Is “on demand” the future of sustainable business?

To optimize cash flow, scrappy entrepreneurs rent what they need, when they need it. Enter an interesting mobile app called LiquidSpace. LiquidSpace appears to be locating companies, hotels and other spaces that are not fully utilized, and selling the space on an ad hoc and reserved basis. Like hotel rooms and airline seats, any space that goes unutilized is a waste of resources, so this serves both ends of the market – holders of real estate who want to maximize revenue, and consumers of the space who want to optimize cash flow.

As we strive to live and run our businesses more sustainably, this appears to be part of a larger trend. ZipCar provides cars and insurance when you need them. In Italy, restaurants put a carafe of wine in front of you, and you pay for what you consume.

Is the same model appropriate for organizations? While some roles lend themselves to an “always on” way of working – core administrative staff, expert support agents, the senior leadership team. But what about ad hoc talent needs?

What if data from Google, LinkedIn, Facebook and other platforms, along with your mobile location, could help you find reputable talent, on demand? Sure, you could always “reserve” time, but as millennials graduate, and seniors consult rather than retire, why not also engage specific talent when you need it? oDesk and Elance enable companies to do this using a hub-and spoke approach, adding and removing contractors to their ranks as needed.

Second Life founder Philip Rosedale, along with investors including Mitch Kapor, Reid Hoffman/Greylock Partners, Jeff Bezos, Kevin Rose, and others have taken a different approach. Announced November 1st, 2011, Philip launched an online marketplace called Coffee & Power, a “meta-company” featuring physical space, a platform and currency for people with needs and people with wants to find each other.

Is this sustainable marketplace approach the future of work?