• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.19-38
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• 2014

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.

• The Journal of Information Technology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.21-38
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• 2003

The college and university is a knowledge-centered organization, and 'knowledge' is the important strategic resource. Although this organization composed entirely of the knowledge worker that is able to use the knowledge in the most efficient and effective method, our university is not enough to manage the knowledge as strategic advantage. So, we need to implement knowledge management system under knowledge community centered in students, faculty and staff. The well-designed knowledge community can produce a new value and profit that can develope the university organization. We used to the portal technology defined as a personalized, single point of access through a web browser to various information located inside and outside of an university Knowledge portal supporting the activities of knowledge community will improve the knowledge transfer in student's learning activity, the knowledge creation in faulty's research activity, the knowledge sharing amount the various communities, and the accumulation of a process knowledge in operation and management. Eventually, a redesigned knowledge portal-based system will create a new value of university.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.31-47
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• 2006

In order to manage organizational knowledge efficiently, Knowledge Management System(KMS) is considered as mandatory. This study aims at developing a KMS performance model to predict user satisfaction as well as KMS usage, considering the unique features of KMS. By analyzing 261 surveys with LISREL, we found that community of practice(CoP) characteristics - participation and interactivity among users - significantly affects KMS user satisfaction. This implies that the development of KMS should focus on facilitating users' interactivity and participations such as CoP activity, which differs from the general information system context. We also found that KMS usage is influenced by CoP interactivity, not by CoP participation, and that KMS usage as well as user satisfaction leads to user performance. Interpretations and implications of the findings are discussed.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.63-86
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• 2008

Knowledge management system(KMS) was introduced into the company in order to apply knowledge management. But according to KMS is changed into information management system, the company is considered Community in Practice(CoP) instead of KMS. Because within CoP, individuals can interact with one another to solve problems, test new ideas, learn about new developments in their field and build a sense of affiliation with others in similar circumstances. In spite of it's importance there is few empirical study about CoP. So the purpose of this study is to examine which personal characteristics influence knowledge sharing and which context factors(including structural and relational characteristics) moderate relationship between individual characteristics and knowledge sharing within CoP through empirical study.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.35-53
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• 2013

This paper aims to describe how knowledge management could be put into practice in a voluntary way. From a practice-based standpoint, this study focused closely on the linkage between knowledge and practice. It is because knowledge management could fail if not put into practice. Using its own information system, iCOOP, a federation of consumers' co-operatives in Korea has been practised successful knowledge management voluntarily with its members. Based on the exploratory case study on iCOOP, this study conducted focused interviews with 5 member co-operatives of iCOOP. Main findings are as follows. First, an NoP emerges within a corporate information system when corporate work processes are concentrated in the information system. Second, corporate information system facilitates CoPs and the NoP when its information and information about its users are opened to all of the information system users. In conclusion, this study points out that it is not the matter of primary importance to build a knowledge management system. Rather, practice has the key to the successful knowledge management.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.286-298
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• 2016

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the effects of community mapping based on volunteered Geographic Information System on smoking prevention among female middle school students. Methods: This study used a triangulation method which integrated quantitative data from a "pre-post" study on a nonequivalent control group and qualitative data from focus group interviews. Data was collected from 4 August 2015 to 10 January 2016. The experimental group (n=24) participated in community mapping along with education on smoking prevention and the control group (n=28) participated only in routine education. Both groups were measured on their knowledge and attitude related to smoking prevention through self-report questionnaires. The quantitative data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, $x^2$ analysis, and t-test using SPSS 23.0. The qualitative data was collected through focus group interviews to investigate the social-environmental effect of smoking prevention. Results: Knowledge related to smoking prevention was significantly higher (t=2.591, p=.013) in the experimental group than the control group. But attitude related to smoking prevention did not show significant differences between the two groups. When asked about their experiences of the community mapping program, it turned out to be a process where they could learn practical knowledge related to smoking prevention and experience their individual practices manifested as collective intelligence while working together with community members. The study found that community mapping had an effect on smoking prevention from a social and environmental aspect. Conclusion: To be more effective, school education on smoking prevention should be provided in connection with the community. It is also desirable to provide an opportunity where adolescents can experience discovering and solving practical problems along with their own community.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.15-29
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• 2003

The study uses agricultural knowledge system theory to explore how traditional knowledge applies to the linkage system of agricultural research and extension in rural Korea. By agricultural knowledge system we emphasize the dynamic networks of actors, processes of negotiation, and the diverse ways in which knowledge is constructed and performed. The knowledge systems reflect the idea that the boundaries between knowledge groups are not closed and that there could be considerable overlap between knowledge system. The results of this study are the following : First, we should know that some extension agents clearly value farmer knowledge and try to facilitate farmer-to-farmer communication. Extension plays a significant role in the knowledge-creation process and shaping communities because knowledge processes are embedded in social processes that involve aspects of power, authority, and legitimization. Third, the constructions of agricultural knowledge systems thus include social interactions, communication, and the diverse processes individuals employ create, use, and evaluate multiple types and sources of information through the linkage between agricultural colleges and Rural Development Administration (RDA), establishing the research institution of research and extension linkage, exchange research agent with extension agent, and bottom-up approach. Second, we should know that the focus of traditional knowledge development is rural community development as a community process. Nowadays the sessions of the Intergovernmental Committee of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) cover two lines of inquiry, which are the use of existing standards of intellectual property for the protection of traditional knowledge and that of new legal standards, eventually in the from of sui generis mechanisms of protection.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.85-97
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• 2010

