Title: Effective implementation of Communities of Practices (CoPs) in a knowledge habitat: a case study of Samsung Electronics

Authors: Gyewan Moon, Chungshin Park, Dong K. Yoo, Sukbong Choi

Addresses: Department of Strategic Management and Organisation Theory Kyungpook National University, Sankyuk-Dong, Buk-Gu, Daegu, 702-701, South Korea. ' Samsung Electronics, Imsoo-Dong, Gumi, 730-722, South Korea. ' Department of Computer Information Systems, Virginia State University, 1 Hayden Dr. Petersburg, VA 23806, USA. ' Department of Management, University of Ulsan, P.O. Box 18, Ulsan 680-749, South Korea

Abstract: It is critical for an organisation to acknowledge, nurture, and utilise the potential pool of knowledge that resides in individuals and teams. Although Communities of Practices (CoPs) have been recognised as an effective vehicle for taking advantage of explicit and tacit knowledge within an organisation, little is known about the factors that facilitate and impede their birth and growth. Accordingly, this study provides a research framework that organises and manages CoPs in a knowledge habitat. In addition, it illustrates the usefulness of the research framework by conducting a case study at Samsung Electronics. Management implications are also discussed.

Keywords: CoPs; communities of practices; knowledge habitats; process innovation; knowledge workers; innovative capabilities; Samsung Electronics; South Korea; explicit knowledge; tacit knowledge; research frameworks; managerial implications; services management; operations management; global businesses; globalisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2011.038976

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2011 Vol.8 No.3, pp.335 - 346

Published online: 11 Mar 2015 *

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