This is a study of appropriate technology collaborations which exist or have existed.
Open collaborations
These are collaborations which have used internet technologies to be radically open, enabling anyone to contribute if they have access .
Limited collaborations
This is a look at organizations that describe their work as collaborative, but do not appear to fit with the "open collaborations". These may be collaborations between specific parties, or which have significant barriers to participation by the broader community (deliberate or otherwise).
Perceived advantages of the restrictions that might be applied to participation include:
- knowing the participants - who they are and their areas of expertise
- protection from vandalism,
- protection from inaccurate information
Examples (which at first glance appear to allow limited collaboration) include:
- The Appropriate Technology Collaborative (ATC), a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is “To design, develop, demonstrate and distribute appropriate technological solutions for meeting the basic human needs of low income people in the developing world. ATC works in collaboration with our clients and other nonprofits (NGOs) to create technologies that are culturally sensitive, environmentally responsible and locally repairable in order to improve the quality of life, enhance safety, and reduce adverse impacts on their environment.”
- MATES (www.mates-consulting.com) - "Mobility, Appropriate Technology, Education and Skills" "Our consulting activities are carried out through collaboration with in-country counterparts."
Note this is not an exhaustive list, but additions are welcome (please include an explanation of how it is collaborative).