they will get the money they are asking for. These titans spent years hiding behind the “free market” shibboleth when convenient (the market wants gas guzzling SUV’s)… read more“Technology is the 7th Kingdom of Life” - A conversation with Kevin Kelly
November 24 2008
Kevin Kelly doesn’t need much in the way of introduction to Radar readers. He is a big thinker looking at the intersection of biology, technology and culture. Kevin gave a great High Order Bit at the Web 2.0 Summit and I caught up with him afterward. This interview covers: The… read moreOnline Communities: The Tribalization of Business
November 12 2008
Recently I spoke with Francois Gossieaux of Beeline Labs about the role of online communities in the enterprise. Francois has been evangelizing the learning gained from his recent study “The Tribalization of Business” (see here for the Slideshare presentation). The interview is broken into three parts. Francois is a great… read moreTechnology, Politics and Democracy
October 21 2008
Recently I spoke with Jascha Franklin-Hodge, CTO and co-founder of Blue State Digital about how technology is affecting politics and democracy in the U.S. Blue State Digital was born out of Jascha's experience helping Howard Dean’s seminal run for the White House in ’04. and is the technology and strategic… read moreWikitecture - Radical Collaboration in Architecture
October 16 2008
Many of the precepts that began with Open Source (collaboration, shared IP, crowdsourcing etc.) are migrating from software development into a series of ever more surprising disciplines. Today old-school institutions like Proctor and Gamble go outside of their own R&D teams to innovate new products while Best Buy opens APIs… read moreA Star is Born? NY Times syndicates outside blogs but that's not enough
October 07 2008
Recently the New York Times announced that it will be syndicating content from three well-known blogs, Read/Write Web, Giga Om and Venture Beat. The New York Times is using these blogs as an extra-sensory organ; they can dial into what is happening in the tech sector (and particularly the West… read moreCustomer Service is the New Marketing: Interview with Lane Becker
October 02 2008
The Internet changes the power relations between companies and customers. Social technologies like blogs, social networks, ratings and reviews etc. allow customers to share experiences; good and bad to the 1.4 billion people on the Internet. Zappos exemplifies the positive benefits of extraordinary customer service while Comcast shines a light… read moreGetting Web 2.0 right: The hard stuff vs. the harder stuff
October 01 2008
I had a powerful conversation recently in Europe with one of the top executives of a major industrial company. They have 100K+ employees in over 50 countries. When he joined five years ago their business was struggling and in need of major transformation; their stock was at two dollars a… read moreOpen beats Closed: Best Buy’s new APIs
September 23 2008
Welcome to Joshua-Michéle Ross, who joins the Radar team with a focus on how Web 2.0 is affecting business strategy - Sara Winge Best Buy is a pioneer when it comes to unleashing the talent of their own staff; from the Loop Marketplace that allows employees to submit ideas for… read moreRecent Posts | All O'Reilly Posts
Webcast: Creating Your Social Media Policy
July 30, 2009
Duration: Approximately 60 minutes. Audience: Any professional or executive thinking of using social media in the workplace. Preview Video: Free Full Video: Available on Safari Books Online Social media such as blogs, microblogs (e.g. Twitter) ...
Webcast: Reconsidering Social Media
May 27, 2009
Duration: Approximately 60 minutes. Preview Video: Free Full Video: Available on Safari Books Online No corner of modern American life is untouched by technology. And no technology is more transformative than the Internet. This for the simple reason...
Webcast - The Evangelist's Toolkit: A field guide to bringing social technologies into your organization
September 30, 2008
This is a free live event. Scheduled for approximately 45 minutes. While it has become cliché to talk about how much the Internet and the Social Web have changed business, what has been less well explored is how traditional (meaning non-Internet...
Webcast: Success Factors: What traditional business really needs to know about Web 2.0
July 21, 2008
This is a free live event. Scheduled for approximately 45 minutes. The business world is experiencing successive waves of disruption caused by new trends and technologies; from publishing to media and entertainment, software development to financial...
