Authors: Stephan Bloehdorn, Peter Haase, Mark Hefke, York Sure and Christoph Tempich

Abstract: Knowledge sharing in communities has attracted much attention in the field
of knowledge management in research and practice. In this paper we outline a view
where the community lifecycle is supported at different stages. The central component
of our framework is the community ontology SWRC+COIN that describes the typical
structure of communities. We exemplarily show how communities in the academic
domain can be detected automatically by means of analyzing information flow in a
bibliographic Peer-to-Peer system and how the instantiated community knowledge base
can be exploited to support cooperative work in the communities.

Key Words: Communities of Practice, Knowledge Management, Peer-to-Peer, Ontologies,
Metadata, Semantic Portals

Category: H.3.3,H.5.3

Download Paper

Authors:Remco Kranendonk and Paul Kersten

Abstract: Several of the Communities of Practices (CoP) Alterra/Wing manages have reached
their mid-life. Designed CoPs have come to life and have achieved alignment, from which we
can learn. A growing interest can be signalised in using CoPs as management instruments and
in governance. Governments are seeking new ways in policy making and new steering
instruments. Using the case of agrologistics we describe how the Dutch government has used a
CoP for complex planning and organizational problems. The social design, planning and
management of a new CoP have linked together a wide range of stakeholders to establish a
operational CoP. Alignment is a key factor in this transition to self-steering; the value of
belonging is very powerful. Masters play an important role in setting up and in steering the
CoP. CoPs can be developed as new instruments of governance, based on the theoretical
concept of CoP.

Keywords: Communities of Practice, learning process, knowledge management, lifecycle,
interactive learning, governance, process facilitation, public networks

Categories: A, A1, A2

Download Paper

Authors:Tobias Mueller-Prothmann, Andrea Siegberg, Ina Finke

Abstract: Various studies focus on general networks within and between organizations,
but strongly focused studies on knowledge sharing through social networks and
communities within specific domains that are of critical relevance to the R&D organization
are hard to find. Therefore, the argument presented here is explored through an
empirical case study on inter-organizational knowledge community building between
different research institutes of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, a large German organization
for contract research in all fields of the applied engineering sciences. Expert knowledge
communication and networking processes are evaluated by a multi-level approach. Institutionalization
of knowledge transfer is studied with regard to the development of
the informal contacts between the community members and the inter-organizational
linkages on an aggregated level. The main focus is put on the relationships of knowledge
exchange between the formal organizational boundaries and the informal interorganizational
network structures. Finally, this case study aims at further supporting
the adaptation of methods from social network analysis for purposes of organization
and management practice.

Key Words: knowledge communities, communities of practice, community building,
knowledge networks, distributed knowledge management, knowledge sharing, social
network analysis, empirical

Category: A.0, A.1, J.4

Download Paper

Authors: Renata S. S. Guizzardi, Anna Perini, Virginia Dignum

Abstract: This paper concerns the need for methodological support in providing Knowledge
Management (KM) IT solutions. Due to the distributed nature of knowledge, the support of KM
often requires complex, distributed IT systems, which are inherently difficult to design. We
propose an agent-oriented methodology based on Tropos for the analysis and design of KM
systems that offers appropriate abstractions for modeling and designing the characteristics of
the organizational setting of the system. The method is illustrated using a fictitious scenario
where a newcomer in a knowledge organization decides to join an existing Community of
Practice (CoP) in order to share knowledge and adjust to his new working environment.

Keywords: communities of practice, agent-oriented analysis, IT support

Categories: D.2.1, H.3.4, H.5.3, I.2.11, K.4.3

Download Paper

Authors: Matteo Bonifacio and Chiara Zini

Abstract: In this paper, adopting a structurationist perspective on technology, we explore the
relationship between organizational forms and ICTs when the “matter” to deal with is
knowledge production and innovation. The reason why such focus is relevant is twofold. On
the one hand it has been widely underlined the importance of knowledge as strategic asset
[Stewart 97]. On the other, is because we believe that many KM technology investments
haven’t generate the expected results and benefits [Davenport 00]. A structuration theory
reading of KM technologies could provide a lens in order to draw some interesting explanations
on some problematic aspects of KM implementations and, moreover, on some interesting
prescriptions on how future implementations should be approached.

Keywords: structurationism, technology, knowledge management, communities of practice,
boundary objects, innovation

Categories: A.1, H.1.0, J.4, C.2.4

Download Paper

Authors: Tobias Mueller-Prothmann and Ina Finke

Abstract: In many organisations, conservation of specialised expertise is picked out as
a central theme only after experienced members have already left. The paper presents
the SELaKT method, a method for Sustainable Expert Localisation and Knowledge
Transfer based on social network analysis (SNA). It has been developed during a
project co-operation between the Department of Information Science at the Institute
for Media and Communication Studies, Free University Berlin, and the Fraunhofer
Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK, Berlin. The SELaKT
method uses recent insights into network analysis and pragmatically adapts SNA to suit
organisational practice. Thus it provides a strategic tool to localise experts, to identify
knowledge communities and to analyse the structure of knowledge flows within and between
organisations. The SELaKT method shows its advances and increasing relevance
for practical use by integration of specific organisational conditions and requirements
into the process of analysis.

Key Words: knowledge networks, collaboration, communities of practice, expert localisation,
distributed knowledge management, knowledge sharing, social network analysis,
sustainability, strategies, implementation, applied research

Category: A.0, A.1, H.3.0, J.4

Download Paper