Gestão do Conhecimento e Comunidades de PráticaO caminho da inovação pela interacção “A Comunidade de Boas Práticas SHST do INIAV”

Abstract

It is generally accepted that Communities of Practice (CoP) are a concept and an essential practice in the field of management and perhaps one of the most promising topic in the Knowledge Era, given the urgency posed to organizations to generate new knowledge and innovate quickly. Human knowledge is meaningless without the context of communities because knowledge is socially constructed and our identity is based on multiple communities that, in practice, validate and renew our individual knowledge. This research was developed in INIAV- National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research and describes the process of implementing a CoP of Best Practices under the Safety and Health at Work (SHST) and analyzes their impacts in collective learning and organizational knowledge. The INIAV is a knowledge intensive organization that has, to the society, a crucial role in the creation, dissemination and application of knowledge of its researchers. In such context, some drivers led this work, of which we highlight: i) identify the means and processes that streamline creation, sharing and codification of knowledge on the prevention of occupational risks, by CoP of SHST; ii) motivate other teams in creating and sustaining CoP‟s in critical areas on INIAV; iii) promote the sharing of tacit knowledge and improve internal communication, using brainstorming and informal meetings; iv) identify facilitators/inhibitors of the conversion of tacit knowledge into codified knowledge process, retaining and internalizing such knowledge in the organization. Therefore, it is intended that this research contributes to building a tool – WIKNIAV – to support the collaborative work, using the Information and Communication Technology (ICT), internalizing organizational culture practices of creating, sharing and applying knowledge. The methodology of case study with the administration of questionnaires and interviews was used. The objectives of our research were reached being validated the importance of the virtual CoP SHST. It was demonstrated the advantages of CoP‟s in the organizational context, namely: i) nurturing the collective knowledge; ii) sharing cultural values; iii) improving internal communication and; iv) promoting an environment that facilitates organizational learning and innovation. The CoP SHST is recognized by organization members as an inter and intra-organizational Best Preactice that facilitates and favours learning through the practices and the sharing of experiences, allowing to reduce the distances between geographically dispersed employees.