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The secrets of successful communities of practice: Real benefits from collaboration within social networks at Schneider Electric

2011; Wiley; Volume: 30; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/joe.20391

1932-2062

Philippe Gelin, Maia Milusheva,

Open Source Software Innovations

Abstract Communities of Practice are frequently seen as key enablers of efficient corporate operations in knowledge‐intensive industries. They can improve internal communications and knowledge sharing both within an organization and between the organization and its external partners. Despite the positive effects a Community of Practice may have at any one point in time, however, its successful management over the long term requires adaptations to take into account the different stages in the life cycle of the Community. The objective of this article is to reveal the secrets of successful long‐term management of Communities of Practice; we do this using a case study of Schneider Electric, a global leader in energy‐efficiency management. The article will examine the Human Machine Interface Community, which has 400 active members in more than 60 countries. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.