ABSTRACT
A different economy is emerging, as manifest in current phenomena and discussed by several contemporary authors. It is not the expression of mainstream practices and behaviours, but it is apparent in spread yet pervasive initiatives that can be observed all over the world and are sustained by specific sociotechnical circumstances. The ongoing change in the current economy is affecting the private and the public sector, as well as the profit and not for profit economy, suggesting a shift from a concentrated and hierarchical capitalism to a 'distributed' one. The hybrid and heterogenic nature of services and the growing role of people in the shape of solutions and value represent the challenges for design in this emerging economy. New technologies have a critical role in decentralisation, collaboration and interaction. The open source movement is often seen as a form of rebellion against the established corporate order and as a way of transforming traditional corporations.
