Lejealle, Catherine, Sylvaine Castellano, and Insaf Khelladi. "The role of members’ lived experience in the evolution of online communities toward online communities of practice." Journal of Knowledge Management 26.8 (2022): 1968-1984.

This paper examines the transformation of online communities into online communities of practice (CoPs) through the lens of backpackers' lived experiences and interactions. Utilizing a quantitative research approach, it uncovers how activities like information search and sharing, along with the roles of expertise and offline interactions, foster the evolution of online communities into CoPs. While the focus on backpacking limits generalizability, the study offers valuable insights for companies and stakeholders on leveraging lived experiences for knowledge innovation and competitiveness, also noting the impact of offline interactions on tacit knowledge within online CoPs. The research fills a gap in the literature by detailing the mechanisms and member contributions that facilitate the transition from online communities to CoPs.