  This paper examines the possibility of discovering 'hidden' (potential)
Communities of Practice (CoPs) inside electronic networks, and then using this
knowledge to nurture them into a fully developed Virtual Community of Practice
(VCoP). Starting from the standpoint of the need to manage knowledge, it
discusses several questions related to this subject: the characteristics of
'hidden' communities; the relation between CoPs, Virtual Communities (VCs),
Distributed Communities of Practice (DCoPs) and Virtual Communities of Practice
(VCoPs); the methods used to search for 'hidden' CoPs; and the possible ways of
changing 'hidden' CoPs into fully developed VCoPs. The paper also presents some
preliminary findings from a semi-structured interview conducted in The Higher
Education Academy Psychology Network (UK). These findings are contrasted
against the theory discussed and some additional proposals are suggested at the
end.
