Community

We're hearing the word "community" a lot these days. Perhaps our economic malaise has allowed us to look at ourselves and our neighbors in a new way. "Community" has taken on new meaning in the online communications realm as well.

Here are my references for community:
1. For getting inside of community and empowering people and associations, Peter Block's 2008 book, Community: The Structure of Belonging, is my resource. Peter is citizen of Cincinnati, best-selling author and nationally respected consultant. His work centers on strengthening the fabric of community through the power of small groups and accountability. Peter is a personal friend and will be featured on this blog sometime in the near future.
http://www.peterblock.com/commun.html

2. My perspective about community through a business lens is rooted in Ran Mullins' 2002 executive white paper entitled, Community Experience Development™ (CED): Empowering Sharing, Participation, and Fellowship Among a Body Politic. The paper outlines the CED business philosophy centered on the paradigm shift of the branding "push" mentality to the community "pull" concept. Community Experience Development™ (CED) combines the essential elements of technology, brand strategy, and inclusion to deliver an absolute marketing environment. Here's more: http://metaphorinteractive.com/content.jsp?articleId=152