Optimizing a system does not make sense. Systems adapt and Systems evolve to outside stimuli.
An optimization assumes that the system is fixed and therefore a maximum or minimum can be found. That's not how systems work. Our intent is often to optimize one variable, without understanding the interactions between the variables.
Instead, systems structure and processes can be altered to perform a desirable function.
The system can be balanced so the 'currency' flows from strong nodes to weaker ones.