Doing Business with Theory: Communities of Practice in Knowledge Management

Su, Norman Makoto; Wilensky, Hiroko; Redmiles, David

doi:10.1007/s10606-011-9139-x

Cited by 32 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The rising of CoPs as a natural application in the KM field (Su et al 2012) has given impetus to a flourishing literature that especially focuses on the KM characteristics of these organisational settings. CoPs and related concepts have been widely used by KM scholars and practitioners, as confirmed by recent studies.…”

Section: An Analysis Of Km Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

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Advances in Knowledge Management

Bolisani¹,

Handžić²

2015

Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning

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Section: An Analysis Of Km Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some scholars (e.g., Saint-Onge and Wallace 2003; Su et al 2012) affirm that KM is the elective field of study of CoPs. More precisely, CoPs are regarded as a key component of the so-called human-oriented approach to KM (Newell et al 2006;Huysman and Wulf 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advances in Knowledge Management

Bolisani¹,

Handžić²

2015

Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning

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“…It would also be interesting to complete the KMS design framework we propose with the impact study on design performance. Here the work of O'Donnel and Duffy (2005) could be exploited, along with that of Su (2012) in the CoP field.…”

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confidence: 99%

A framework for the design of knowledge management systems in eco-design

Goepp

Caillaud

Rose

2013

International Journal of Production Research

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Eco-design is becoming a crucial challenge for many companies. The effective integration of environmental concerns into design is linked to the development of Knowledge Management Systems (KMS). In this context, this paper proposes a framework to support the design of KMS for eco-design. This framework consists of two complementary parts linked to the main knowledge management strategies that KMS generally support. The first part of the framework concerns codification strategy and relies on an eco-design process reference model and the related adaptation of the GAMETH ® method used to locate and evaluate crucial knowledge systematically. The second part of the framework concerns the personalisation strategy. In this paper we propose to exploit the community of practice (CoP) theory by: (1) proposing guidelines defining the structural features of CoPs and (2) adapting a tool landscape providing insight on CoP instrumentation. Both guidelines support the setting up of a specific CoP. The exploitation of the framework is illustrated on a real case study. IntroductionSustainable development is currently becoming not only a crucial social issue but also a major challenge for companies. In this context, eco-design, which aims at providing customer and business value whilst significantly decreasing environmental impacts (Jones, Stanton, and Harrison 2001), can provide a competitive advantage regarding the customers' expectations.In practice, eco-design must however not result in a longer product development process (negatively affecting the time to market) (Tukker, Haag, and Eder 2000). Moreover, the survey on which we draw also suggests that higher costs cannot be tolerated since the consumer seems unwilling to pay a significant premium for environmentally friendly products.In this sense, eco-design represents a huge challenge for many companies, which try to organise themselves in order to meet the constraints described above. One way of successfully doing so may be to design and implement specific knowledge management systems (KMS) as described in (Hesselbach, Herrmann, and Mansour 2003) and (Gunasekaran and Ngai 2007). Such systems support the creation, transfer and use of knowledge in a given organisation (Alavi and Leidner 2001). However, setting them up from scratch seems difficult, and existing methodologies and guidelines are not specifically dedicated to the eco-design field.In this context, the objective of this paper is to define generic knowledge codification and personalisation strategies for eco-design, in order to provide a complete framework for the design of KMS in this field. The paper is structured as follows. Section 2 details the eco-design concept, its success factors underlying the importance of KMS, and a review of the state of the art of the methods and guidelines dedicated to the design of such systems. Section 3 details the generic knowledge codification strategy we propose. It is based on an adaptation of the general analysis methodology called GAMETH ® (Grundstein 2009) and on a reference e...

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“…Organizationally, CoP are considered valuable assets in knowledge management efforts in which tacit knowledge can be transferred and retained (Cox, 2005). The concept of knowledge management, including how organizations identify, codify, and store knowledge for future succession and competitive advantage was initially heavily reliant upon technological solutions that did not involve personal interaction (Su, Wilensky, & Redmiles, 2012;Van Tiem, Moseley, & Dessinger, 2012). Subsequently, tacit knowledge and the intricacies of both practice and expertise were threatened.…”

Section: Components Purpose and Applications Of Copmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…CoP also enable organizations to embrace the development of diverse groups and cross-functional engagement that enhances capability (Brown & Duguid, 2001). Combining technological solutions with CoP is an increasingly popular knowledge management technique throughout a variety of organizations (Ardichvili et al, 2003;Su et al, 2012).…”

Section: Components Purpose and Applications Of Copmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge-Sharing and Virtual Community of Practice Potential in The USCG’s Afloat Community: A Qualitative Case Study

Rodman¹,

Trespalacios²,

Lowenthal³

et al.

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Lowenthal, thank you for your incredible attention to detail and asking the tough questions. Dr. Shelton, thank you for keeping me grounded and focused on the potential to better serve all learners in all workplaces-well beyond the scope of the USCG. Dr. Ross Perkins, thank you for that first phone call in 2013! You gave me the confidence to apply to this incredible program and made me believe that I had something unique to offer. Thank you to the men and women of the USCG's afloat community who graciously donated their time to this study. I endeavor to convey your perspectives in pursuit of future opportunities. Lastly, but absolutely not least, thank you to my incredible husband, Michael, and our children, Luciana and Mick. Michael, you are my everything. I am here because of you. Lucy and Mick, I can't wait to support you in achieving absolutely anything and everything that life has to offer! v ABSTRACT Virtual Communities of Practice (VCoP) may provide the afloat community of the USCG greater opportunities for learning and professional development. The affordances of virtual engagement, including increased access to learning and peer feedback may enhance interaction and opportunities for the development and refinement of professional expertise. Although the specific learning needs and constraints of this community, including geographic separation and dynamic deployment schedules, appear well-aligned with VCoP structure and objectives, it is critical that the knowledge-sharing culture of the USCG's afloat community be thoroughly explored before pursuing any form of performance and learning intervention. Grounded in Lave and Wenger's (1991) concept of legitimate peripheral participation, along with situated learning, social cognitive theory, and social exchange theory, this study revealed that the afloat community possesses potential for successful engagement in a VCoP. Members share knowledge frequently within the community and demonstrate experience, interest, and comfort with virtual learning. However, the afloat community's potential for engagement in a VCoP may be challenged by members' perceptions of trust and vulnerability with sharing information on mistakes and lessons learned. Recommendations for enhancing trust and promoting communal development and sustainment are presented.

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Doing Business with Theory: Communities of Practice in Knowledge Management

Cited by 32 publications

References 22 publications

Advances in Knowledge Management

Advances in Knowledge Management

A framework for the design of knowledge management systems in eco-design

Knowledge-Sharing and Virtual Community of Practice Potential in The USCG’s Afloat Community: A Qualitative Case Study

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