Enhancing information security best practices sharing in virtual knowledge communities

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Areej Alhogail
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Information Security ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reducing Costs ◽  
Main Components ◽  
Transfer Of Information

Purpose Sharing information security best practices between experts via knowledge management systems is valuable for improving information security practices, exchanging expertise, mitigating security risks, spreading knowledge, reducing costs and saving efforts. The purpose of this paper is developing a conceptual model to enhance the transfer of information security best practices between professionals in virtual communities through a Web-based knowledge management system to exchange their successful experience in handling different information security situations. Design/methodology/approach The model is validated by surveying 17 experts’ reviews on the correctness of the model’s structure and its related components through applying deep rich peer debriefing to test suitability. Quantitative data has been collected to achieve confirmatory results. Findings The resulting model incorporates five main components that support the formal mechanism for the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge: identification, classification, storage, validation and sharing. The success of knowledge sharing is highly dependent on the active collaboration of community members and highly influenced by motivation. Validating transferred knowledge is vital for ensuring the credibility of the system. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is one of the first to highlight the role of integrating knowledge management to enhance the effective share and reuse of information security best practices knowledge. The research results can support researchers investigating the topic and generate trustworthy literature to guide information security virtual community developers.

Effects of social capital on online knowledge sharing: positive and negative perspectives

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 466-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiu-Ping Hsu
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relationship Continuity ◽  
Complementary Resources

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual model of how both the benefits and risks of social capital influence online knowledge sharing among virtual community members towards enhancing members’ relationship continuity and virtual community reputations. In addition, this study addresses the effects of complementary resources on knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach – The structural equation modelling approach was applied to estimate the conceptual model by using survey data from virtual community members. A total of 626 valid questionnaires were collected. Findings – The empirical results showed that most of the research hypotheses were supported. The benefits of social capital and complementary resources have a positive effect on knowledge sharing, thereby strengthening relationship continuity and community reputation. Furthermore, the risk of social capital has a negative effect on knowledge sharing, as expected. Originality/value – A review of the literature reveals a lack of studies focusing on both the positive and negative influences of social capital on online knowledge sharing. This study therefore contributes to a comprehensive perspective for understanding online knowledge sharing in virtual communities.

Virtual Communities of Practices in Higher Education

2010 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Gianluca Elia ◽  
Giustina Secundo ◽  
Cesare Taurino
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Knowledge Flows ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Just In Time ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Knowledge Processes ◽  
The People ◽  
Main Components

This chapter hypothesizes that Virtual Community of Practices (VCoPs) are valuable to Business Schools and Universities because they support effectively the emerging paradigms of just-in-time, action based and collaborative learning. It presents a case study of a VCoPs called “Virtual eBMS” in Higher Education setting, described as a process-oriented model, composed by four main components: The People participating in the community, the Processes enabling the knowledge flows within the community, the Purpose of the community in terms of value created for the Business School, and the Technology facilitating the interactions between the community members. Indeed, from the technological point of view, the community is supported by an integrated Web Learning and Knowledge Management platform, whose functionalities support the corresponding knowledge processes and actions. Some preliminary results expressed in terms of Intellectual Capital will end the chapter, along with the value created for the community members.

Sustainability disclosure through virtual community: the case of the wine sector

2019 ◽  
Vol 122 (8) ◽  
pp. 2513-2530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Fait ◽  
Demetris Vrontis ◽  
Amedeo Maizza ◽  
Federica Cavallo
Keyword(s):  
Online Community ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Wine Industry ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Disclosure ◽  
Wine Sector ◽  
Pro Social Behavior ◽  
Engagement System

