Within such communities, knowledge is typically disseminated through a variety of mechanisms. These include formal routines and procedures, such as publication of original research in scholarly journals and presentation of work-in-progress at academic conferences. Knowledge is also disseminated through various informal mechanisms, such as circulation of unpublished manuscripts and-or the exchange of preliminary ideas and data through electronic mail. Whether formal or informal, such mechanisms

are intended to facilitate the steady accumulation, integration, and rapid diffusion of emerging insights and innovations within the community.