It's hip to be open--and increasingly recognized as business smart. Relevant examples? See Google's open-source Android mobile operating system--now the world leader due largely to the lack of cost for phone manufacturers to use and customize it to their liking. Android has also enabled phone manufacturers to reduce the cost of the devices and thus bring smartphone technology to those consumers previously ignored, the billions of people priced out of using advanced tech.
Creative Commons, publisher of the outstanding new (and free!) book, The Power of Open, is another success story. Leveraging innovative new approaches to the stringent copyright world, Creative Commons has revolutionized intellectual property ownership and usage for the digital age. The Power of Open (currently available in English, Japanese and Portuguese) shares best practices through real-life examples in the implementation of open-source ethos and provides some invaluable Creative Commons 101. This is a great place for meeting professionals to get started in Creative Commons education and a resourceful read for those already working with the new standard in copyright.
You may recall back in July 2009, when Joi Ito was CEO of Creative Commons (he's now chair of CC and director of the MIT Media Lab), we published what would become an award-winning profile about him and his group's works: "Ambassador of the New Breed".
Combine the One+ Ito profile and The Power of Open and you've got a strong pair of works from which to embrace Creative Commons and real openness.