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Collaboration through Communities of Practice in the Digital Age

  • Conference paper
Technological Convergence and Social Networks in Information Management (IMCW 2010)

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 96))

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Abstract

This paper aims to describe and explain the role of Communities of Practice (CoPs) as an informal communication mechanism in initiating, improving, and fostering collaboration in the digital age. CoPs play a critical role in the management of shared knowledge and create value for both their members and organizations. The advent of the Internet and specifically the World Wide Web (WWW) has forever changed the means of accessing and sharing data and information. With the inception of Web 2.0 technologies and social-networking sites in recent years, connections and relationships are now not only nurtured and sustained in an online environment, but also established through creating virtual communities. The authors also assert that the inception of Web 2.0 technologies and social-networking sites is a great advancement in providing a rich learning, communication, and collaborative environment, especially through the transfer of tacit knowledge that we take for granted in our face-to-face interactions. These reflections are based on personal communications with members of virtual CoPs and literature on the impact of CoPs on decision-making and knowledge management.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Valdosta State University, 1500 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, GA, 31698, USA

    Fatih Oguz & Cliff Landis

  2. University of Texas - Pan American, 1201 W. University Dr., Edinburg, TX, 78539, USA

    Corrie V. Marsh

Authors
  1. Fatih Oguz
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  2. Corrie V. Marsh
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  3. Cliff Landis
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Information Management, Hacettepe University, 06800, Beytepe, Ankara, Turkey

    Serap Kurbanoğlu , Umut Al , Yaşar Tonta  & Nazan Uçak , ,  & 

  2. Office of the Board of Trustees, Bilkent University, 06800, Bilkent, Ankara, Turkey

    Phyllis Lepon ErdoÄŸan

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© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Oguz, F., Marsh, C.V., Landis, C. (2010). Collaboration through Communities of Practice in the Digital Age. In: Kurbanoğlu, S., Al, U., Lepon Erdoğan, P., Tonta, Y., Uçak, N. (eds) Technological Convergence and Social Networks in Information Management. IMCW 2010. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 96. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-16032-5_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-16032-5_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-16031-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-16032-5

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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