If there’s something strange in your neighborhood you’re gonna call ghostbusters ;) But who are you gonna call to raise funds, build software, give you advertising and marketing ideas, do research or provide you with solutions to your problems, to name a few? Answer: the crowd.

Lots of people have lots of ideas and can do lots of things. And more. And even more than that. And just a little more.

Crowdsourcing has redefined the meaning of “human resources” and is becoming an inherent part of the business world. Check out “How to Crowdsource Anything” 

Glossary

• broadcast – transmit, the past simple/participle form looks exactly the same, so “The problem was broadcast to a group of solvers.”  NOT “broadcasted”
• an open call for …  – anyone is invited to answer an open call hence it’s called an “open” one. Yep, it’s pretty self-explanatory but a nice phrase to remember anyway
• grow beyond something – become something more than …
• endless applications – there are no limits to the ways how you can use it – in just two words :)
• likewise – in the same way
• complete a task on deadline – do it on time
• diet/exercise/treatment regimen – a prescribed course of medical treatment, way of life, or diet for the promotion or restoration of health
• tap into something – gain access to something
• seek assistance – look for help

Think about it

Based on the text answer the following questions. Leave your answers in the comments below!

• What is crowdsourcing?
• Apart from business applications, what can crowdsourcing be used for?
• How did Ford use crowdsourcing to create the Focus ST commercial?
• How did the author of the article use crowdsourcing?
• Can you think of any other applications of crowdsourcing?

Practice makes perfect

In the sentences below replace the phrases in bold with the expressions from the original text. Leave your answers in the comments below!

• Now crowdsourcing is becoming an integral part of the business world, with virtually endless applications.
• Toy manufacturers have followed suit.
• Many of us are now know the term “open source,” which basically means free software developed collectively and shared by developers and programmers the world over.
• I was able to attract and routinely engage recruits; they were indispensable to my book, and allowed me to finish it on time.
• Like other innovations, crowdsourcing is not a wonder drug.

Give the opposite:

• known – ________
• dispensable – ________
• download – ________
• viable – ________
• skilled – ________
• enable – ________
• personal – ________

Explore it more

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