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6.1.1 Types of communities

Many types of communities exist in the management setting. The most common are:

Two styles of community structures are discussed. Divergent networks or communities are those constituted by members who have different reasons for being involved. While mutually supportive they are interpreting the contribution of the group from their own perspectives.

In contrast to a divergent community the relationship between players in a convergent community is based on striving to remove structures imposed by each other that specifically hinder a sense of shared purpose. All partners can create and disseminate information, value-add to each other's processes and still achieve their own needs. It is the desire to interact within the network that forms the basis for the relationships

Activity 1

Identify your networks

  1. List the networks you are involved with outside work.
  2. How many of these networks are professional and how many informal or social? Which networks contribute the most to your workplace or organisation's purpose? How?
  3. Do any of the networks you are involved in develop competencies that you require when completing workplace activities?
  4. Consider why some companies are now paying for employees to become involved in networks as diverse as professional associations to gyms or literature classes.

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