Abstract
The world has become considerably smaller through the effects of technology, media, science, transportation, the Internet, and the spread of global commerce. There has been a great deal of discussion about how to manage knowledge and foster individual, group, and organizational learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the practices and behaviors that led to the formation of communities of practice (CoPs) in a multinational corporation, their impact on distributed global offices, and their influence on a learning and development culture. The study addressed the following question: What impact do CoPs have on a multinational corporation's learning and development culture? Using a mixed methods research design, the study found that CoPs socialized learning throughout distributed offices, they contributed to localized learning-focused identity, and shifted the corporation's learning and development culture towards a blend of clan and adhocractic cultures.
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Research projects (MSOD); Organizational learning; Communities of practice; Corporate culture
Date of Award
2013
School Affiliation
Graziadio Business School
Department/Program
Business
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Masters
Faculty Advisor
Worley, Christopher G.;
Recommended Citation
Atwood, John, "Building a sustainable learning and development culture through communities of practice" (2013). Theses and Dissertations. 374.
https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/etd/374