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.

Why have so many churches started community gardens over the past decade? Are they simply a fad? Or do community gardens somehow connect more deeply with the mission of the churches that launch them? What can churches and faith-based institutions interested in starting community gardens learn from those that have started their own gardens over the past decade? And what would it mean for a church to put Christ in the center of its community gardening efforts? In order to discern best practices for launching Christ-centered community gardens moving forward, Cultivating Neighborhood begins with a brief survey of the history of community gardens in the United States and builds a constructive theological framework for community gardening grounded in the practice of Christian hospitality. It continues with two case studies of church-sponsored community gardens and one case study of a community garden sponsored by a Christian college, all three of which were created between 2003 and 2011. The results of this research conclude with a new definition of Christ-centered community gardening and an outline of fifteen best practices for launching a Christ-centered community garden.

Discover the transformative power of green spaces in "Cultivating Community," a riveting and insightful new eBook that will take you through the journey of creating, nurturing, and sustaining a blooming haven that brings people together. Unveil the secrets of the first sprout of companionship in the "Essence of Community Gardens," where the roots of community gardens stretch deep into the fertile soil of history and emerge as a vital source of local unity and well-being. Embark on a strategic odyssey with "Strategic Planning for a Community Garden," unfolding a blueprint that assembles a hardy team, crystalizes a shared vision, and nurtures the goals that will reach high like towering sunflowers. Scour the urban landscape in "Locating and Acquiring Garden Space," a thrilling treasure hunt for that perfect plot where community dreams will germinate and thrive. Immerse yourself in "Designing Your Community Garden," where imagination meets the earth, creating inclusive and sustainable spaces that welcome a mosaic of hands eager to tend. Dig into "Funding and Resources," your treasure chest of knowledge, brimming with golden strategies to fuel your green paradise without withering funds. Enter the alchemy of "Soil and Composting Systems," turning humble waste into rich, life-giving soil to sow the seeds of tomorrow’s harvest. "Cultivating Community" continues to dazzle as you weave through chapters filled with wisdom on plant selection, water management, and community building, all culminating in a wellspring of ideas to keep your garden lush through the seasons. This eBook is not just a guide; it’s a manifesto for all those yearning to hatch an oasis where concrete once ruled, to craft an epicenter of education, to secure a cradle of biodiversity, and to cultivate the fabric of a tightly-knit community tapestry. In "Cultivating Community," your digital companion, you will navigate the highs and lows of communal gardening, from bountiful harvests to common challenges, securing legal ground and planting the seeds for a resilient future. No matter if you are greening your thumbs for the first time or are already a seasoned garden guardian, this eBook plots a course towards achieving a thriving, impactful, and sustainable gathering place for all. So, raise your shovels and let the odyssey of creation begin!

In today's fast-food world, Christianity can seem outdated or archaic. The temptation becomes to pick up the pace and play the game. But Chris Smith and John Pattison invites us to leave franchise faith behind and enter the kingdom of God, where people know each other well and love one another as Christ loves the church.

For close to two hundred years, families and individuals across Ontario have travelled down country roads and gathered to enjoy seasonal agricultural fairs. Though some features of township and county fairs have endured for generations, these community events have also undergone significant transformations since 1850, especially in terms of women’s participation. Cultivating Community tells the story of how women’s involvement became critical to agricultural fairs’ growth and prosperity. By examining women’s diverse roles as agricultural society members, fair exhibitors, performers, volunteers, and fairgoers, Jodey Nurse shows that women used fairs’ manifold nature to present different versions of rural womanhood. Although traditional domestic skills and handicrafts, such as baking, needlework, and flower arrangement, remained the domain of women throughout this period, women steadily enlarged their sphere of influence on the fairgrounds. By the mid-twentieth century they had staked out a place in venues previously closed to them, including the livestock show ring, the athletic field, and the boardroom. Through a wealth of fascinating stories and colourful detail, Cultivating Communities adds a new dimension to the social and cultural history of rural women, placing their activities at the centre of the agricultural fair.

Community shapes our identity, quenches our thirst for belonging, and bolsters our physical, mental, emotional, and economic health. But in the chaos of modern life, community ties have become unraveled, leaving many feeling afraid or alone in the crowd, grasping at shallow substitutes for true community. In this thoughtful and moving book, Paul Born describes the four pillars of deep community: sharing our stories, taking the time to enjoy one another, taking care of one another, and working together for a better world. To show the role each of these plays, he shares his own stories—as a child of refugees and as a longtime community activist. It’s up to us to create community. Born shows that the opportunity is right in front of us if we have the courage and conviction to pursue it.

