The aim of this set of books is to combine the best of current academic research into the use of Communities of Practice in education with "hands on" practitioner experience in order to provide teachers and academics with a convenient source of guidance and an incentive to work with and develop in their own Communities of Practice. This set of books is divided into two volumes: volume 1 deals principally with the issues found in colocated Communities of Practice, while volume 2 deal principally with distributed Communities of Practice"

Today's marketplace is fueled by knowledge. Yet organizing systematically to leverage knowledge remains a challenge. Leading companies have discovered that technology is not enough, and that cultivating communities of practice is the keystone of an effective knowledge strategy. Communities of practice come together around common interests and expertise- whether they consist of first-line managers or customer service representatives, neurosurgeons or software programmers, city managers or home-improvement amateurs. They create, share, and apply knowledge within and across the boundaries of teams, business units, and even entire companies-providing a concrete path toward creating a true knowledge organization. In Cultivating Communities of Practice, Etienne Wenger, Richard McDermott, and William M. Snyder argue that while communities form naturally, organizations need to become more proactive and systematic about developing and integrating them into their strategy. This book provides practical models and methods for stewarding these communities to reach their full potential-without squelching the inner drive that makes them so valuable. Through in-depth cases from firms such as DaimlerChrysler, McKinsey & Company, Shell, and the World Bank, the authors demonstrate how communities of practice can be leveraged to drive overall company strategy, generate new business opportunities, tie personal development to corporate goals, transfer best practices, and recruit and retain top talent. They define the unique features of these communities and outline principles for nurturing their essential elements. They provide guidelines to support communities of practice through their major stages of development, address the potential downsides of communities, and discuss the specific challenges of distributed communities. And they show how to recognize the value created by communities of practice and how to build a corporate knowledge strategy around them. Essential reading for any leader in today's knowledge economy, this is the definitive guide to developing communities of practice for the benefit-and long-term success-of organizations and the individuals who work in them. Etienne Wenger is a renowned expert and consultant on knowledge management and communities of practice in San Juan, California. Richard McDermott is a leading expert of organization and community development in Boulder, Colorado. William M. Snyder is a founding partner of Social Capital Group, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In this edited collection, the authors pick up the communities of practice (CoP) approach of sharing practice in their reflection on the experience of taking their CoP vision from a dream to reality. Their stories articulate the vision, the passion and the challenge of working within and/or changing existing institutional culture and practice. The book discusses strategies that worked and considers the lessons learnt to inspire future dreamers and schemers. The multiple perspectives provided in the case studies will assist higher education leaders, as well as academic and professional staff, in establishing or assessing CoPs. The book offers insights into implementation strategies, practical guidelines and ideas on how CoP theoretical underpinnings can be tailored to the higher education context.

These proceedings represent the work of researchers presenting at the 16th European Conference on Knowledge Management (ECKM 2015). We are delighted to be hosting ECKM at the University of Udine, Italy on the 3-4 September 2015. The conference will be opened with a keynote from Dr Madelyn Blair from Pelerei Inc., USA on the topic “The Role of KM in Building Resilience”. On the afternoon of the first day Dr Daniela Santarelli, from Lundbeck, Italy will deliver a second keynote speech. The second day will be opened by Dr John Dumay from Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. ECKM is an established platform for academics concerned with current research and for those from the wider community involved in Knowledge Management to present their findings and ideas to peers from the KM and associated fields. ECKM is also a valuable opportunity for face to face interaction with colleagues from similar areas of interests. The conference has a well-established history of helping attendees advance their understanding of how people, organisations, regions and even countries generate and exploit knowledge to achieve a competitive advantage, and drive their innovations forward. The range of issues and mix of approaches followed will ensure an interesting two days. 260 abstracts were initially received for this conference. However, the academic rigor of ECKM means that, after the double blind peer review process there are 102 academic papers, 15 PhD research papers, 1 Masters research papers and 7 Work in Progress papers published in these Conference Proceedings. These papers reflect the continuing interest and diversity in the field of Knowledge Management, and they represent truly global research from many different countries, including Algeria, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Lithuania, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sultanate of Oman, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, The Netherlands, UK, United Arab Emirates, USA and Venezuela.