Internet communities are a typical space for knowledge creation and use on the Internet as people discuss their common interests within the internet communities. When we define 'Knowledge Communities' as internet communities that are related to knowledge creation and use, they are categorized into 4 different types such as 'Search Engine,' 'Open Communities,' 'Specialty Communities,' and 'Activity Communities.' Each type of knowledge community does not remain the same, for example. Rather, it changes with time and is also affected by the external business environment. Therefore, it is critical to develop processes for practical use of such changeable knowledge communities. Yet there is little research regarding a strategic framework for knowledge communities as a source of knowledge creation and use. The purposes of this study are (1) to find factors that can affect knowledge creation and use for each type of knowledge community and (2) to develop a strategic framework for practical use of the knowledge communities. Based on previous research, we found 7 factors that have considerable impacts on knowledge creation and use. They were 'Fitness,' 'Reliability,' 'Systemicity,' 'Richness,' 'Similarity,' 'Feedback,' and 'Understanding.' We created 30 different questions from each type of knowledge community. The questions included common sense, IT, business and hobbies, and were uniformly selected from various knowledge communities. Instead of using survey, we used these questions to ask users of the 4 representative web sites such as Google from Search Engine, NAVER Knowledge iN from Open Communities, SLRClub from Specialty Communities, and Wikipedia from Activity Communities. These 4 representative web sites were selected based on popularity (i.e., the 4 most popular sites in Korea). They were also among the 4 most frequently mentioned sitesin previous research. The answers of the 30 knowledge questions were collected and evaluated by the 11 IT experts who have been working for IT companies more than 3 years. When evaluating, the 11 experts used the above 7 knowledge factors as criteria. Using a stepwise linear regression for the evaluation of the 7 knowledge factors, we found that each factors affects differently knowledge creation and use for each type of knowledge community. The results of the stepwise linear regression analysis showed the relationship between 'Understanding' and other knowledge factors. The relationship was different regarding the type of knowledge community. The results indicated that 'Understanding' was significantly related to 'Reliability' at 'Search Engine type', to 'Fitness' at 'Open Community type', to 'Reliability' and 'Similarity' at 'Specialty Community type', and to 'Richness' and 'Similarity' at 'Activity Community type'. A strategic framework was created from the results of this study and such framework can be useful for knowledge communities that are not stable with time. For the success of knowledge community, the results of this study suggest that it is essential to ensure there are factors that can influence knowledge communities. It is also vital to reinforce each factor has its unique influence on related knowledge community. Thus, these changeable knowledge communities should be transformed into an adequate type with proper business strategies and objectives. They also should be progressed into a type that covers varioustypes of knowledge communities. For example, DCInside started from a small specialty community focusing on digital camera hardware and camerawork and then was transformed to an open community focusing on social issues through well-known photo galleries. NAVER started from a typical search engine and now covers an open community and a special community through additional web services such as NAVER knowledge iN, NAVER Cafe, and NAVER Blog. NAVER is currently competing withan activity community such as Wikipedia through the NAVER encyclopedia that provides similar services with NAVER encyclopedia's users as Wikipedia does. Finally, the results of this study provide meaningfully practical guidance for practitioners in that which type of knowledge community is most appropriate to the fluctuated business environment as knowledge community itself evolves with time.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.19-45
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• 2010

Virtual Communities, which are formed on the Internet, are expected to serve the needs of members for e-collaboration, e-communication, information and knowledge sharing. The executives of organizations should consider virtual community as a new innovation or knowledge pool since members share knowledge. However, many virtual community have failed due to members' low willingness to engage and furthermore to share knowledge with other members. Thus, there is a need to understand and foster the determinants of members' sense of belonging behavior in virtual community. This study develops an integrated model designed to investigate and explain the relationships between contextual factors, personal perceptions of virtual community, usability, trust and sense of belonging in using a certain virtual community. Empirical data was collected from 201 and tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) to verify the fit of the hypothetical model. The results show that the perceived usability and community trust of members significantly influences sense of belonging in using the virtual community, and information quality, system quality, familiarity on the virtual community are significantly influence the usability but not reputation. And I confirmed that perceived shared vision and responsiveness play the role of determinants in making the member's trust, perceived risk influence the making community trust in directly. The results of the study can be used to identify the motivation underlying members' sense of belonging in a certain virtual community by investigating the impacts of contextual factors and personal perceptions on virtual community, the integrated model better explains behavior than other proposed models. This study might help executives of virtual communities and organizations to manage and promote these determinants of sense of belonging to stimulate members' willingness to engage the community and futhermore enhance their virtual community loyalty.

• Journal of Information Science Theory and Practice
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.45-58
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• 2022

Community enterprise plays an important role for developing local business. Products from local communities apply local specialties such as high-quality materials and inherited wisdom. This work aims to support merchandises from local community enterprises by bringing out their specialties related to local wisdom and intangible cultural aspects. An ontology is applied to demonstrate the innate information regarding the implicit values of the products and is used as a core for a semantic search system. Details of the products are gathered from their respective community using an interview method and are extracted to align with the developed ontological schema. The semantic search system thus is implemented with a recommendation process for online accessibility for providing the organised information. From evaluation, the developed ontology and its instances are rated highly for their consistency, conciseness, and completeness. In usage, accuracy of the query and recommendation results are evaluated at 97.38% searching accuracy and 85.03% for recommending interesting products.