Internal vs. External Crowdsourcing: How to Determine the Best Solution

The article explores the differences between an internal crowd (employees of a company) and an external crowd (customers, partners, etc.) for ideation challenges. The author suggests that external crowds are best for customer experience, product feedback and validation, marketing campaigns, and hiring/recruiting, while internal crowds are best for finding new revenue streams, improving internal processes, and changing company culture. However, the author notes that mixing the two crowds in a single challenge should be approached with caution due to intellectual property and incentive structure differences. The article highlights the importance of proper communication and follow-through for both internal and external challenges to encourage participation and morale.