Apparently, IBM has been experimenting with Second Life, using it to test a number of virtual human resource and organizational development functions. The one I found most interesting? The mentoring community:
In the United States, we’re using Second Life to create a mentoring community. So if you’re interested in talking to somebody who has 25 years in the business, we’ve built a connection environment–a social-networking tool where you profile yourself, then meet in Second Life. We have multigenerational workforces, and this is a way to get together, virtually meet, and connect. We’re seeing very senior IBMers swimming and flying next to people who have been in the business 10 months. The only thing I can tell you is, they seem pleased to be meeting this way.
Read more about IBM’s Second Life experiments in “Getting A Second Life.”
More than a living 
Thanks for the pointer to the IBM article. Do you folks use Second Life yourselves? I’ve met a few Oregonians there, but none who use it for business reasons. I’m writing an article about it for The Oregonian’s Living section.
Steve,
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. Much appreciated.
I don’t currently know anyone here in Portland who is using Second Life as part of a larger business strategy.
As for me, I haven’t really seen the right opportunity to use it. That’s why this mentoring application was so interesting. It seems like a viable way to use that virtual reality to improve a process that is ineffective or difficult to manage in the real world, for a variety of reasons.
Perhaps some other Portlanders or Oregonians who swing by will take the time to comment? (He says, crossing his fingers.)
Yeah, the mentoring app really is fascinating. You also might be interested in seeing this YouTube video, which shows a re-creation of a block of NW 21st Avenue in Portland in SL. The creator, who goes by the name Ty Magpie, made it as an introduction for Portlanders to SL.