Question

Car manufacturer Volvo organized a crowdsourcing project last year in which the car of the future could be conceived. In order to enable the participants to come up with the best possible idea, they gained insight into all kinds of documents and other information. What Volvo had not realized, however, is that the competition was also participating in Volvo's project, which provided them with a lot of relevant but sensitive information about Volvo. When setting up a crowdsourcing program, what point should Volvo have devoted more time to?

Options:
a. Ensuring participant confidentiality
b. Increasing the prize for the winning idea
c. Restricting access to sensitive information
d. Encouraging more participants

Answer 1

Volvo should have focused more on restricting access to sensitive information to prevent inadvertent disclosure to competitors while engaging in crowdsourcing.

Step-by-step explanation:

When setting up a crowdsourcing program, it is crucial that organizations like Volvo dedicate ample time to restricting access to sensitive information. Crowdsourcing is a beneficial approach for harnessing collective knowledge and creativity, but it also presents risks regarding data security. Volvo's experience demonstrates that without proper safeguards, sensitive information can inadvertently be disclosed to unintended parties, including competitors.

To mitigate such risks, organizations should establish clear guidelines defining what is classified as sensitive, and implement stringent access controls. By doing so, companies can leverage crowdsourcing effectively without compromising their competitive edge or disclosing proprietary data. The moderation of participant access and submission reviews before public sharing ensures that while innovation is encouraged through collaborative efforts, the risks of sensitive data exposure are minimized.