Group Dynamics as a Driving Force in the Community of Practice-Based Product Development: A Case Study

This article examines the dynamics of the community of practice (CoP) through a case study of Electric Cars - Now! We analysed the CoP by considering its entire life cycle, starting from the motives for its establishment, through its active performance, up to the current stage, where the members need to decide whether the community will remain viable. Particular attention was paid to the group dynamics and issues that seemed relevant to the change in dynamics why a CoP maintain its vitality or dissipate. In the analysis, different motives bound the group together at various stages of the community's life cycle. Shared interest was a combining force. However, it was affected by motives and realisation of plans, the pace at which the CoP evolved and finally, the sense of communality. Thereby the life cycle analysis revealed three themes that explained the change in the group dynamics and the dispersal of the community: 1) differentiation and dispersal of interests, 2) growth that resulted in role differentiation and 3) inclusion of investors. The themes were all related to the fact that the case community operated with not only knowledge, but also a tangible product. Therefore, the tangibility of a problem to be solved seems to play a pivotal role in a CoP's operations and dynamics. As a result of a tangible objective in the case study, outside investors were included in the operations. Our interpretation is that if a CoP needs external funding to achieve its goals, it creates a new situation that significantly affects its operations, particularly the group dynamics. We conclude that a CoP's group dynamics and cohesion are reinforced by shared interests and weakened by goals set by external stakeholders. Such goals affect the members' roles, thus degenerating the CoP's original idea.