Recent research shows that collaboration and social networking foster knowledge sharing and innovation by sparking new connections, ideas, and practices. Yet these informal networks are often misunderstood and poorly managed. Building on the groundbreaking, bestselling first edition, Knowledge Management Handbook: Collaboration and Social Networking, Second Edition focuses on two key elements in knowledge management: collaboration and social networking. To Innovate, Connect the People Jay Liebowitz, one of the top knowledge management authorities in the world, brings together 15 articles by researchers and practitioners who are among the leaders in their fields. They present numerous applications, concepts, techniques, methodologies, issues, and trends related to collaboration and social networking in a knowledge management context. They also point out areas that need more work, such as how to measure the impact of knowledge-sharing efforts in terms of innovation, profits, and customer perceptions. What Can You Learn from Your Informal Organization? Packed with case studies, this handbook explores how you can share knowledge, make connections, and generate new ideas through collaboration and interaction. It is a valuable reference and classroom text for those engaged in knowledge management, particularly from a collaboration and social networking perspective.

Volume 2: Compartments, Stressors and Sectors, deals with the problems that occur in the three 'compartments' of the environment, namely air, water and soil. The contributors also address the socio-economic sectors of industry, traffic, energy, agriculture and tourism.

Achieving urban sustainability is amongst the most pressing issues facing planners and governments. This book is the first to provide a cohesive analysis of sustainable urban development and to examine the processes by which change in how urban areas are built can be achieved. The author looks at how sustainable urban development can be delivered on the ground through a comprehensive analysis of the different modes of governing for new urban development. Governing for Sustainable Urban Development: considers a range of policy tools that influence urban development and that constitute different modes of governing provides an innovative conceptual emphasis on learning within governing processes draws on a wide range of existing research, policy and literature together with case study material focussing on London is above all concerned with demonstrating how sustainable urban development can be delivered in practice. This title be essential reading for students, academics and professionals in planning, urban design and architecture world-wide working to achieve sustainability.

This book presents a theory of learning that starts with the assumption that engagement in social practice is the fundamental process by which we get to know what we know and by which we become who we are. The primary unit of analysis of this process is neither the individual nor social institutions, but the informal 'communities of practice' that people form as they pursue shared enterprises over time. To give a social account of learning, the theory explores in a systematic way the intersection of issues of community, social practice, meaning, and identity. The result is a broad framework for thinking about learning as a process of social participation. This ambitious but thoroughly accessible framework has relevance for the practitioner as well as the theoretician, presented with all the breadth, depth, and rigor necessary to address such a complex and yet profoundly human topic.

Religions of the United States in Practice is a rich anthology of primary sources with accompanying essays that examines religious behavior in America. From praying in an early American synagogue to performing Mormon healing rituals to debating cremation, Volume 2 explores faith through action in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The documents and essays consider the religious practices of average people--praying, singing, healing, teaching, imagining, and persuading. Some documents are formal liturgies while other texts describe more spontaneous religious actions. Because religious practices also take place in the imagination, dreams, visions, and fictional accounts are also included. Accompanying each primary document is an essay that sets the religious practice in its historical and theological context--making this volume ideal for classroom use and accessible to any reader. The introductory essays explain the various meanings of religious practices as lived out in churches and synagogues, in parlors and fields, beside rivers, on lecture platforms, and in the streets. Religions of the United States in Practice offers a sampling of religious perspectives in order to approximate the living texture of popular religious thought and practice in the United States. The history of religion in America is more than the story of institutions and famous people. This anthology presents a more nuanced story composed of the everyday actions and thoughts of lay men and women.