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BUSINESS PLAN: The professors at Harvard Business School weren’t sure what to think about Will Dean’s idea. Dean was a finalist in the university’s Business Plan Contest. His idea? Attracting 500 people to run an 11-kilometre race that involved mud and burning obstacles.

Some products work only if others also have them. Economists call this phenomenon the "network effect" or "network externality". This is the subject of the 49th instalment of our Economics for Amateurs (EFA) series.

ONLINE BULLYING: British teachers say they are experiencing increasing levels of online bullying from pupils and parents. Pupils are setting up “hate networks” on social networking sites and posting videos of their classroom teachers on YouTube.

Too much exposure to something is often seen as negative, especially in the world of finance. In language learning, however, increased exposure is usually a positive thing.That's why we've set up a Facebook page for our fans!

CANADA: In just six months, a Facebook game called FarmVille has gained nearly 74 million users who use it every day worldwide. FarmVille is so popular that even real Canadian farmers are playing the social media game.

INDIA: Being a member of a social networking community can be useful for finding friends — and jobs. Now an Indian organization has calculated what such sites cost employers in lost time.

My boss will probably like the fact that “business” and “students” are my most frequently blogged words. If they had been “shopping” and “golf”, I might need to consider finding a new line of work.

GLOBAL: Working in another country can be challenging, but it is always a useful learning experience. It may also help you get better jobs back home. But if you’re looking for a job abroad, you should follow expert advice.