Computer Mediated Communications and Communities of Practice

Proceedings of Ethicomp '98, Erasmus University, The Netherlands, pp. 275-286, March 1998

15 Pages Posted: 1 Apr 2005

See all articles by Paul M. Hildreth

Paul M. Hildreth

K-Now International

Chris Kimble

Kedge Business School; MRM

Peter Wright

University of York - Department of Computer Science

Abstract

Within the Knowledge Management context, there is growing interest in computer support for group knowledge sharing and the role that Communities of Practice play in this. Communities of Practice are groups of individuals with a common purpose and who share some background, language or experience. The community is regenerated as newcomers join the group and old-timers leave. The newcomers have access to the old-timers and learn from them. This generally takes place through situated learning. New group knowledge is also created as members of the community have a problem to solve and swap experiences and anecdotes to solve the problem, possibly arriving at a novel solution. This may then be further shared through anecdotes so that it eventually becomes part of the group's store of collective knowledge.

Communities of Practice provide an excellent forum for knowledge sharing and a vital question is whether the new communications media, which provide new possibilities for collaboration and distributed working, could support the existence of such groups in a distributed environment. This question takes on an added relevance with the rapid internationalization of business that can spread the distribution over national boundaries posing problems of cultural and temporal as well as physical distance.

This paper reports on a case study which was the first stage in exploring whether Computer Mediated Communications technologies (CMCs) can support distributed international Communities of Practice. The aim of the case study was to explore the possible existence of Communities of Practice in an international organization, to identify such groups and to ascertain the media used.

Keywords: Computer Mediated Communications technologies, CMC, Communities of Practice, CoP, Knowledge Management, KM

JEL Classification: M12, M54, O33, O34

Suggested Citation

Hildreth, Paul M. and Kimble, Chris and Wright, Peter, Computer Mediated Communications and Communities of Practice. Proceedings of Ethicomp '98, Erasmus University, The Netherlands, pp. 275-286, March 1998, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=681184

Paul M. Hildreth

K-Now International ( email )

1 Grey Garth
Newton on Ouse
York YO30 2B
United Kingdom

Chris Kimble (Contact Author)

Kedge Business School ( email )

Domaine de Luminy
Marseille, Côte d'Azur 13288
France
+33 (0)4 91 82 79 83 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.chris-kimble.com/

MRM ( email )

Place Eugène Bataillon
Montpellier, 34095
France

Peter Wright

University of York - Department of Computer Science ( email )

Heslington
York YO10 5DD
United Kingdom

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