This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Kerno, S. J. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Limitations of Communities of Practice

A Consideration of Unresolved Issues and Difficulties in the Approach

St. Ambrose University, kernostevenj{at}johndeere.com, kerno6{at}mchsi.com

Communities of practice are becoming increasingly common on the organizational landscape. Organizations are simultaneously incorporating communities of practice into internal knowledge management systems and spanning elements from the external environment. However, the literature has tended to favor the positive outcomes with the approach. This article explores potential challenges confronting communities of practice so that organizations may better manage conditions crucial to their success. Perspectives of time constraints, organizational hierarchies, and regional culture are highlighted, and propositions bearing consideration when implementing a community of practice are stated. A discussion section ends this article.

Key Words: knowledge management • organizational learning • communities of practice • organizational hierarchy • time poverty

Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, Vol. 15, No. 1, 69-78 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1548051808317998


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?