Knowledge management and virtual communities

The objective of this article is to illuminate the relation between knowledge management and virtual communities. A model which comprises four types of knowledge management is presented. A central theme in this article is the suggestion that knowledge management is not an unequivocal concept. Depending on the environment of the organization, the knowledge management will differ in focus and content. Increasing complexity and dynamics in the environment induce organizations to collaborate within and beyond their boundaries. In this collaboration there will be more attention for virtual communities. Knowledge Management and Virtual Communities