From the time our ancestors lived in caves to that day in the late '80s when Chrysler sanctioned unofficial "tech clubs" to promote the flow of information between teams working on different vehicle platforms, bands of like-minded individuals had been gathering in a wide variety of settings to recount their experiences and share their expertise. Few paid much attention until a number of possible benefits to business were identified, but many are watching more closely now that definitive links have been established. In Cultivating Communities of Practice, consultants Etienne C. Wenger, Richard McDermott, and William Snyder take the concept to another level by describing how these groups might be purposely developed as a key driver of organizational performance in the knowledge age. Building on a 1998 book by Wenger that framed the theory for an academic audience, Cultivating Communities of Practice targets practitioners with pragmatic advice based on the accumulating track records of firms such as the World Bank, Shell Oil, and McKinsey & Company. Starting with a detailed explanation of what these groups really are and why they can prove so useful in managing knowledge within an organization, the authors discuss development from initial design through subsequent evolution. They also address the potential "dark side"--arrogance, cliquishness, rigidity, and fragmentation among participants, for example--as well as measurement issues and the challenges inherent in initiating these groups company-wide. --Howard Rothman


From Publishers Weekly
Among the myriad challenges managers in large corporations face today, one is becoming increasingly important: how to make the best use of the knowledge that a company's employees possess. The authors consultants all lift models from Xerox, DaimlerChrysler and the World Bank to show how to tap into the wisdom within, making this book helpful, in theory. Wenger, McDermott and Snyder spend much time explaining ways to organize, maintain and sustain communities of practice, which they define as groups that "share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and... deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis." Laying out a logical, step-by-step process for building one of these communities, the authors define specific roles for each member of the group. But senior managers looking, as the subtitle suggests, for "a guide to managing knowledge" may be disappointed in the scant space actually devoted to developing a system that captures and manages the learning that comes out of a "community of practice." Managers seeking the best way to obtain and use the knowledge coming out of these groups probably won't find it here. (Mar. 6)Forecast: Wenger is the biggest name in the theory of communities of practice, and those familiar with his work will want to add this book to their collection. Neophytes would do better with his 1998 primer, Communities of Practice.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


Training Magazine, July 2002
Remarkably thorough, very readable and truly useful. This one's a winner.


Book Description
Today's marketplace is fueled by knowledge. Yet organizing systematically to leverage knowledge remains a challenge. Leading companies have discovered that technology is not enough, and that cultivating communities of practice is the keystone of an effective knowledge strategy. Communities of practice come together around common interests and expertise- whether they consist of first-line managers or customer service representatives, neurosurgeons or software programmers, city managers or home-improvement amateurs. They create, share, and apply knowledge within and across the boundaries of teams, business units, and even entire companies-providing a concrete path toward creating a true knowledge organization. In Cultivating Communities of Practice, Etienne Wenger, Richard McDermott, and William M. Snyder argue that while communities form naturally, organizations need to become more proactive and systematic about developing and integrating them into their strategy. This book provides practical models and methods for stewarding these communities to reach their full potential-without squelching the inner drive that makes them so valuable. Through in-depth cases from firms such as DaimlerChrysler, McKinsey & Company, Shell, and the World Bank, the authors demonstrate how communities of practice can be leveraged to drive overall company strategy, generate new business opportunities, tie personal development to corporate goals, transfer best practices, and recruit and retain top talent. They define the unique features of these communities and outline principles for nurturing their essential elements. They provide guidelines to support communities of practice through their major stages of development, address the potential downsides of communities, and discuss the specific challenges of distributed communities. And they show how to recognize the value created by communities of practice and how to build a corporate knowledge strategy around them. Essential reading for any leader in today's knowledge economy, this is the definitive guide to developing communities of practice for the benefit-and long-term success-of organizations and the individuals who work in them.


Book Info
Provides practical models and methods for stewarding these communities to reach their full potential-without squelching the inner drive that makes them so valuable. Definitive guide to developing communities of practice for the benefit and long-term success of organizations and the individuals who work in them.


About the Author
Etienne Wenger is a renowned expert and consultant on knowledge management and communities of practice in San Juan, California. Richard McDermott is a leading expert of organization and community development in Boulder, Colorado. William M. Snyder is a founding partner of Social Capital Group, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In Cultivating Communities of Practice, Etienne Wenger, Richard McDermott, and William M. Snyder argue that while communities form naturally, organizations need to become more proactive and systematic about developing and integrating them into their strategy. This book provides practical models and methods for stewarding these communities to reach their full potential - without squelching the inner drive that makes them so valuable.

FROM THE CRITICS

Practical, yet grounded in rich theory, Cultivating Communities of Practice is the definitive work on how to understand organizations from a community point of view.

Publishers Weekly

Among the myriad challenges managers in large corporations face today, one is becoming increasingly important: how to make the best use of the knowledge that a company's employees possess. The authors consultants all lift models from Xerox, DaimlerChrysler and the World Bank to show how to tap into the wisdom within, making this book helpful, in theory. Wenger, McDermott and Snyder spend much time explaining ways to organize, maintain and sustain communities of practice, which they define as groups that "share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and... deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis." Laying out a logical, step-by-step process for building one of these communities, the authors define specific roles for each member of the group. But senior managers looking, as the subtitle suggests, for "a guide to managing knowledge" may be disappointed in the scant space actually devoted to developing a system that captures and manages the learning that comes out of a "community of practice." Managers seeking the best way to obtain and use the knowledge coming out of these groups probably won't find it here. (Mar. 6) Forecast: Wenger is the biggest name in the theory of communities of practice, and those familiar with his work will want to add this book to their collection. Neophytes would do better with his 1998 primer, Communities of Practice. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Soundview Executive Book Summaries

A New Look at Old Ways of Managing Knowledge
What are "communities of practice"? The authors, each a seasoned organizational consultant and an expert on the subject, write that they are "groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis."

