A recent research report by University of Queensland Business School (Australia) academics Tim Kastelle and John Steen suggests that large enterprises can make major gains in productivity by investing in their internal communication networks. This resonates strongly with the concepts of bioteaming according to practitioner Max Bhanabhai.

Way back in the social networking Dark Ages, OK - October 2005, I published a "A Virtual Community Development Model" with sports metaphors for each stage. Looking back today I think some of it still applies to the development of those social networks driven primarily by shared interests/knowledge (rather than by relationship building). But see what you think?

One of the biggest challenges for any Enterprise today is Social Media Optimisation, defined as "a set of methods for generating publicity through social media, online communities and community websites." The Social Media Optimization Simulator Game lets you instantly 'what-if' the effects of different social media activities (blogging, tweeting etc) on your enterprise.

I was delighted to speak on "Bioteams: Turning Audiences into Communities" to a lively audience in Brighton (UK) at an event "New Frontiers in Social Media" organised by Use8 - The User Experience Society. You can get a copy of my slides here.

The NLab Social Networks Conference took place in the summer at De Montfort University (in Leicester, UK) featuring a number of speakers including Steve Clayton (Microsoft), Roland Harwood (NESTA), Andrea Saveri (IFTF), Jim Benson, David Asch and myself (Ken Thompson). The conference videos are now available online.

One of the papers I re-read lately is Clay Shirky's landmark speech at ETech in 2003 "A group is its own worst enemy" where he identifies 4 principles for social software/social network design. These principles are every bit as relevant today as they were 5 years ago.

The current focus on 'social networking' might make us think we should spend most of our efforts warming up distant relationships and creating new ones. However it would be a big mistake to neglect the relationships we already have. We can learn a lot about relationship ecosystems from Jim Henson the inventor of the Muppets.

Auren Hoffman, chief executive of Reputation Technology company Rapleaf, writing for BusinessWeek, reviews how the current presidential candidates have become exceptionally adept at "microtargeting" persuadable voters and in using the latest social media software to go beyond seeking traditional support ("give us your money and vote") towards also seeking active advocacy ("call three swing voters").

Ken Thompson, author of Bioteams and The Networked Enterprise, gives a 25 minute introduction to bioteams and describes how it can be applied to make social networks, fan groups, virtual communities and business networks more agile, intimate, satisfying and sustainable. The presentation also addresses todays big question - "How do you get engagement in a large group?"

What are the key requirements for social software to create social environments and communities that can become self-sustainable? Ken Thompson and Robin Good suggest the answer can be found in the ground-breaking "theory of living systems" developed by two famous Chilean biologists and referred to as autopoiesis.