In October 2003 the European Knowledge Management Forum was running its sixth monthly theme on “Communities of Practice and other networked organisations: How to organise our work and life?” This page provides an overview of the theme activities. To get additional information, please read the Synthesis Report of the theme 8.

Research / Case Studies
During the four weeks of the Theme 8 running time the following contributions concerning the topic of theme 8 were published. These can be classified in two groups:

1. CoPs: Structure, Life Cycle and Value

• The Life Cycle of CoPs by Fulvio Iavernaro


• Measuring CoP value revealed at London event by Rob Benson


• What experts say: Answering hot topics by Patricia Wolf

2. CoP Support Technologies

• CoP Link to useful websites and resources


• Cezanne Software contribution

Keynote presentations
Two online keynote presentations have been held within theme 8:

• Keynote presentation with Richard McDermott , president of McDermott Consulting on “Knowing Organization: How Virtual Communities, Virtual Teams, and Knowledge Management are Reshaping Global Organizations”


• Keynote presentation with Elisabeth Lank , on "New roles for 21st century organisations: The people who get knowledge flowing".

Online workshop
Online workshop with Paul Iske on “Inter-organisational working – i.e. communities with more than one organisation represented”.

Survey
Survey at the ProVE Conference 2003 in Lugano, Michael Wunram and Patricia Wolf did an offline survey on ‚KM and virtual enterprises’. The participants were asked the following open question: ‘What are enables and inhibitors to KM in virtual organisations?'

Questions and Answers

• Q&A with Erik van Bekkum
  on “Innovation and CoPs: The ‘Great Symphony’ Paradox”. The incentive for this discussion was Erik van Bekkum’s article Innovation and Communities of Practice


• Q&A with Miguel Cornejo on "Relevance and participation in Communities of Practice - Relaunching a CoP".

Interviews

• Interview with Prof. Abbe Mowshowitz
  on 'Collaboration in organisations with a certain degree of virtualness'


• Interview with Etienne Wenger
  on Communities of Practise