Use of Virtual Communities-of- practice for Intra-Firm Knowledge Transfer: Barriers to Dynamic Capability Formation'

Abstract

Knowledge resources are critical to competitive advantage for firms and intra-firm best-practice transfer is one way in which firms seek to develop and exploit such resources. Here, we discuss the case of a multinational firm which views best-practice transfer as an on-going process of knowledge evolution and has institutionalised virtual communities of practice (CoP) in this pursuit. We contend that CoPs have the potential to generate dynamic capabilities in firms, and identify barriers that they face in generating these capabilities.