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to observe how the motivational engagement system of the consumers should be established so that communities of practice became a driver to reducing the informative asymmetries of sustainability. Design/methodology/approach The paper proposes a conceptual framework called connection, discussion and influence (CDI), along which the motivational dimensions to disclose sustainability can be formed. The framework has been tested on 200 firms in the Italian wine industry. A correlation analysis proved to be suitable for identifying groups of representative variables representing the engagement motivations that characterize participation in sustainability-oriented virtual communities. Findings The findings of this paper suggest that the pro-social behavior represented by the exchange of knowledge oriented toward sustainability is enhanced by the engagement of online community members. This happens when the online community is structured so as to activate a virtuous circle between CDI. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this study is the interviewees do not actually participate in a virtual community, but have only been asked if they would be potentially interested in participating in one, and about the importance they give to specific motivations. Practical implications The paper provides important reflections for companies operating in the wine industry that have been called to intervene in the disclosure of sustainability. Originality/value The virtuous circle described here is the main contribution of the paper, as it can serve as a driver for managers of virtual communities that choose to disclose their idea of sustainability to reduce informative asymmetries and to engage consumers.

Knowledge Management and Interaction in Virtual Communities

2011 ◽  
pp. 216-232
Author(s):  
Maria Chiara Caschera ◽  
Arianna D’Ulizia ◽  
Fernando Ferri ◽  
Patrizia Grifoni
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
User Participation ◽  
Knowledge Map ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Virtual Communities Of Practice

This chapter provides a classification of virtual communities of practice according to methods and tools offered to virtual community members for the knowledge management and the interaction process. It underlines how these methods and tools support users during the exchange of knowledge, enable learning, and increase the user ability to achieve individual and collective goals. In this chapter virtual communities are classified in virtual knowledge-sharing communities of practice and virtual learning communities of practice according to the collaboration strategy. A further classification defines three kinds of virtual communities according to the knowledge structure: ontology-based VCoP; digital library-based VCoP; and knowledge map-based VCoP. This chapter also describes strategies of interaction used to improve the knowledge sharing and learning in groups and organizations. It shows how agent-based method supports interaction among community members, improves the achievement of knowledge, and encourages the level of user participation. Finally, this chapter presents the system’s functionalities that support browsing and searching processes in collaborative knowledge environments.

Support while control: the influence of embeddedness on virtual community participation

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 625-637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Deng ◽  
Bo Gao ◽  
Lei Chen
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Community Participation ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Social Network Theory ◽  
Social Embeddedness ◽  
Curvilinear Relationship ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type

PurposeExploring the antecedents of members community participation is extremely important for virtual communities (VCs) research and practice. As an important social characteristic of individuals, social embeddedness has been proved as an important antecedent of many individual behaviors; however, few research has investigated the influence of virtual community members social embeddedness on virtual community members’ participation. To fill this gap, the purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between social embeddedness and community participation in VCs.Design/methodology/approachThis paper conducted empirical study to test the hypotheses. Based on existing scales, this research designed the questionnaire and used a web-based survey to collect the data from VCs in China. To avoid the common method bias, this study collected data at two different times. The final sample included 96 virtual community members from seven communities (community size ranging from 10 to 25) of Baidu Tieba, which is the largest Chinese online communication platform. And this paper used regression models to analysis the data.FindingsBased on social network theory, this paper found that virtual community members’ social embeddedness in their virtual community has a curvilinear (i.e. inverted U-shaped) effect on their community participation behaviors. And members’ perceived autonomy mediates the curvilinear (i.e. reversed U-shaped) relationship between social network embeddedness and community participation. Furthermore, member instability moderates the curvilinear (i.e. inverted U-shaped) main effect, such that the curvilinear relationship is weakened when member instability is high.Originality/valueDeparting from previous virtual community studies that examine antecedences of participation in linear logic, this study applied social network theory to create a complex, curvilinear, moderated mediation model. The result reveals a curvilinear (i.e. inverted U-shaped) relationship between virtual community members’ social embeddedness in the virtual community and their community participation. And this study also introduce autonomy as mediator and member instability as moderator. By testing the whole model between community members’ social embeddedness and community participation, this study contributes to deepen the understanding of social embeddedness and virtual community participation.

