Content about Management

I recently met with a local Philly organization that is doing something different that has sparked quite a bit of creativity and cohesion among local neighbors and business owners. Alex Hillman, of Philadelphia’s own Independents Hall (or Indy Hall for short), sat down with me and allowed me to pick his brain about an up-and-coming business movement called Coworking. The concept is surprisingly simple, and the idea is popping up in urban areas everywhere. The best part is, business leaders all over the world are coming to Philadelphia (and more specifically, to Alex at Indy Hall) to see how it’s done right.

A community planner from the “Back 40”, working on a multi-jurisdictional planning process for a small, rural community recently posed this question on Cyburbia. Planner.tk, a local design firm associate and community planner with a passion for 'saving the environment', inquires about how to drum up successful public participation in their county of less than 30,000 people. Insights and ideas came in from fellow Cyburbia members regarding useful techniques in community development as well as unique challenges faced by planners focused on rural areas.

When it comes to online conversations and forums, the role of the facilitator has become essential in supporting a participatory process.   But how has the role of the facilitator evolved with the increasing use of online communication as opposed to conventional face to face interactions?