Identifying Knowledge Flows in Communities of Practice

2011 ◽  
pp. 210-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar M. Rodriguez-Elias ◽  
Ana I. Martinez-Garcia ◽  
Aurora Vizcaino ◽  
Jesús Favela ◽  
Mario Piattini
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Software Maintenance ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Knowledge Flows ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
The People ◽  
Common Domain

Knowledge sharing is a collective process where the people involved collaborate with others in order to learn from them (Huysman & de Wit, 2000). This kind of collaboration creates groups of people with common interest called communities of practice where each member contributes knowledge about a common domain (Wenger, 1998). Communities of practice enable its members to benefit from the knowledge of each other (Fontaine & Millen, 2004). To achieve this, different techniques and technologies can be used, such as shared documentation, groupware tools, lessons learned systems, and so forth. Therefore, to increase and improve knowledge sharing in communities of practice, it is important to study the mechanisms used by a particular community and understand how the knowledge flows through its members (Guizzardi, Perini & Dignum, 2003). This article presents a qualitative approach for studying and understanding how knowledge flows in communities of practice within organizations. The goal is to provide a methodological guide for obtaining useful information for the development of knowledge management tools for supporting knowledge flows in these communities. The content of the article is organized as follows. First the importance of supporting knowledge flows in communities of practice is highlighted. Then, a qualitative methodology for identifying knowledge flows in communities of practice is described, followed by some examples from a study conducted in the field of software maintenance. Finally, we present our conclusions of this work and future research.

Identifying Knowledge Flows in Communities of Practice

2011 ◽  
pp. 841-849
Author(s):  
Oscar M. Rodriguez-Elias ◽  
Ana I. Martinez-Garcia ◽  
Aurora Vizcaino ◽  
Jesu´s Favela ◽  
Mario Piattini
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Software Maintenance ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Knowledge Flows ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
The People ◽  
Common Domain

Knowledge sharing is a collective process where the people involved collaborate with others in order to learn from them (Huysman & de Wit, 2000). This kind of collaboration creates groups of people with common interest called communities of practice where each member contributes knowledge about a common domain (Wenger, 1998). Communities of practice enable its members to benefit from the knowledge of each other (Fontaine & Millen, 2004). To achieve this, different techniques and technologies can be used, such as shared documentation, groupware tools, lessons learned systems, and so forth. Therefore, to increase and improve knowledge sharing in communities of practice, it is important to study the mechanisms used by a particular community and understand how the knowledge flows through its members (Guizzardi, Perini & Dignum, 2003). This article presents a qualitative approach for studying and understanding how knowledge flows in communities of practice within organizations. The goal is to provide a methodological guide for obtaining useful information for the development of knowledge management tools for supporting knowledge flows in these communities. The content of the article is organized as follows. First the importance of supporting knowledge flows in communities of practice is highlighted. Then, a qualitative methodology for identifying knowledge flows in communities of practice is described, followed by some examples from a study conducted in the field of software maintenance. Finally, we present our conclusions of this work and future research.

Integrating IS Security With Knowledge Management

2019 ◽  
pp. 267-283
Author(s):  
Murray Eugene Jennex ◽  
Alexandra Durcikova
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Knowledge Capture ◽  
Knowledge Sourcing ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Is Security ◽  
Job Postings

Knowledge management focuses on capturing and sharing knowledge. Because of this, KM researchers tend to focus on issues related to knowledge capture, storage, and sharing. However, because knowledge is valuable, it is a target needing to be protected. This chapter posits that KM researchers and practitioners also need to think about security and explores how important security skills are to KM practitioners and researchers. A literature review was performed to determine how much attention is paid by KM researchers to knowledge security. Additionally, KM job postings were examined to determine if security skills are considered important by those hiring KM practitioners. Next, a survey was prepared for exploring security attitudes of KM practitioners as an area of future research. Finally, future research areas for IS security are proposed that can greatly benefit from lessons learned in the areas of both knowledge sharing and knowledge sourcing.

