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Journal of Information Science
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0165551507084354v1
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Article

An exploration of concepts of community through a case study of UK university web production

Andrew Cox*

Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.


  Abstract

The paper explores the interrelation and differences between the concepts of occupational community, communityof practice, online community and social network. It uses as a case study illustration the domain ofUK university web site production and specifically a listserv for those involved in it. Different latent occupationalcommunities are explored, and the potential for the listserv to help realize these as an active senseof community is considered. The listserv is not (for most participants) a tight knit community of practice,indeed it fails many criteria for an online community. It is perhaps best conceived as a loose knit network ofpractice, valued for information, implicit support and for the maintenance of weak ties. Through the analysisthe case for using strict definitions of the theoretical concepts is made.

Key Words: community of practice; occupational community; online community; professions; social networks; web site design

First published on February 5, 2008, doi:10.1177/0165551507084354

Journal of Information Science 2008;34:327.

A more recent version of this article appeared on June 1, 2008

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 Journal of Information ScienceHome page
C. M.K. Cheung and M. K.O. Lee
Understanding the sustainability of a virtual community: model development and empirical test
Journal of Information Science, June 1, 2009; 35(3): 279 - 298.
[Abstract] [PDF]