Knowledge retrieval through virtual communities of practice

摘要

This article explores how Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) manages knowledge retrieval by employees when they need to access documents written by colleagues in geographically distant units. CSC's establishment of virtual communities of practice facilitates the coordination of knowledge, and minimises contextual gaps between senders and receivers of knowledge. Furthermore, the knowledge-sharing friendly culture of the case company quickly establishes swift trust, which enables receivers to directly approach the original, often previously unknown, author of a document for additional information.