Title: Computing alone? A professional association as a forum for knowledge and learning processes

Authors: Jari Kolehmainen

Addresses: School of Management, University of Tampere, 33014, Finland

Abstract: The main objective of this article is to explore how a professional association can aid individuals' knowledge and learning processes as a part of a local innovation environment (LIE). An association for ICT professionals, called PITKY, is used as an empirical, illustrative case. The results indicate that an association can have many roles in LIEs from the individual point of view, but these benefits are available mainly for the active members of the association. The roles of the association also change over time, emphasising professional associations' need to reinvent themselves constantly.

Keywords: professional associations; local innovation environment; LIE; social capital; interpersonal relationships; knowledge; learning; strong ties; weak ties; communities of practice; knowledge community; ICT professionals.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKBD.2012.048382

International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development, 2012 Vol.3 No.3, pp.250 - 263

Received: 17 Oct 2011
Accepted: 30 Mar 2012
Published online: 31 Jul 2014 *

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