How to Analyze and Enhance Participation in Electronic Networks of Practice

Charkhsaz Fatemeh (), Isaai Mohammad Taghi () and Dayani Malihe ()
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Charkhsaz Fatemeh: Graduate School of Management and Economics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, IRAN
Isaai Mohammad Taghi: Graduate School of Management and Economics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, IRAN
Dayani Malihe: Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IRAN

Foundations of Management, 2024, vol. 16, issue 1, 103-126

Abstract: This study proposes an exploratory methodology for analyzing participation in Electronic Networks of Practice, focusing on a network of 500 specialists in breast cancer treatment as a case study. The research addresses a critical gap in understanding how conversational dynamics influence participation in professional forums. Conversation measures and participation measures reported in the literature are identified and categorized, and new ones are suggested. This study by correlation analysis reveals three key participation triggers: initiator features, timing of initiation, and feedback, while also identifying non-associated variables like conversation topic and expression. Clustering categorizes conversations into four types, each exhibiting participation patterns and attributes. Social network analysis further reveals the network’s structure and participants’ interrelations. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of participation in Electronic Networks of Practice and show the methodology’s broader applicability in analyzing professional networks. The study’s insights are vital for practitioners and theorists by offering a perspective on fostering knowledge sharing.

Keywords: Electronic Networks of Practice; Knowledge Sharing; Participation; Conversation; Exploratory Data Analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C38 D83 D85 M15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:vrs:founma:v:16:y:2024:i:1:p:103-126:n:1007

DOI: 10.2478/fman-2024-0007

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