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Some success factors for the communal management of knowledge

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  • Kimble, Chris
  • Bourdon, Isabelle

Abstract

This paper explores the contribution of communal structures such as Communities of Practice (CoPs) on intraorganizational Knowledge Management (KM). First, we look at intraorganizational knowledge management and explore the role that information systems can play. We introduce the idea of “Systèmes d’Aide à la Gestion des Connaissances” SAGC (Systems to aid the Management of Knowledge) and then establish our theoretical foundations concerning communal KM, especially as it relates to the structural and functional characteristics of CoPs. The results of an exploratory qualitative survey involving Chief Knowledge Officers (CKOs) of large French businesses are presented which examine the contribution that communal structures such as CoPs can make to intraorganizational KM. The results highlight some of ‘success factors’ for the communal management of knowledge. Two types of factors in particular appear to encourage the sharing of knowledge: those related to (1) the characteristics of a CoP and (2) the organizational context. The work indicates that, perhaps contrary to what might be expected, many of the key success factors are the same ‘management’ issues that can be found in almost any IS projects while some of the issues that the literature indicates are important, appear to be less so in practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Kimble, Chris & Bourdon, Isabelle, 2008. "Some success factors for the communal management of knowledge," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 461-467.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ininma:v:28:y:2008:i:6:p:461-467
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2008.08.007
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    1. Kimble, Chris & Bourdon, Isabelle, 2008. "Some success factors for the communal management of knowledge," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 461-467.
    2. Paul Hildreth & Chris Kimble, 2002. "The Duality of Knowledge," Post-Print halshs-00492437, HAL.
    3. Chris Kimble & Paul Hildreth, 2005. "Dualities, Distributed Communities of Practice and Knowledge Management," Post-Print halshs-00492436, HAL.
    4. Linda Argote & Bill McEvily & Ray Reagans, 2003. "Managing Knowledge in Organizations: An Integrative Framework and Review of Emerging Themes," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(4), pages 571-582, April.
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    1. Kimble, Chris & Bourdon, Isabelle, 2008. "Some success factors for the communal management of knowledge," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 461-467.
    2. Ribeiro, Richard & Kimble, Chris & Cairns, Paul, 2010. "Quantum phenomena in Communities of Practice," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 21-27.
    3. Venkitachalam, Krishna & Willmott, Hugh, 2017. "Strategic knowledge management—Insights and pitfalls," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 313-316.
    4. Chua, Alton Y.K. & Heng, Swee Kiang, 2010. "A knowledge management perspective on Art Education," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 326-334.
    5. Harvey, Jean-François & Cohendet, Patrick & Simon, Laurent & Dubois, Louis-Etienne, 2013. "Another cog in the machine: Designing communities of practice in professional bureaucracies," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 27-40.
    6. Jyoti Jagasia & Utpal Baul & Debasis Mallik, 2015. "A Framework for Communities of Practice in Learning Organizations," Business Perspectives and Research, , vol. 3(1), pages 1-20, January.
    7. Iglesias-Pradas, Santiago & Hernández-García, Ángel & Fernández-Cardador, Pedro, 2015. "Social factors' influences on corporate wiki acceptance and use," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(7), pages 1481-1487.

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