6 months research project under supervision of the Center For Management Research (CRM). Participative observation and qualitative techniques were used to build up a model drawing on knowledge management and social capital research.

1. Managing organizational
communities
Jean-Charles Pillet
17.10.2012
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2. Collaborative organization
• Supportive of organic work to solve problems, brainstorm
ideas and tackle new issues.
• Achieved through technologies inspired from social media
(ESN).
• Characteristics of these technologies: visibility, frictionless,
free-form, emerging, social.
Currently under pilot in the company (500 members , 20
communities). All company members expected onboard
by 2013.
Introduction Question Exploration Model Conclusion Discussions

3. Key concepts
• Knowledge is an asset embedded in the social system of the
organization.
• Communities are based on shared interest, cross the
traditional organizational boundaries, relatively independent.
• Digital public goods are collective pools of knowledge, non-
rival, non-excludable.
Knowledge exchange is a multilevel phenomenon.
Introduction Question Exploration Model Conclusion Discussions

4. Research
question.

5. Research questions
Motivational challenges Coordination challenges
• What are the mechanisms that • Do online communities naturally
drive members’ participation? coordinate or do they rely on the
• How do people feel about organization to do so?
publicly sharing their knowledge? • What is the role of the community
• Are there business-specific leader in this process?
factors that may hinder or • Are the coordination costs still
enhance the provision of the relevant in the online context?
collective pool of knowledge?
« What factors stimulate public knowledge exchanges in
organizational communities? »
Introduction Question Exploration Model Conclusion Discussions

6. Exploration.

7. Two-steps exploration
• Preliminary observations (unit level)
– All communities engage in knowledge exchange activities
(documents, comments and blogs).
– There are evidences of public goods dynamics within the
communities. (eg. critical mass).
– The communities are heterogeneous in regards to their
characteristics and outcomes.
• Qualitative pre-study (individual level)
– Sample of 8 users + 1 expert
– Three topics (adoption, participation, benefits)
– 3-steps coding (23 codes in 5 categories)
Introduction Question Exploration Model Conclusion Discussions

8. Occurrence of codes (indicative)
35
Probe count Prompt count
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Introduction Question Exploration Model Conclusion Discussions

9. Model
development.

10. What factors stimulate public
knowledge exchange in organizational
communities?
Relational Actualization
capital opportunities
Trust Self-
actualization
Identification
Collective
knowledge
Norms
exchange
Perceived Professional-
Obligation actualization
Introduction Question Exploration Model Conclusion Discussion

11. Conceptualization
Relational Actualization
capital opportunities
• Some communities provide
• Collective trust is relevant opportunities for their
because knowledge is a members to fulfill their
ressource. universal needs of
relatedness, competence
• Identification is mostly and autonomy by
based on the status of the participating their
group (ie. pride). community.
• Three norms conducive
Collective
of knowledge exchange knowledge
processes were identified: exchange
transparency, informal
communication, tolerance.
• Some communities will
• The concept of perceived provide a strong career
obligation to reciprocate support to their members
overlaps with the norm of through network expansion
reciprocity. and/or image
enhancement.
Introduction Question Exploration Model Conclusion Discussion

12. Conclusion and
Prospects.

13. Discussion.