Meta: Facebook's Pivot to the Metaverse. A Dystopia or Blue Ocean Utopia?

In October 2021, Facebook changed the parent corporation name to Meta and announced plans to build a metaverse, a 3D virtual world for work and fun. This case explores whether Meta’s metaverse is likely to be a blue ocean utopia for people and society at large or some form of dystopia. It is designed to create a lively classroom discussion and dives into issues ranging from the difference between value innovation and technology innovation to the potential danger of Meta, already one of the most powerful companies in the world, expanding its unfettered influence and control even further across its already three billion users. The case challenges students to explore the social, economic, and environmental implications of Meta’s proposed metaverse along with potential business models. The theory and tools of Blue Ocean Strategy are used in the analysis.

- Explore Meta’s metaverse and what they might do with their userbase of three billion people and Web3 technology. - Learn the difference between value innovation and technology innovation. - Dive into the pros and cons of the metaverse, including the social, economic, and environmental implications. Will Meta’s proposed metaverse create a blue ocean utopia or dystopia? -Discuss social and economic issues regarding monopolization and Meta’s centralized control vs. a decentralized model of the metaverse.