Study on Mechanism of Knowledge Growth in Virtual Community

A method of measurement was proposed to promote knowledge transfer and increase knowledge amount in virtual community. First, from two dimensions of learning capacity and knowledge capacity, the knowledge energy sets of individual and community were formally described separately. Then the energy value of knowledge transfer between them was defined. Last, general forms of knowledge flow efficiency were provided according to the theory of ecological energy flow. These metering formulas of knowledge amount and knowledge flow efficiency provided basic quantization for further studying knowledge growth in virtual community.