IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wsi/jikmxx/v11y2012i04ns021964921250027x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Between Networks and Communities: Challenges for an Optimal Innovation Structure

Author

Listed:
  • Lourens Koen

    (Department of Information Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7600, South Africa)

  • Christiaan Maasdorp

    (Department of Information Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7600, South Africa)

Abstract

Inter-organisational networks and communities of practice are two areas of inquiry of interest to knowledge management, especially when innovation is an important organisational goal. These two areas are separated by different foci, assumptions and approaches. For this reason they are often seen as opposing approaches to enabling innovation. The paper argues that whilst networks and communities are different structures, they have complementary roles to play in innovation and when combined could bring organisations closer to an optimal innovative structure. It is proposed that innovation networks are conducive to the exploration aspects and communities of practice support exploitation aspects of the innovation process. What is to be considered optimum will be dependent on the specific context determined by several network concepts, namely strength and density of ties, cognitive distance, and absorptive capacity.

Suggested Citation

  • Lourens Koen & Christiaan Maasdorp, 2012. "Between Networks and Communities: Challenges for an Optimal Innovation Structure," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 11(04), pages 1-9.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:jikmxx:v:11:y:2012:i:04:n:s021964921250027x
    DOI: 10.1142/S021964921250027X
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S021964921250027X
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1142/S021964921250027X?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wsi:jikmxx:v:11:y:2012:i:04:n:s021964921250027x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Tai Tone Lim (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.worldscinet.com/jikm/jikm.shtml .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.