Enriching knowledge networks - considering synergies between social network analysis, communities of practice and knowledge

Abstract

The constructive management of existing knowledge and the access to and development of new knowledge has become essential to organisations. Since tacit knowledge can often not be captured or documented, knowledge is often created and shared through social interaction within organisations. Relationships are thus fundamental to knowledge creation and knowledge transfer and the various forms of social networks existing within organisations play a primary role in leveraging these relationships. This study followed the socialisation philosophy as reflected in the works of Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) and Hansen et al. (1999), where the creation and sharing of knowledge occurs primarily by way of social interaction between individuals. The said interaction typically occurs within informal networks, also known as knowledge networks (Helms & Buijsrogge 2006). In recent times there has been a growing awareness of social network analysis (SNA) as an instrument to plot knowledge and expertise as well as to confirm the character of connections in informal networks (Cross et al. 2004; Chan & Liebowitz 2006; Müller-Prothmann 2006; Murale & Raju 2013; Cooke & Hall 2013; D'Errico et al. 2014). In line with the aforementioned studies, this study intended to investigate how the integration of networking into KM can produce significant advantages for organisations. This research intended to outline a method for organisations to strengthen their social capital by analysing, shaping and reinforcing their knowledge networks, thereby enhancing the manner in which they share and create knowledge. Subsequently the main research problem of this study was to investigate how knowledge networks can be improved as a result of synergies between SNA, CoPs and knowledge maps. The researcher attempted to illustrate via this question that cultivating synergies between SNA, CoPs and knowledge maps will enable organisations to produce stronger knowledge networks and ultimately increase their social capital. In order to execute this study, the researcher developed a process map with the aim of demonstrating exactly how knowledge networks could be advanced as a result of synergies between SNA, CoPs and knowledge maps. This process map - which answers the "how" in this question - is presented as the new contribution that this study makes towards any organisation wanting to reinforce knowledge networks. It is anticipated that this research will enable organisations to enrich their knowledge networks and expand their social capital by building on the process map that was developed and implemented in this study.