Chapter 37

Peer to Peer

Dealing from person to person

A nut and a spanner, kept on two separate circular callouts pointing in different directions, interacting with each other through a double headed arrow.

The pattern

The term ‘peer to peer’ originated in the computer industry, where it refers to two or more equivalent computers communicating. In business model terms, Peer to Peer normally refers to transactions between private individuals, such as lending personal items, offering specific services and products or sharing information and experiences (WHAT?). The organising outfit functions as a sort of intermediary, responsible for the safe and efficient handling of transactions (HOW?), ideally becoming a nexus for community relationships. As time goes by, this function can be monetised ...

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