Leveraging forums as a catalyst for innovation: Driving progress through communities of practice

Abstract

Innovation is a key indicator of growth in a country. South African rural areas increasingly embrace innovation through community of practice (CoP). The study’s main objective was to investigate whether forums can be used as drivers of innovation in the community of practice in the OR Tambo municipality in South Africa. A purposive sampling technique was used to identify 24 well-established CoP forums. An interview approach was used to solicit information from the forum members. The data was analyzed using a reflective thematic approach where themes were identified. The study findings pointed out that the forums’ objectives were unclear, the activities of the forums were not properly defined, their linkages with communities around were minimal, and they lacked support from the local government to impact innovation.