Comments on: Can CoP do a Facebook in Knowledge Networking? http://bestpraxclub.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/can-cop-do-a-facebook-in-knowledge-networking/ Blog on Best Practices: An open space for growing subtle dimensions of generic managerial practices (Business Best Practices) Sun, 13 Sep 2009 07:13:46 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Ramesh http://bestpraxclub.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/can-cop-do-a-facebook-in-knowledge-networking/#comment-92 Ramesh Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:34:41 +0000 http://bestpraxclub.wordpress.com/?p=51#comment-92 I think CoP has the power to make knowledge management extremely robust. Are organizations culturally ready for using CoP as a KM tool? My take on this - organizations are also groups of individuals. When individuals are ready to share knowledge as opposed to hoarding it, when they realize that knowledge shared is knowledge multiplied, yes, that organization is ready for this major leap in faith. Technology is but an enabler; it can aid, but never force a change on individuals. In theory, the three elements of CoP viz. domains, communities and practice, form one half of Wenger’s doughnut model of knowledge management. He also says that while communities of practice manage their own knowledge, they need knowledge managers to ensure this is shared across the organization. What’s most interesting and perhaps the biggest challenge to organizations wanting to leverage CoP as a KM tool is the paradigm shift in how they view the knowledge asset – this model challenges and even throws over the traditional belief that knowledge belongs to management and workers are mere implementers of this knowledge. Even today, I think it would take a special kind of an organization to make this 360o shift….but we will get there, sooner than we think! I think CoP has the power to make knowledge management extremely robust. Are organizations culturally ready for using CoP as a KM tool? My take on this – organizations are also groups of individuals. When individuals are ready to share knowledge as opposed to hoarding it, when they realize that knowledge shared is knowledge multiplied, yes, that organization is ready for this major leap in faith. Technology is but an enabler; it can aid, but never force a change on individuals.

In theory, the three elements of CoP viz. domains, communities and practice, form one half of Wenger’s doughnut model of knowledge management. He also says that while communities of practice manage their own knowledge, they need knowledge managers to ensure this is shared across the organization.

What’s most interesting and perhaps the biggest challenge to organizations wanting to leverage CoP as a KM tool is the paradigm shift in how they view the knowledge asset – this model challenges and even throws over the traditional belief that knowledge belongs to management and workers are mere implementers of this knowledge.

Even today, I think it would take a special kind of an organization to make this 360o shift….but we will get there, sooner than we think!

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