Going Virtual - Distributed Communities of Practice

Paul M. Hildreth Independent Knowledge Management Consultant, UK

IDEA GROUP PUBLISHING

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Copyright 2004 Idea Group Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hildreth, Paul M., 1959-
Going virtual: distributed communities of practice / Paul M.
Hildreth.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-59140-164-X -- ISBN 1-59140-271-9 (s/c)

1. Knowledge management. 2. Organizational learning. 3.
Interprofessional relations. 4. Virtual work teams 5. Information
technology--Management. 6. International business
enterprises--Communication systems--Case studies. I. Title.
HD30.2.H55 2004

658.4′038--dc21

2003008766

1-59140-271-9

British Cataloguing in Publication Data
A Cataloguing in Publication record for this book is available from the British Library.

Declaration: Some of the names of people and groups have been disguised in accordance with the confidentiality terms of the organization involved.

All work contributed to this book is new, previously-unpublished material. The views expressed in this book are those of the authors, but not necessarily of the publisher.

Dedication

For Maggie and Tom

About the Author

After 11 years teaching Modern Languages, Paul Hildreth went back to university, in York, UK, to "convert" to IT. Having completed his MSc, he stayed on to do a DPhil exploring the field of Knowledge Management. This work convinced him that Knowledge Management is not about technology but about people and led him to explore the emerging and fascinating field of Communities of Practice. Recognizing the pressures imposed on organizations by globalization, he concentrated on researching how Communities of Practice can function in a distributed international environment. The work produced a number of well-received journal and conference papers.

Having completed his DPhil, Paul now runs his own independent Knowledge Management and computer consultancies. He lives in rural North Yorkshire with Maggie, Tom, and Buzz the cat, and when he manages to find a little spare time likes to indulge his hobbies of kit and classic cars, and guitar.