An Awareness Framework for Divergence Knowledge Communities.
Abstract
With the recent growing body of literature on knowledge management and e-collaboration, much attention is now being given to creation of many novel conceptual/technological frameworks for managing knowledge creation in various kinds of e-communities. This article represents one such attempt with particular attention given to the divergence occurrences in knowledge communities, and their management as will be discussed later. A recent study by Diaz and Canals (2004) demonstrated that as the degree of people's involvement in various communications acts increases, so will the opportunities for divergence. Contrary to the general tendency within the CSCW community that regards conflicts as a synchronization and versioning problem in need of some solutions, the knowledge management community tends to live peacefully with such divergences and regards them as opportunities for interaction and therefore, sources of creating new knowledge.