These informal groups can range from engineers who use a particular technology or tool and get together to discuss the fine points of their common focus, to groups of soccer moms and dads sharing parenting tips during a game. They are made up of people who do not necessarily work together every day, but they find their meetings informative and valuable. When the members of these communities are together, they share information, tips and insights, help each other solve problems, and discuss their common needs and concerns.

Communities of practice have a long history, and are a fundamental way for people to share their unique perspectives on their topics and bodies of common knowledge. During the Middle Ages, guilds served the same function for the artisans of Europe, and now they are everywhere and represent both visible groups and informal gatherings that occur when several like-minded individuals discuss their common concerns.

They are made up of core members as well as occasional participants, and the authors write that they should serve a central role in businesses. They also write that managers must face the challenge of helping them become intentional and systematic ways for organizations to manage knowledge.

Keeping Up With Changes
According to the authors, the key to successin a global knowledge economy is learning how to keep knowledge on the cutting edge, how to deploy it, and how to leverage it in operations and spread it throughout the organization. Considering how knowledge is becoming more complex every day, and the global nature of expanding knowledge markets, they write that organizations need communities of practice that are focused on critical areas to keep up with changes.

Communities of practice can contribute greatly to competitive advantage, global success and even the recruitment of new talent, because they recognize that knowledge is both social and individual. Appreciating the collective nature of knowledge is the job of management, and "conventional structures do not address knowledge-related problems as effectively as they do problems of performance and accountability." The authors write that communities of practice are the ideal social structure for "stewarding" knowledge, and managers can facilitate their effectiveness by assigning responsibility to the people who generate and share the knowledge they need, and cultivating these social forums that support the "living nature of knowledge."

Many Forms of Community
The authors write that communities of practice can consist of only a few specialists, or can consist of hundreds of people, but the larger ones might require subdivision by region or subtopic to encourage member participation. Some can exist for just a few years, and others, such as those that pass skills from generation to generation, have existed for centuries.

They can be spread over vast distances and communicate via e-mail, or they can be local and meet face-to-face regularly. They can be made up of people from the same discipline, or they can combine people with different backgrounds. Although their purposes can vary, they all share a basic structure that combines these three elements: A domain of knowledge: This creates common ground and a sense of common identity. A well-defined domain affirms a community's purpose and value to stakeholders. A community: This creates the social fabric of learning. Strong communities foster interaction and relationships that are based on mutual respect and trust. A practice: This is a set of frameworks, ideas, tools, information, styles and documents that community members share.

Why Soundview Likes This Book
The authors have created a practical guide for managers to help them understand, implement and cultivate this tool for increasing the productivity of knowledge workers. By explaining the conceptual foundations of communities of practice along with the art of developing them, they provide firm grounds on which managers can build them within their own organizations. Not only do they clearly present a solid case for moving the concept from theory to practice, but they also present ways for organizations to measure and manage communities of practice while maximizing their potential, within business, government, education and the wider community at large. Copyright (c) 2002 Soundview Executive Book Summaries

Soundview Executive Book Summaries

A New Look at Old Ways Of Managing Knowledge
What are "communities of practice"? The authors, each a seasoned organizational consultant and an expert on the subject, write that they are "groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis."

These informal groups can range from engineers who use a particular technology or tool and get together to discuss the fine points of their common focus, to groups of soccer moms and dads sharing parenting tips during a game. They are made up of people who do not necessarily work together every day, but they find their meetings informative and valuable. When the members of these communities are together, they share information, tips and insights, help each other solve problems, and discuss their common needs and concerns.

Communities of practice have a long history, and are a fundamental way for people to share their unique perspectives on their topics and bodies of common knowledge. During the Middle Ages, guilds served the same function for the artisans of Europe, and now they are everywhere and represent both visible groups and informal gatherings that occur when several like-minded individuals discuss their common concerns.

They are made up of core members as well as occasional participants, and the authors write that they should serve a central role in businesses. They also write that managers must face the challenge of helping them become intentional and systematic ways for organizations to manage knowledge.

Keeping Up With Changes
According to the authors, the key to success in a global knowledge economy is learning how to keep knowledge on the cutting edge, how to deploy it, and how to leverage it in operations and spread it throughout the organization. Considering how knowledge is becoming more complex every day, and the global nature of expanding knowledge markets, they write that organizations need communities of practice that are focused on critical areas to keep up with changes.

Communities of practice can contribute greatly to competitive advantage, global success and even the recruitment of new talent, because they recognize that knowledge is both social and individual. Appreciating the collective nature of knowledge is the job of management, and "conventional structures do not address knowledge-related problems as effectively as they do problems of performance and accountability." The authors write that communities of practice are the ideal social structure for "stewarding" knowledge, and managers can facilitate their effectiveness by assigning responsibility to the people who generate and share the knowledge they need, and cultivating these social forums that support the "living nature of knowledge."

Many Forms of Community
The authors write that communities of practice can consist of only a few specialists, or can consist of hundreds of people, but the larger ones might require subdivision by region or subtopic to encourage member participation. Some can exist for just a few years, and others, such as those that pass skills from generation to generation, have existed for centuries.