Triple Helix Organisations, Communities of Practice and Time

2011 ◽  
pp. 245-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn J. Hayes
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Triple Helix ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Innovation Management ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cooperative Research ◽  
Industry Research ◽  
Outcomes Management

Commercialisation activities require knowledge sharing between groups such as researchers and commercial managers. The existence of research based Knowledge-stewarding Communities of Practice (CoPs) within industry/research/government innovation collaborations has important implications for innovation management practice. The context of the study is four Australian Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) composed of academic, government and industry personnel. Semi-structured interviews with a total of twenty scientists, engineers and managers explored collectively shared and dissimilar perceptions of time in commercialisation activities. Knowledge-stewarding CoP members and commercial participants in triple helix organisations working to commercialise inventions report differing temporal perceptions. Commercial and research groups described distinctively different views of pace and flexibility, contributing to tension, distrust and negatively influencing knowledge sharing, communication and commercialisation outcomes. Management techniques in use in the four CRCs and an agenda for future research conclude the chapter. This chapter contributes to the literature on collaborative innovation management and inter-organisational CoPs.

scholarly journals Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Lessons Learned from Intervention Studies

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Evens ◽  
Jan Elen ◽  
Fien Depaepe
Keyword(s):  
Pedagogical Content Knowledge ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Intervention Studies ◽  
Educational Practice ◽  
Teaching Quality ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Pedagogical Content

Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is generally accepted as positively impacting teaching quality and student learning. Therefore, research on PCK development in (prospective) teachers is highly relevant. Based on a search in three databases (ERIC, PsycInfo, and Web of Science), a systematic review is conducted on intervention studies aiming at PCK development. The research questions are threefold: (1) How are the studies designed? (2) How are the interventions designed? and (3) What elements of interventions contribute to PCK development? The results show that most intervention studies are conducted in math and science education and use a qualitative methodology. Reflection, PCK courses, contact with other teachers, and experiences in educational practice are typically part of effective interventions. The review enables the identification of clear guidelines that may strengthen future research on stimulating PCK.

Ba and Communities of Practice in Research and Strategic Communities as a Way Forward

2011 ◽  
pp. 46-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irma Mäkäräinen-Suni ◽  
Jianzhong Hong
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Previous Knowledge ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Innovation Research ◽  
Complementary Nature ◽  
Similarities And Differences

This chapter primarily examines the concepts of ba and communities of practice. It explores how the concepts have been used in the previous knowledge management, organizational learning, and innovation research during a decade, from the year 1999 until 2009. The reviewed studies show that both concepts have been used in various industries and in various knowledge creation and knowledge sharing situations. The similarities and differences of concepts are compared, and the concept of strategic communities is proposed as a way forward in future research and practice in terms of ba and communities of practice. The chapter includes also a comparative view of each concept, in which its major contributions, limitations and complementary nature are highlighted.

scholarly journals Human resource management practices stimulating knowledge sharing

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 614-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Matošková ◽  
Petra Směšná
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Human Resource Management ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Knowledge Flows ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Great Effort ◽  
Hrm Practices

Abstract The major goal of the paper was to develop a theoretical framework that conceptualizes the indirect impact on human resource management practice on knowledge sharing in the organization. In the current competitive environment, the ability to use knowledge assets and to continuously renovate it is required for organizational success. Therefore, the field of human resource management should dedicate great effort to understanding how to enhance the knowledge flows within the organization. Theoretical indications were provided about HRM practices that influence the quality and quantity of knowledge sharing within an organization. Further, a conceptual model of relations between HRM practices and factors influencing knowledge sharing within an organization was introduced. It is supposed that HRM practices have direct impacts on personality traits of employees, organizational culture, characteristics of managers, and instruments used for knowledge sharing. Subsequently, these factors have direct effects on the perceived intensity of knowledge sharing. The paper offers 12 testable propositions for the indirect relation between HRM practices and knowledge sharing in the organization. The suggested model could assist future research to examine the influence of HRM practices upon managing knowledge is a more complex way. Via a theoretical contribution to the debate on the influence on HRM practices upon managing knowledge, the study contributes to further research development in this field.

scholarly journals The People Still Make the (Remote Work-) Place: Lessons from a Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 014920632110235
Author(s):  
Anthony J. Nyberg ◽  
Jason D. Shaw ◽  
Jing Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Guest Editorial ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Editorial Team ◽  
Work Place ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Remote Work ◽  
The People ◽  
Employee Relationship ◽  
Communication Practices

The Journal of Management editorial team challenged us to consider how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted and altered the employer–employee relationship. In this guest editorial, we take stock of the pandemic-related lessons learned for human resources research and practice. We highlight three insights that many organizations made as the result of pandemic-related changes and describe how these lessons are likely to alter the employee–employer landscape for the foreseeable future. The lessons are (a) understanding that organizational communication practices should be authentic, continuous, and two-way in nature; (b) accepting that the virtual workforce brings unique challenges that do not yet have solutions; and (c) recognizing that success for stakeholders beyond just investors will require continual attention and intention. We also highlight needs and opportunities for future research that will inform theory and practice and lead to the betterment of organizations and society.

