1. Can
your
tribe
survive?
Some
observations
on
the
life
cycles
of
online
communities
Kris
M.
Markman,
Ph.D.
University
of
Memphis
Tribe
Camp
Memphis
2010

2. What
is
a
community?

3. What
is
a
community?
Is
it
a
place?
a
social
group?

4. What
is
a
community?
Is
it
a
place?
a
social
group?
Researchers
have
identified
different
types
of
communities:

5. What
is
a
community?
Is
it
a
place?
a
social
group?
Researchers
have
identified
different
types
of
communities:
communities
of
practice

6. What
is
a
community?
Is
it
a
place?
a
social
group?
Researchers
have
identified
different
types
of
communities:
communities
of
practice
communities
of
interest

7. What
is
a
community?
Is
it
a
place?
a
social
group?
Researchers
have
identified
different
types
of
communities:
communities
of
practice
communities
of
interest
communities
as
networks

8. What
is
a
community?
Is
it
a
place?
a
social
group?
Researchers
have
identified
different
types
of
communities:
communities
of
practice
communities
of
interest
communities
as
networks

9. Communities
of
practice

10. Communities
of
practice
mutual
engagement

11. Communities
of
practice
mutual
engagement joint
enterprise

12. Communities
of
practice
mutual
joint
enterprise
engagement
shared
repertoire

13. Communities
of
practice
mutual
joint
enterprise
engagement
shared
repertoire

14. Communities
of
interest

15. Communities
of
interest

16. Communities
of
interest

17. Communities
of
interest
Differ
in
the
“style
by
which
they
are
imagined”

18. Communities
of
interest
Differ
in
the
“style
by
which
they
are
imagined”
Style
is
influenced
by

19. Communities
of
interest
Differ
in
the
“style
by
which
they
are
imagined”
Style
is
influenced
by
external
contexts

20. Communities
of
interest
Differ
in
the
“style
by
which
they
are
imagined”
Style
is
influenced
by
external
contexts
temporal
structure

21. Communities
of
interest
Differ
in
the
“style
by
which
they
are
imagined”
Style
is
influenced
by
external
contexts
temporal
structure
system
infrastructure

22. Communities
of
interest
Differ
in
the
“style
by
which
they
are
imagined”
Style
is
influenced
by
external
contexts
temporal
structure
system
infrastructure
participant
characteristics

23. Communities
as
networks

24. Communities
as
networks
Supportive,
sociable
relations
that
provide
a
sense
of
belonging

25. Why
do
communities
(sometimes)
fail?

26. Why
do
communities
(sometimes)
fail?
Internet
is
not
inherently
democratic

27. Why
do
communities
(sometimes)
fail?
Internet
is
not
inherently
democratic
Issues
of
tangibility:
self,
space,
and
place

28. Why
do
communities
(sometimes)
fail?
Internet
is
not
inherently
democratic
Issues
of
tangibility:
self,
space,
and
place
Lack
of
authenticity
may
erode
trust

29. Why
do
communities
(sometimes)
fail?
Internet
is
not
inherently
democratic
Issues
of
tangibility:
self,
space,
and
place
Lack
of
authenticity
may
erode
trust
Conflicting/changing
values,
norms,
visions

30. Why
do
communities
(sometimes)
fail?
Internet
is
not
inherently
democratic
Issues
of
tangibility:
self,
space,
and
place
Lack
of
authenticity
may
erode
trust
Conflicting/changing
values,
norms,
visions
Object
of
interest
is
no
longer
interesting

31. Helping
communities
thrive

32. Helping
communities
thrive
Moderators/facilitators/coordinators

33. Helping
communities
thrive
Moderators/facilitators/coordinators
set
pace,
rules/norms,
boundaries

34. Helping
communities
thrive
Moderators/facilitators/coordinators
set
pace,
rules/norms,
boundaries
Small
group
of
active
contributors
(long
tail)

35. Helping
communities
thrive
Moderators/facilitators/coordinators
set
pace,
rules/norms,
boundaries
Small
group
of
active
contributors
(long
tail)
Sense
of
identity
(“we-­‐ness”)

36. Helping
communities
thrive
Moderators/facilitators/coordinators
set
pace,
rules/norms,
boundaries
Small
group
of
active
contributors
(long
tail)
Sense
of
identity
(“we-­‐ness”)
Uniqueness
of
contributions

37. Helping
communities
thrive
Moderators/facilitators/coordinators
set
pace,
rules/norms,
boundaries
Small
group
of
active
contributors
(long
tail)
Sense
of
identity
(“we-­‐ness”)
Uniqueness
of
contributions
Goals
and
co-­‐opetition

38. Thank
you!
Contact:
k.markman@memphis.edu
Twitter:
@DiscourseMarker