How Does Knowledge Sharing Within Communities of Practice Drive Innovation?

Abstract

The link between Communities of Practice (CoP) and innovation is a topic that needs to be explored in more detail in organisations and how knowledge sharing within CoPs drives innovation. Knowledge is recognised as a critical resource in organisations that creates competitive advantage. Knowledge sharing practices and behaviours strengthen organisational capability to innovate, however, knowledge sharing does not come naturally to most individuals. A systematic literature review of 24 peer‑reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025 identified three thematic areas that explore relationship between knowledge sharing in CoPs and innovation. The three key themes are 1) tacit knowledge sharing and its link to innovation, 2) knowledge sharing barriers and facilitators and 3) the role of CoPs as a knowledge sharing platform that drives innovation. The findings highlight that tacit knowledge is deeply embedded in individual experience and intuition. It plays a critical role in driving innovation through processes such as learning by doing, interaction and reflection. Motivational factors, such as reward systems, have also been identified in the literature as factors that can either facilitate or hinder knowledge sharing behaviours. The review also identified organisational climate and leadership behaviours as facilitators and/or barriers. Furthermore, CoPs emerge as valuable, low‑cost platforms for informal learning and tacit knowledge sharing, strengthening relationships and supporting innovation. However, a gap remains in the literature regarding how tacit knowledge within CoPs drives innovation as few empirical studies have explored this area. This study contributes to the Knowledge Management field by consolidating current insights and emphasising the need for deeper investigation into how CoPs can be leveraged as a knowledge sharing platform that drives innovation.