As more companies attempt to take advantage of “distributed work” trends like online collaboration and interest-based communities, are they really able to translate all these “conversations” into real, tangible products? That’s the question asked by Elizabeth Albrycht of Future Tense, who wonders aloud how effective these online communities actually are in getting things done:

“Whether it be online communities of practice (associations, alliances, ventures), interest-based communities (dogs, Vioxx, Treos) or distributed work for one organization, I hear a lot about “listening” and “conversations” and “emergence” — many of these discussions exhibiting a rather utopian bent. While there is still much to learn about those three topics, and many other related ones, it seems there is a lack of widespread debate about transforming all that listening and conversation into action in the real, physical world.

Now, clearly, in the case of distributed work for an organization, the people involved by definition need to produce something in the real world. But are they truly efficient in doing so? In the case of communities of practice (or the perhaps not-so-aptly-designated activist communities), how many of them have really made something happen? A change in behavior, a change in legislation, a person elected, a product designed and delivered, and so on. How many times have we seen a failure of expected result (ineffectiveness or impact failure) despite all of the buzz?”

The key, says Albrycht, is designing the online community in an appropriate way from the very beginning:

“When action (and the rules that need to be put in place to facilitate this) is an afterthought, you can’t hammer it onto a community that has only vaguely addressed it. When action has to happen, all of the hidden biases, struggles, vanities, egos, weaknesses etc. that have been glossed over during the listening/conversing phase jump into heavy relief. And the result can be disheartening and discouraging.”

Over the past two weeks, the FORTUNE Business Innovation blog has been highlighting the types of big thinkers and strategic viewpoints that will be part of the upcoming FORTUNE Innovation Forum in New York City. We’re now pleased to welcome Douglas Rushkoff, a globally-recognized thought leader on media, marketing and Internet culture, as a regular contributor to the Business Innovation blog. During November, in the weeks leading up to the forum, he will be contributing unique insights and views about business innovation and commenting on different topics that appear on the blog. (He’s also helping us judge a business innovation contest - more of that below. Or, if you’re impatient, skip to the fourth paragraph)

His forthcoming book, Get Back in the Box: Innovation from the Inside Out, is full of insights and observations about the ways that companies can re-connect with true innovation, instead of becoming lost in jargon-speak about efficiencies, business transformations and strategic overhauls. It’s an interesting premise – that after decades of being told to “think outside the box,” it’s now time for corporations to start thinking about ways to “think inside the box.”

Since the theme for the FORTUNE Innovation Forum is “Innovation is Everybody’s Business,” we’d like to open the blog doors to our readers to hear their opinions on business innovation, and specifically, about ways that companies can think “inside the box” to generate positive change.

With that in mind, we’re pleased to announce the first of our weekly contests on the site: “What is your favorite business innovation hack?” We’re not looking for the latest consulting strategy du jour or the newest theory from an Ivy League business school – we’re looking for the types of simple, everyday business innovations that help companies re-connect with their customers and partners.

Submit your selections over the next few days for your favorite “business innovation hack,” and you could win a free, autographed copy of Get Back in the Box: Innovation from the Inside Out by Douglas Rushkoff. The most innovative entry, as judged by Doug, is the winner. That’s all you need to know – so start submitting examples of ways that companies can start getting back into the box (either by adding comments to this blog entry or sending email responses with “CONTEST” in the subject line to: basulto@gmail.com).

Not sure where to begin? Here are two “business innovation hacks” from Doug’s new book to get you started:

“Adobe Systems, the software company responsible for Photoshop, has encouraged a porous relationship between its developers and its users. As a result of the free flow of information, the user community ends up developing a great many of the “plug-ins”for Adobe’s programs, and takes its delight when their efforts are integrated into the next release, for the benefit of all.”

“Shoemaker John Fluevog offers an “open source
footwear” forum on his Web site through which his fans can create and
post their own footwear designs. Fluevog picks finalists from among
the hundreds of entries and then invites the online community vote for their favorite one.”