Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems (지능정보연구)

Korea Intelligent Information System Society (한국지능정보시스템학회)
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Towards the Virtuous Circle in Virtual Community through Knowledge Seeking and Sharing

가상공동체의 지식선순환을 위한 지식탐색과 공유에 관한 연구

  • Received : 2014.03.25
  • Accepted : 2014.05.22
  • Published : 2014.06.30
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Abstract

This study focused on the role of active knowledge seeking (knowledge browsing and knowledge searching) in the context of virtual community of interest. Knowledge seeking is rarely studied as an antecedent in knowledge management (KM) research. Active knowledge seeking is considered as antecedents of sense of virtual community which mediates to knowledge sharing intention and virtual community promotion. Research hypotheses are tested by applying structure equation modeling with survey data from virtual community members in South Korea. Active knowledge seeking behavior was found to be the strong predictor of sense of virtual community, which, in turn, positively affects knowledge sharing intention and virtual community promotion. Implication to practitioners is to understand and accommodate the members' knowledge seeking efforts, who are potential contributors and promoters of the virtual community. Knowledge seeking, knowledge sharing and promoting virtual community are more of human activities than technology and this study extends the understanding of such human activities. By providing a mechanism of how knowledge seeking and sharing could work harmoniously, a virtuous circle with win-win situation could be achieved in virtual communities.

본 연구는 지식경영연구에서 비교적 적은 관심을 받아온 지식탐색행동인 지식브라우징(knowledge browsing)과 지식검색 (knowledge seeking)의 역할을 가상공동체 환경에서 조사하였다. 지식탐색행동이 가상공동체의식을 매개요인으로 지식공유의도와 가상공동체홍보에 양의 영향을 끼치는 선행요인으로 고려되었다. 연구가설들은 한 가상공동체의 회원들을 대상으로 한 설문조사를 기반으로 구조방정식모델을 사용하여 검증한 결과, 능동적 지식탐색행동은 가상공동체의식에 양의 관계를 보였고, 가상공동체의식은 지식공유의도와 공동체홍보에 양의 관계를 보였다. 실무자들은 본 연구를 통해 회원들의 지식탐색행동이 가상공동체의식을 함양하는 효과가 있고 결국, 지식공유활성화와 가상공동체 홍보로 이어질 수 있음을 이해할 수 있다. 따라서, 이러한 지식탐색행동을 보다 효과적으로 도울 수 있는 방안을 마련함으로써, 회원들이 가상공동체로부터 지식을 얻고, 다시 지식을 가상공동체에 공유하고 다른 사람들에게 공동체를 홍보하게 되는 가상공동체의 선순환적 발전을 꾀할 수 있다.

Keywords

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