John Maloney on IM
Paul DiPerna:
John.. where did you go to college and/or graduate school? Is your degree in business?
John Maloney:
I attended California Polytechnic -- my degree is in Computer Science.
Paul DiPerna:
Were there any people of particular influence at Cal Poly or in the early part of your professional career? If so, how?
John Maloney:
I took the advice to get two years, then work for five, then finish degree. I worked at Electromagnetic System Laboratories in Silicon Valley. Hewlett and Packard were immensely influential to me.
Paul DiPerna:
Were you able to work directly with both men?
John Maloney:
No. I eventually went on to a long and prosperous career at their firm.
Paul DiPerna:
You founded the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley Knowledge Management Cluster.. When did you start it up? How did you get interested in Knowledge Management (KM)?
John Maloney:
It was started after leaving HP around 1987-88. I began leading KM during the mid-80s and the quality revolution.
Paul DiPerna:
What was the "quality revolution"?
John Maloney:
It was an industry movement toward Total Quality Movement, beginning in the 1980s.
Paul DiPerna:
I understand that you launched Colabria about ten years ago? What led you to the idea and mission behind Colabria?
John Maloney:
Colabria was born from Collaboratory, a successful company that got killed by the bubble. Colabria started around 2001, just after the bubble.
Paul DiPerna:
Has Colabria's mission evolved over the last 5-6 years?
John Maloney:
No. The same. Removing barriers and increasing understanding of human networks and collaboration.
Paul DiPerna:
The Internet has produced innovations that serve as enablers for KM - such as Intranets, email, IM, wikis, blogs, content management systems, online directories, social networking, Skype, among other online technologies.
In your view, what are the most effective KM enablers via Internet, and why?
John Maloney:
The messy, biological, carbon-based element -- People!
Paul DiPerna:
Which I guess is where the idea of Prediction Markets comes into this brief chat.. Can you briefly explain how prediction markets work?
John Maloney:
Prediction markets, through contract price, inform outcomes.
Paul DiPerna:
Last question.. Today you just announced a Mid-Atlantic Cluster Special Action/Research Event, sponsored by the AEI-Brookings Joint Center, and it is slated for January 18, 2007. Who are some of the notable speakers? What do you hope to be the outcomes of this event?
John Maloney:
Outcomes include deeper relationships and collaboration among stakeholders, development of better definitions, modification of regulation, and all the traditional and routine trappings of industry consortium.
Here is the agenda. Professors, students, and administrators should feel free to attend this event at Brookings.
If interested, see this page.
January 10, 2007