Encouraging millennials to collaborate and learn on the job

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 118-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Trees
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Direct Access ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Outcomes ◽  
Wide Range

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present enterprise social networking and gamification as two potential tools to help organizations engage Millennial employees in collaboration and learning. Design/methodology/approach – The research provides general descriptions of enterprise social networking and gamification approaches, shares data on adoption of these approaches from APQC’s “2015 Knowledge Management Priorities Data Report” (based on a January 2015 survey of 524 knowledge management professionals) and includes four company examples adapted from APQC’s Connecting People to Content and Transferring and Applying Critical Knowledge best practices studies. The methodology for APQC’s best practices studies involves screening 50 or more organizations with potential best practices in a given research scope area and identifying five or six with proven best practices. APQC then conducts detailed site visits with the selected organizations and publishes case studies based on those site visits. Findings – Enterprise social networking platforms are in place at 50 per cent of organizations, with another 25 per cent planning to implement them by the end of 2015. By providing near-immediate access to information and answers, enterprise social networking helps Millennials learn the ropes at their new workplaces, gives them direct access to more knowledgeable colleagues who can assist and mentor them, and helps them improve their business outcomes by reusing knowledge and lessons learned across projects. Younger workers can also harness the power of social networking to create a sense of belonging and build their reputations in large, dispersed firms, where it is particularly difficult for them to gain visibility. A recent APQC survey indicates that 54 per cent of organizations either currently employ gamification to encourage collaboration or expect to implement it within the next three years. The rush to gamify the enterprise is, at least in part, a reflection of employers’ desire to satisfy Millennials and make them feel connected to a community of co-workers. Although games appeal to a wide range of age groups, Millennials grew up with digital interaction and tend to prefer environments that emphasize teamwork, social learning and frequent feedback – all of which can be delivered through gamification. Originality/value – The value of this paper is to introduce the value of and relationship between enterprise social networking and gamification platforms to human resource (HR) professionals looking to increase engagement and retention rates for Millennial employees.

Understanding a shifting methodology

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (11) ◽  
pp. 3423-3441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Whalen
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Tourism Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Analysis Techniques ◽  
Hospitality And Tourism ◽  
Qualitative Methodologies ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeWhile netnography was established to study virtual communities from the traditional ethnography methodology, over time it has evolved and moved away from standard ethnographic practices. The modifications are especially prevalent in hospitality and tourism research because of the nature of experiential and service-based goods. This gap has created exciting new opportunities for researchers. As netnography has matured into its own methodology, it has provided the opportunity for researchers to use netnography techniques or more traditional techniques by following ethnography methodologies. This paper aims to analyze the differences between these two methodologies within hospitality and tourism literature enabling researchers to choose the methodology that is most suited for their project.Design/methodology/approachThis study reviews netnographic research in hospitality and tourism and compares current uses of netnography against traditional ethnographic methodologies.FindingsThere are four major differentiating points between netnography and ethnography: online community definitions, data collection methodologies, ethics in research and data analysis techniques.Practical implicationsIn comparing ethnography and netnography in hospitality and tourism research, this analysis provides a foundation to evaluate the best use and best practices for these two distinct qualitative methodologies in the field. The study also provides references to how other hospitality and tourism researchers have used netnography.Originality/valueEthnographic principles grounded in the foundation of anthropological doctrines are important and distinct from netnography. The ability to use the diverse tools in the qualitative methods toolbox will help hospitality and tourism researchers understand the transforming marketplace.

scholarly journals Organizational Characteristics Role in the Implementation of Information Security in Knowledge Management with a Focus on Employee Safety Behavior

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 123
Author(s):  
Abozar Solat Rafiee ◽  
Akbar Alem Tabriz ◽  
Mohammadreza Babaei
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Information Security ◽  
Organizational Characteristics ◽  
Safety Behavior ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Organizational Survival ◽  
Employee Safety ◽  
Knowledge Content ◽  
Main Components

