Coworking spaces use the idea of spatial co-location that improves communication and knowledge sharing among independent knowledge professionals. Fluid work structures and a sense of community can facilitate work satisfaction, creativity and entrepreneurship. Fundamentals to those positive outcomes are the knowledge sharing processes between users of coworking spaces. The purpose of this study is to explore the knowledge sharing processes in this setting where researchers still have very little understanding.,Based on an inductive research methodology, qualitative data were collected through observations and interviews with a variety of users (including freelancers, entrepreneurs and firms) incumbent in various coworking spaces in Germany.,Co-location of individuals in coworking spaces is first about physical proximity and second about socialization and collaboration opportunities, which then advance cognitive proximity. Thus, co-location can facilitate tacit knowledge exchange, ignite the social disembodiment of ideas, synthesize domain-related knowledge sharing and promote inter-domain learning. The institutionalization of knowledge management services will allow coworking spaces to increase these positive outcomes.,Findings of this study are interesting for managers of shared spaces and traditional firms that use spatial co-location. The authors propose institutionalized knowledge management services to enable multifaceted and multidisciplinary knowledge creation in organizations.,This paper sheds light on the role of spatial co-location in knowledge sharing processes among independent knowledge professionals in shared office spaces. Thereby, this study provides valuable insights into a phenomenon that has received little attention even though its practical importance is high.

中文翻译：

---

了解协同工作空间的不同用户之间的知识交流过程

协同工作空间使用空间共置的想法，可以改善独立知识专业人员之间的交流和知识共享。流畅的工作结构和社区意识可以促进工作满意度，创造力和企业家精神。这些积极成果的基础是共享办公空间的用户之间的知识共享过程。这项研究的目的是探索在这种情况下研究人员仍知之甚少的知识共享过程。基于归纳研究方法，通过观察和与各种用户（包括自由职业者，企业家和公司）在德国的各种办公空间中任职。，个人在共同工作空间中的共同定位首先是关于身体上的接近，其次是关于社交和合作机会，然后是认知上的接近。因此，共址可以促进隐性知识交换，激发思想的社会体现，综合领域相关的知识共享并促进领域间学习。知识管理服务的制度化将允许联合办公空间增加这些积极成果。本研究的发现对于共享空间的管理者和使用空间协同定位的传统公司很有趣。作者提出了制度化的知识管理服务，以实现组织中多层面和多学科的知识创造。本文阐明了空间共置在共享办公空间中独立知识专业人员之间的知识共享过程中的作用。因此，这项研究提供了对一种现象的宝贵见解，尽管该现象的实际重要性很高，但却很少受到关注。