Community gardening is as much about community as it is gardening, and compared to growing plants, cultivating community is far more difficult. In Community Gardening in an Unlikely City: The Struggle to Grow Together in Las Vegas, Schafer documents his time as a member of a fledgling Las Vegas community garden and the process through which a rotating group of gardeners try to forge community. He demonstrates the ways in which choices gardeners make about what goals to pursue, or who belongs, or what story to tell about their collective efforts, influence how they and others experience and interpret the garden. The garden culture that emerges over time shapes how, or whether, community is practiced at the garden, and has important consequences for the gardeners’ abilities to connect with the low-income, Black and Latinx community in which it is located. Schafer’s analysis provides important insights about urban culture, the environment, and food justice in the American Southwest, and a sober look into the often messy process and practice of community.

Providing concrete examples for citizens and government officials, Diers describes a successful program to support community self-help projects and a community-driven planning process that involved 30,000 people.

In the face of escalating water scarcity, effective water management has become a central concern globally. The Murray–Darling Basin, spanning over a million square kilometres across four states and one territory, is a lifeline for Australian agriculture and rural communities. Cultivating Community: How discourse shapes the philosophy, practice and policy of water management in the Murray–Darling Basin dissects the prevailing environmental discourses shaping water policy in the Murray–Darling Basin and assesses their implications for both the environment and for farming communities. Drawing on five months of extensive field research among farmers and Murray–Darling Basin Authority officials, Dr Amanda Shankland presents a nuanced understanding of farmer perspectives within the broader policy discourse. By examining the interplay between environmental discourses and farmer knowledge, Shankland sheds light on how different ideologies shape policy decisions and, subsequently, impact water management practices. Central to the book’s contribution is the identification and analysis of four key environmental discourses prevalent in the Murray–Darling Basin: administrative rationalism, economic rationalism, democratic pragmatism, and green environmentalism. Against the backdrop of looming water scarcity and the declining health of the Murray–Darling Basin, Cultivating Community challenges these dominant discourses by highlighting a new perspective, community centrism, which emphasises community-based cooperation and engagement in water management. By amplifying farmer voices and advocating for a more inclusive approach to policy deliberations, Cultivating Community paves the way for alternative futures in water management that prioritise social values alongside economic and environmental considerations. Cultivating Community is a timely and indispensable resource for charting a path towards a more resilient and equitable water future in the Murray–Darling Basin and beyond.

2019 SPE Outstanding Book Award Honorable Mention From the home of the Paulo Freire Democratic Project and non-profit community organization Padres Unidos, the Chapman University Padres Unidos Partnership presents this truly unique coffee table textbook, Let’s Chat: Cultivating Community University Dialogue – A Coffee Table Textbook on Partnerships. The volume presents a collection of community stories, concepts and analyses that highlight the journey of border crossings between two co-existing neighbors: a non-profit community organization and a university. Stories from community residents and faculty members represent how they disrupted the barriers that typically divide us by reconceptualizing how universities and communities can work together to reshape the intellectual landscape and reconfigure power differentials. Written with and by the community, this book represents a break-away genre that privileges the “voices of the people” (Freire), accompanied by academic voices, in a format that is accessible, aesthetic and attractive to both community and university audiences. Cafecitos punctuate each chapter to elicit dialogue, reflection and action towards defining and developing community university partnerships. This book will be useful to: • academics interested in partnerships, public pedagogy, and community-based research • students involved in community engagement/service learning • community organizations • immigrant families who reveal their wisdom in stories about self, others, and community building within the Chapman University Padres Unidos partnership Let’s Chat presents valuable content in a new and unique format that makes it perfect for courses in: Service in Action; Leadership, Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility; Community-Based Research Methods; Introduction to Asset-Based Community Development; Community Service Internship; Community Leadership of Tomorrow; Becoming and Agent of Change; Cultural Diversity in American Education; Diversity and Equity in Education; Social and Philosophical Aspects of Education; Education and Economic Development. Perfect for courses such as: Service in Action Practicum, Leadership, Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility, Community-Based Research Methods, Introduction to Asset-Based Community Development, Community Service Internship, Community Leadership of Tomorrow, Becoming an Agent of Change, Cultural Diversity in American Education, Diversity and Equity in Education, Social and Philosophical Aspects of Education, and Education and Economic Development.