Collective Action and Information Technology: Stimulating Configuration of Intelligent Collectives

Abstract

Communities of Practice (CoP) are appropriate settings for the emergence of intelligent collective spaces that are meant for interaction contexts. The case shown in this study exemplifies how the National Council of Internet Service Provider Entities (CONAPSI) has similar aspects to a CoP. This soon found a guiding purpose of analyzing how collective actions supported by information technology are characterized as inducing CoPs to become intelligent collectives. To support the case study, the theoretical foundation included definitions and characteristics of communities of practice, intelligent communities and information technologies that support groups. Research consisted of conducting document analysis of online discussion threads, treated with descriptive statistics, and interviews with Council representatives, interpreted using content analysis. Results demonstrate that the use of electronic discussion drives the emergence of virtual living spaces and consequently intelligent virtual communities.

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