"众人业务" refers to business models or services that rely on the participation, collaboration, or collective action of a large number of people—whether as owners, users, contributors, or customers. These models leverage the power of mass engagement to create value, share benefits, or solve problems. Below is a breakdown of common types and key examples:
Collaborative Ownership Models (Co-operatives)
These are businesses owned and controlled by their members (workers, consumers, or suppliers), who share profits and decision-making.
- Worker Co-ops: Employees own the business and participate in management (e.g., Mondragon Corporation in Spain, a global network of worker co-ops).
- Consumer Co-ops: Customers are members and get discounts or dividends (e.g., REI in the U.S., a outdoor gear co-op; local Chinese community co-ops for fresh produce).
These models tap into the collective wisdom, capital, or labor of the public: - Crowdfunding: Raising funds from many people for projects/products (e.g., Kickstarter, JD Crowdfunding in China).
- Crowdsourcing: Using the public to generate ideas or solve tasks (e.g., Wikipedia, Alibaba’s "Taobao Village" initiative where rural artisans sell via crowdsourced platforms).
- Crowdworking: Connecting freelancers to clients (e.g., Upwork, Zhubajie in China for creative services).
Sharing & P2P Platforms
These platforms connect individuals to share resources or services, cutting out intermediaries:
- Asset Sharing: Airbnb (home-sharing), Didi Chuxing (ride-sharing in China).
- Skill Sharing: Platforms like "Skillshare" (global) or "Zhihu Live" (China, where experts share knowledge for fees).
Group-Centric Services
Businesses that cater to group needs or aggregated demand:
- Group Buying: Pinduoduo (China’s e-commerce giant, where users form groups to get lower prices on goods).
- Group Discounts: Groupon (bulk discounts for local services/goods).
- Team Services: Companies offering team-building activities or corporate group travel.
Key Characteristics
- Mass Participation: Relies on many people to drive value (e.g., Pinduoduo’s growth depends on users inviting friends to join groups).
- Collective Benefit: Shared profits (co-ops), lower costs (group buying), or access to resources (sharing platforms).
- Resource Pooling: Leveraging combined capital, skills, or assets (e.g., crowdfunding for startups).
Advantages & Challenges
- Advantages: Reduced costs, higher customer engagement, access to diverse talent/capital.
- Challenges: Regulatory risks (e.g., labor rights for gig workers), trust issues (P2P platform scams), and complex decision-making in co-ops.
In short, "众人业务" embodies the idea of "strength in numbers"—turning individual participation into collective value. It’s a core part of the modern collaborative economy, especially in China where platforms like Pinduoduo have redefined how people shop and engage with businesses.
