Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Intellectual ...

A Community Framework for Knowledge Creation
Igor Hawryszkiewycz
University <strong>of</strong> Technology, Sydney
igorh@it.uts.edu.au
Abstract: The paper focuses on knowledge management in large complex adaptive systems and proposes
architectures to support knowledge management in such systems. It sees knowledge capital not only in <strong>the</strong>
explicit or tacit knowledge available in an organization but also knowledge in how to change systems to respond
to changes in <strong>the</strong> environment. Critically important here are <strong>the</strong> communication structures needed to ensure
sustainable knowledge sharing in an organized ra<strong>the</strong>r than chaotic way. It is based on <strong>the</strong> living system metaphor
as <strong>the</strong> basis for sustainability. The metaphor provides guidelines for structuring communities and knowledge
flows between <strong>the</strong>m to adapt to <strong>the</strong>ir environment. The paper proposes a model where communities generate
knowledge. It defines a generic structure for communities. The structure is made up <strong>of</strong> knowledge, coordination,
monitoring and advisory communities. It <strong>the</strong>n defines roles with responsibilities to coordinate communication
between communities in ways that ensure sustainability. It includes roles to manage collaboration, set and
monitor goals and provide assistance when needed. Knowledge flows are modelled using living systems <strong>the</strong>ory
to identify responsibilities for each role and <strong>the</strong> services needed to carry out <strong>the</strong>se responsibilities.
Keywords: knowledge management, communities, living systems
1. Introduction
Contemporary business processes are characterized by greater emphasis on business networking, to
quickly build up competitive advantage through combining expert knowledge and capabilities from
different partners to produce new products and services. These networks include alliances,
partnerships, small business networks using a variety <strong>of</strong> supply chains, and o<strong>the</strong>r collaborative
arrangements. At <strong>the</strong> same time products and <strong>the</strong>ir associated services are becoming increasingly
complex requiring closer involvement between customers, suppliers. Cova and Salle (2000) see
emerging business networks co-creating solutions through collaboration between supplier network
and <strong>the</strong> customer network. Often <strong>the</strong>re is a major supplier, who originated a project, and <strong>the</strong>n builds
and coordinates a network <strong>of</strong> providers and customers to develop solutions for customers. The
general trend is to what are increasingly community or process ecosystems (Vidgen and Wang, 2006)
that emerge to provide continually innovative client solutions.
The paper builds on <strong>the</strong> idea <strong>of</strong> community structures (Mintzberg, 2009) by defining structures and
roles to facilitate community collaboration. Communities in this sense are not informal social grouping
but can include organizational units formed for a specific purpose or strategic planning or policy
groups. The focus is on <strong>the</strong> social perspective (Pralahad, Krishnan, 2008) as social networking will
play an increasingly important role in knowledge creation and community coordination. In many cases
coordination is through <strong>the</strong> exchange <strong>of</strong> knowledge, much <strong>of</strong> it <strong>of</strong> a tacit nature, created by process
participants. The importance <strong>of</strong> social networking is thus increasing and becomes a major component
<strong>of</strong> any design.
The paper describes a community based approach to system design. It sees knowledge creation
predominantly occurring through communities. The paper describes a community structure using
living systems as a metaphor to ensure communities proceed to an agreed upon vision. The paper
<strong>the</strong>n defines ways to identify <strong>the</strong> knowledge flows needed to maintain sustainable collaboration
across communities. This requires clear definition <strong>of</strong> roles responsibilities and interactions, which are
represented by an Enterprise Social Network (ESN).
2. Community structure for sustainability
The community architecture proposed in <strong>the</strong> paper turns to systems <strong>the</strong>ory. It sees progress through a
number <strong>of</strong> knowledge communities each providing its expertise but coordinated through a
coordination group. It includes a feedback loop, which is shown by <strong>the</strong> dotted line, with <strong>the</strong>
coordinating computing agreeing on goals with <strong>the</strong> knowledge communities. Thus for example one
community may focus on population movements, ano<strong>the</strong>r on housing development and still a third on
engineering aspects.
The structure shown in Figure 1 meets <strong>the</strong> requirements <strong>of</strong> changing environment at a broad level.
Here <strong>the</strong> knowledge communities create knowledge that contributes to a common vision. The vision is
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