The
implementation of knowledge management is still a daunting task in most
organizations as the pages of this journal can amply testify. The emergence
over the last decade of multi-purpose organizational building blocks that
promise to significantly facilitate knowledge management has created
considerable excitement and interest. These unique organizational elements are
Communities of Practice (CoPs), one of three types of
practical Collective Work-Based Learning explored at length by Raelin (2000; pp. 74 - 89), and for which Wenger et al have proposed the
following definition: “Communities of Practice are groups of people who
share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen
their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing
basis” (Wenger et al, 2002; pp. 4).
A
search of Amazon for “Communities of Practice” yields three books
(Wenger, 1998; Wenger et al, 2002; Saint-Onge &
Wallace, 2003), a reprint of a journal piece (Wenger & Snyder, 2000), and
one book dealing with a closely related theme (Lave & Wenger, 1991). All but one of these books feature
Etienne Wenger as author or co-author. In my opinion this has led to a somewhat
narrow view of CoPs, and I think it’s fair to
say that the jury is still out on whether CoPs will
live up to their billing. What is required to cut through the mystery
surrounding the current theory, practice, and promise of CoPs
is an authoritative, broad-based, up-to-date review of the CoPs
field. Such a book has now appeared and is reviewed here; it is
enthusiastically recommended to all who seriously seek to optimize
organizational performance.
This new holisitic view
of CoPs is contained in Idea Group’s most
recent publication The Encyclopedia of
Communities of Practice in Information and Knowledge Management (Coakes & Clark, 2005). The encyclopedia is a
‘blockbuster’ that more than amply fulfills the publisher’s
corporate goals of publishing only “ ….high
quality, blind peer-reviewed, comprehensive, and authoritative reference
titles, edited by some of the most recognized researchers
worldwide.” I believe that this
encyclopedia will become the leading reference source for dynamic and
innovative research in the field of CoPs for some
time to come. I hope that the title’s emphasis on “Information and
Knowledge Management” will not limit its readership, since on reviewing
the book I have been struck by its relevance to so many disciplines and
interests.
In any event, this single volume encyclopedia certainly provides a comprehensive, critical and descriptive examination of all facets of CoPs in information and knowledge management in societies and organizations. The encyclopedia contains in its 601 pages 100 articles contributed by more than 120 researchers from 22 countries highlighting concepts, issues, and future challenges facing the field of CoPs. It also offers more than 550 technical and managerial terms with their full definitions. The articles and terms are supported by more than 19,050 references providing additional sources of information. Key features include organization by titles, indexing by topics, and cross referencing of key terms, figures and information pertinent to CoPs.
The encyclopedia is divided into seven major categories:
1. Generic aspects of CoPs
2. CoPs and the business environment
3. Organizational aspects of CoPs
4. Virtual teams and the role of communities
5. The role of knowledge management
6. Enabling technology
7. The philosophy theory of CoPs/KM
Topics covered are encyclopedic as one would expect, and include:
¨ Collective learning within CoPs
¨ CoPs and knowledge management
¨ CoPs and organizational development-ethics and values
¨ CoPs for cross functional working
¨ CoPs and the development of core competencies
¨ Intellectual capital
¨ Language and simple developments in CoPs
¨ Leadership issues within CoPs
¨ Knowledge management infrastructure
¨ Narrative inquiry and CoPs
¨ Rewards systems and formal CoPs
¨ Reward systems and informal CoPs
¨ Social and intellectual capital in CoPs
¨ The philosophy and theory of CoPs
¨ The strategic advantage of CoPs
¨ Using CoPs for organizational learning
¨ Using communities to support political action (charitable organizations)
As with any major undertaking there are strengths and weaknesses here; however, I do not feel that based on my own interests and mindset it would be helpful in this review to “pick over” this bountiful work. Rather let me just conclude by saying that for focused information retrieval or synergistic browsing, no-one seriously interested in CoPs should be without access to this encyclopedia.
References
Coakes, E. and Clarke, S. (Eds),
2005, The Encyclopedia of Communities of Practice in Information and Knowledge
Management, Idea Group Reference,
Raelin, J.A., 2000, Work-Based Learning, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle, NJ
Saint-Onge, H. and Wallace, D., 2003, Leveraging
Communities of Practice for Strategic Advantage, Butterworth-Heinemann,
Lave, J. and Wenger, E., 1991, Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral
Participation,
Wenger, E. 1998, Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning and Identity,
Wenger E. and Snyder, W.M., January – February 2000, Communities of Practice: The Organizational Frontier, Harvard Business Review; pp. 139 - 145
Wenger, E., McDermott, R. and Snyder, W.M., 2002, Cultivating Communities of
Practice,
About the Reviewer:
Peter AC. Smith is President, The Leadership Alliance Inc. (www.tlainc.com); Alliance Partner, KonvergeandKnow KM Solutions (www.konvergeandknow.com); Alliance Partner,
NewMindsets e-Learning Systems (www.newmindsets.com); Managing Editor, Journal
of Knowledge Management Practice (www.tlainc.com/jkmp.htm);
Consulting Editor, The Learning Organization (http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContainer.do?containerType=Journal&containerId=10943);
Member Editorial Review Board, Management
Decision, (http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContatiner.do?containerType=Journal&containerId=18);
Visiting Professor of Management Learning Processes, Canadian School of
Management; Ex-Chair, International
Community of Action Learners (ICAL).
Peter can be reached at:
The Leadership Alliance Inc., 12 Kilpatrick Drive, Holland Landing, Ontario L9N
1H6, CANADA; Tel: +1 (905) 853-9553; Fax: +1 (905) 853-9553; Email: pasmith@tlainc.com; or in the UK at Mob:
+44 07762 155747