Public Administration in the Islamic World: Considering the Importance of Religion, its Values and Culture

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 23-38
Author(s):  
Daniel Hummel
Keyword(s):  
Public Administration ◽  
Core Values ◽  
Comparative Perspective ◽  
Religious Values ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Islamic World ◽  
Salient Region ◽  
The People ◽  
Comparative Public Administration

A small but growing area of public administration scholarship appreciates the influence of religious values on various aspects of government. This appreciation parallels a growing interest in comparative public administration and indigenized forms of government which recognizes the role of culture in different approaches to government. This article is at the crossroads of these two trends while also considering a very salient region, the Islamic world. The Islamic world is uniquely religious, which makes this discussion even more relevant, as the nations that represent them strive towards legitimacy and stability. The history and core values of Islam need to be considered as they pertain to systems of government that are widely accepted by the people. In essence, this is being done in many countries across the Islamic world, providing fertile grounds for public administration research from a comparative perspective. This paper explores these possibilities for future research on this topic.

Serge Moscovici's "Réflexions sur la popularité des conspiracy mentalities"

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Klein
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ages ◽  
French Revolution ◽  
Social Representations ◽  
Social Representation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
The Enlightenment ◽  
The People ◽  
Social Representation Theory ◽  
The Masses

This is a pdf of the original typed manuscript of a lecture made in 2006. An annotated English translation will be published by the International Review of Social Psychology. I this text, Moscovici seeks to update his earlier work on the “conspiracy mentality” (1987) by considering the relationships between social representations and conspiracy mentality. Innovation in this field, Moscovici argues, will require a much thorough description and understanding of what conspiracy theories are, what rhetoric they use and what functions they fulfill. Specifically, Moscovici considers conspiracies as a form of counterfactual history implying a more desirable world (in which the conspiracy did not take place) and suggests that social representation theory should tackle this phenomenon. He explicitly links conspiracy theories to works of fiction and suggests that common principles might explain their popularity. Historically, he argues, conspiracism was born twice: First, in the middle ages, when their primary function was to exclude and destroy what was considered as heresy; and second, after the French revolution, to delegitimize the Enlightenment, which was attributed to a small coterie of reactionaries rather than to the will of the people. Moscovici then considers four aspects (“thematas”) of conspiracy mentality: 1/ the prohibition of knowledge; 2/ the duality between the majority (the masses, prohibited to know) and “enlightened” minorities; 3/ the search for a common origin, a “ur phenomenon” that connects historical events and provides a continuity to History (he notes that such a tendency is also present in social psychological theorizing); and 4/ the valorization of tradition as a bulwark against modernity. Some of Moscovici’s insights in this talk have since been borne out by contemporary research on the psychology of conspiracy theories, but many others still remain fascinating potential avenues for future research.

scholarly journals A Systematic Literature Review of Historic Garden Management and Its Economic Aspects

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 10679
Author(s):  
Cassandra Funsten ◽  
Valeria Borsellino ◽  
Emanuele Schimmenti
Keyword(s):  
Social Economic ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Environmental Aspects ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Built Heritage ◽  
The People ◽  
Clear Vision ◽  
The Social ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Recent Policy

Historic gardens are important parts of humanity’s built heritage within the designed landscape, providing many environmental, economic and socio-cultural benefits. Management is a key part of their conservation, perhaps the most difficult because it is costly, must be continual, and requires a skilled workforce. This systematic review looks at the literature addressing historic garden management, with special attention regarding the social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability. Academic studies on this subject come from many different disciplines, making it both stimulating and fragmented. It is now time to consolidate these interdisciplinary efforts into a clear vision, including a framework of key themes and research methods so as to better coordinate efforts and make the information and innovation generated more accessible to the garden managers “in the trenches”. With this aim, reviewed studies are classified according to 10 criteria: supply or demand orientation; management phase involved; primary sustainability processes addressed; geographic criteria; number of sites covered; policy documents referred to; kind of data collected; study methods employed; possibility of bias specifically regarding historic gardens; garden use. An analysis of these criteria shows that historic garden management literature focuses on describing the gardens themselves, with few studies interested in the people supporting them. Future research should follow recent policy documents’ lead and pay more attention to community value and involvement.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document