| According to the community of practice theory, members of a community interact with each other to share ideas and thoughts and expand their knowledge while doing so. The communities are like a closely-knit organisation whose members maintain interpersonal relations via interactions, negotiations, coordination, and communication in face-to-face settings<ref name=":0">E. Wenger, Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.</ref>. | | According to the community of practice theory, members of a community interact with each other to share ideas and thoughts and expand their knowledge while doing so. The communities are like a closely-knit organisation whose members maintain interpersonal relations via interactions, negotiations, coordination, and communication in face-to-face settings<ref name=":0">E. Wenger, Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.</ref>. |
− | The community of practice theory functions on the assumption that knowledge sharing between the community members is in the direction from experienced members to novice members<ref>J. Lave and E. Wenger, Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991.</ref>. Knowledge is intangible. Sharing it, using it or spreading it in the community does not decrease its value. Therefore, knowledge considered is a public good. Whenever knowledge is shared as a public good, there is motivation to spread it within the community due to moral obligation and reciprocity. | + | The community of practice theory functions on the assumption that knowledge sharing between the community members is in the direction from experienced members to novice members<ref>J. Lave and E. Wenger, Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991.</ref>. Knowledge is intangible. Sharing it, using it or spreading it in the community does not decrease its value. Therefore, knowledge is considered a public good. Whenever knowledge is shared as a public good, there is motivation to spread it within the community due to moral obligation and reciprocity. |
| Here the communities are geographically dispersed, and the members may not know each other personally. The network becomes extensive as the members communicate with multiple communities. | | Here the communities are geographically dispersed, and the members may not know each other personally. The network becomes extensive as the members communicate with multiple communities. |