Defining the Networked Community Movement

Abstract

A number of geographical communities are strategizing around improving their telecommunication infrastructure and developing innovative online applications to create social and economic development, and take advantage of the knowledge economy. Telecommunication networks allow communities to import and export knowledge, to promote innovation, and to eliminate physical borders. These ICT-focused communities create partnerships to promote synergy within and between industry clusters, between community or regional organizations, to involve more local users in e-projects so as to develop a culture of use, and to develop alliances internationally. The purpose of this paper is to profile these networked communities by discussing factors that define and influence them while testing the level of agreement that exists among communities in relation to these constructs.