Communities of Practice in Tourism: Working and Learning Together. An Illustrative Case Study from Northern Norway

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the application of Wenger's theory of Communities of Practice (CoP) to cooperative groups of small tourism actors. Empirical data about a case study of a group of firms operating in northern Norway are presented in order to illustrate and challenge the discussion. The findings suggest that Wenger's theory can be usefully applied to describe the processes and dynamics relative to the development and management of tourism products based on the identity of the local area. The element of Wenger's theory that makes it particularly useful is its focus on social processes, knowledge and identity. The findings suggest also that the CoP framework could gain completeness from the integration of the concepts of terroir, lifestyle entrepreneurship and community entrepreneurship. In regard to the adoption of Wenger's framework as a practical tool to promote cooperation, the case study shows that the existence of formal programmes directed to cooperative groups that can be qualified as CoP can help to identify them and support the implementation of collective projects.