CASE 1: Mozilla's Crowdsourcing Mystique

CASE ABSTRACT

Mozilla, the California-based developer of the popular Firefox web browser, is a not-for-profit organization.More importantly, while it employs 250 people, about 40 percent of its work is done by volunteers. Their "crowdsourcing" approach to work and innovation has paid off in a big way both in terms of market share and in terms of users' mindshare.A similar approach has not succeeded in for-profit companies such as Google and LinkedIn.The case identifies reasons why this unique approach to innovation has worked very well as Mozilla.

KEY POINTS

• The impact of a changing competitive environment on business strategy (Chapter 4: External Environment)
• The importance of innovation (Chapter 14: Innovation and Entrepreneurship)

RELATED CHAPTERS

Chapter 1: Strategic Management, Chapter 2: Company Mission, Chapter 3: Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics, Chapter 6: Internal Analysis, Chapter 8: Business Strategy, Chapter 10: Implementation, and Chapter 14: Innovation and Entrepreneurship

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. What is Mozilla's "crowdsourcing" model?

2. What problems did LinkedIn and Google face in emulating Mozilla's volunteer model?

3. Has Mozilla's unique approach to innovation paid off?

4. Why does the model work in an organization such as Mozilla?

5. Use the BCG Matrix to analyze Mozilla as its strategy relates to that of its competitors.