The Case of Community-of-practice Demise: Why Good Will and Real Need Are Necessary for Peer- Learning but Are Not Enough

in communities-of-practice (COP) much effort is dedicated to prevent "knowledge hoarding", as if knowledge contribution is the chief success factor. Little attention is paid to knowledge consumers' motivation. Two case studies are presented in which a COP had been much appropriate but, despite organizational support, has dissolved. The prime impediment was reluctant demand for knowledge as community members preferred independency and self-reliance. Two causes are hypothesized: (1) a sense of over-responsibility, and (2) implicitness aversion, or “soft” knowledge mistrust; both require further research. Practically, the study demonstrates the negative effect of over-motivation in a COP context.