Hwang, Elina H., Param Vir Singh, and Linda Argote. "Knowledge sharing in online communities: Learning to cross geographic and hierarchical boundaries." Organization Science 26.6 (2015): 1593-1611.

This study explores the dynamics of knowledge sharing within an organization-hosted online knowledge forum, challenging the notion that geographic and social boundaries vanish in online communities. It hypothesizes that such boundaries persist initially because participants tend to share knowledge with others who possess similar attributes due to the inherent challenges of online knowledge sharing. However, as participants gain experience, the study proposes a shift towards prioritizing expertise similarity over categorical similarities like location or hierarchical status. This transition suggests that while boundaries based on categorical attributes may diminish over time, those based on expertise are likely to become more pronounced. The hypothesis is supported by analyzing longitudinal data from an internal online knowledge community at a large multinational IT consulting firm.