Nowadays competitive advantage maintenance and organizational survival are not possible with no knowledge management. Due to the fact that the main components of the organizational knowledge transfer are human resources and this force only can produce and share knowledge content in the context of a safe system.  Therefore, the implementation of the information security and safety principles observance by the personnel are essential in knowledge management. Among these factors, organizational characteristics can be an affecting factor in the implementation of information security in knowledge management. In this study, the role of organizational characteristics on the implementation of the information security in organization's knowledge management with a focus on safety behavior of the staff in the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and its subsidiaries, is investigated. The study type is applied research and the method is descriptive method which its population consists of senior managers and experts in the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and its subsidiary companies. The sample size of 253 people has been set. A questionnaire was used to measure the research variables. Regression analysis was used to investigate the relationships between variables and AMOS software was used in this study. The results showed a significant relationship between organizational characteristics with safety behavior and also safety behavior with information security implementation in knowledge management. The organizational characteristics significantly are associated with the implementation of information security in knowledge management.

The influence mechanism of rewards on knowledge sharing behaviors in virtual communities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Wang ◽  
Jielin Yin ◽  
Zhenzhong Ma ◽  
Maolin Liao
Keyword(s):  
Intrinsic Motivation ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Tacit Knowledge ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Explicit Knowledge ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Integrated Framework ◽  
Tacit Knowledge Sharing

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of organizational rewards on two forms of knowledge sharing – explicit knowledge sharing and tacit knowledge sharing in virtual communities, and further to explore the mediating effect of intrinsic motivation on the effect of virtual community rewards on implicit knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach Based on relevant knowledge sharing theories, this study develops an integrated framework to explore virtual community rewards and tacit and explicit knowledge sharing in a virtual context. This study then collected data from 429 virtual community users in four virtual communities via an online survey. Hierarchical regression analyzes were used to test the proposed research model. Findings The results of this study show that virtual rewards have a significantly positive linear relationship with explicit knowledge sharing but have an inverse U-shape relationship with tacit knowledge sharing in virtual communities. In addition, intrinsic motivations including enjoyment and self-efficacy mediate the relationship between rewards and tacit knowledge sharing. Practical implications This study suggests more virtual community rewards may not always lead to more tacit knowledge sharing. Instead, too many rewards may weaken the motivation for tacit knowledge sharing. Knowledge management practitioners should make full use of the positive impact of self-efficacy and enjoyment to set up appropriate reward incentives to encourage knowledge-sharing, in particular, tacit knowledge sharing and to better manage virtual communities. Originality/value This study explores knowledge-sharing behavior in virtual communities, an important step toward more integrated knowledge-sharing theories. While online communities have become increasingly important for today’s knowledge economy, few studies have explored knowledge and knowledge sharing in a virtual context and this study helps to bridge the gap. In addition, this study develops an integrated framework to explore the mechanism through which virtual community rewards affect knowledge sharing with intrinsic motivation mediating this relationship in online communities, which further enriches the understanding on how to use virtual rewards to motivate knowledge sharing behaviors in the virtual context.

Facilitator Toolkit for Building and Sustaining Virtual Communities of Practice

2011 ◽  
pp. 202-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Kimball ◽  
Amy Ladd
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Work Training ◽  
Virtual Communities Of Practice ◽  
Over Time

The boundaries of a Community of Practice (CoP) have changed significantly because of changes in organizations and the nature of the work they do. Organizations have become more distributed across geography and across industries. Relationships between people inside an organization and those previously considered outside (customers, suppliers, managers of collaborating organizations, other stakeholders) are becoming more important. In addition, organizations have discovered the value of collaborative work due to the new emphasis on Knowledge Management—harvesting the learning and the experience of members of the organization so that it is available to the whole organization. This chapter offers a practical toolkit of best practices, tips and examples from the authors’ work training leaders to launch and sustain a virtual CoP, including tips for chartering the community, defining roles, and creating the culture that will sustain the community over time.

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