Knowledge Sharing Through Communities of Practice in a Financial Institution

Abstract

This article discusses the effectiveness of knowledge sharing (KS) within communities of practice (CoPs) in a financial institution in South Africa. This was achieved through understanding the current state of KS within the CoPs, identifying critical factors for effectively sharing knowledge and thereafter determining reasons for a CoP not being effective in sharing knowledge. The results showed that there is still a long way to go to ensure the effectiveness of KS through CoPs. The CoPs within this financial institution are informal in nature, and therefore not necessarily given the attention that they deserve. Time used for CoPs is not maximised effectively, which reduces the chances of their effectiveness and improvement of productivity. Lack of effective system infrastructure to support KS is also a massive challenge for the CoPs, as is not having virtual Cops to reduce challenges faced in the use of face-to-face CoPs.