Communities of practice in the public sector: Key factors for knowledge management and organisational change

Abstract

Communities of Practice (CoPs) have emerged as key collaborative environments for professional development and knowledge generation across diverse organisational contexts. This qualitative study examines how CoPs function by identifying patterns in leadership, interpersonal relationships, conflict management, the outputs they produce, and their institutional impact. An interpretive qualitative research design was employed, using six focus groups as the primary data collection method. Participants’ testimonies were analysed thematically, allowing the identification of factors that facilitate or hinder the success of CoPs. The results indicate that distributed leadership promotes autonomy and shared learning, while interpersonal relationships enhance group cohesion. Effective conflict management fosters collective resilience, and the outputs suggest high potential for impact, although with limitations in institutional recognition. The study concludes that CoPs represent an effective strategy for organisational innovation and collaboration, highlighting the need for institutional support to ensure the sustainability and recognition of their contributions.