Knowledge Adoption in Online Communities of Practice

Abstract

In this study we investigate bow members of text-based, asynchronous online Communities
of Practice (COPs) adopt knowledge contributed by other COP members. Previous studies of
knowledge adoption in computer-mediated settings have drawn on dual-process theories of
information processing to understand the role of beuristic cues and elaboration likelibood in
this process. Here we extend this research stream, exploring two potential new beuristic cues:
genre conformity and information consistency. In addition, we examine the factors focused
search and disconfirming information to understand bow they may induce non-beuristic
cognitive processes. Survey data were collected from an online COP and findings support tbe
bypotbeses generated from our research model.

This study advances our understanding of knowledge sharing in online COPs. Findings
suggest that the context of an online COP can play a dynamic role in bow members process
the content component of that COP. Focusing on tbe pull technology of online COPs, it offers
another theoretical link between Computer-Mediated Communications and knowledge
management. Practically, it also provides us with insights into online COPs as a potential
means for improving organizational knowledge management.