There is a fundamental humanity to business institutions. Businesses are cooperative endeavors that leverage human work and creativity to create social value. Stable, functional, and purpose-driven businesses are key to real human flourishing. And yet many governments are expected to be neutral about business, acting as either redistributor or regulator. There is a third role, though: facilitator.

In his new book, WTF?, Tim O’Reilly takes issues with the vogue for disruption. “The point of a disruptive technology is not the market or competitors that it destroys. It is the new markets and the new possibilities that it creates,” he writes.

“Hot” market segments that appear to have significant future growth potential are appealing for obvious reasons. But new research finds that technology entrepreneurs and the investors who back them often do better if they identify winning strategies in markets that aren’t hot.

Crowdfunding is changing how entrepreneurs bring new products to market. It has allowed thousands of innovating entrepreneurs to raise money, build brand awareness, and join a broader conversation with large numbers of potential backers — all while still in the product development process. But crowdfunding’s potential goes beyond financing and marketing. The people who back projects can also be important sources for product feedback and ideas.

NYU Stern School of Business professor Arun Sundararajan is excited about the sharing economy. Although the sharing economy presents challenges for both corporations and start-up peer-to-peer marketplaces, Sundararajan sees a host of benefits for what he calls “micro entrepreneurs.” In an interview, Sundararajan discusses the challenges of ensuring success with this alternative business model — and steps companies can take to make sure they’re not left out.