December 2004

This 5-page paper explores strategies for connecting people or institutions who possess knowledge (which can be defined in practical terms as "the ability to take effective action") with those who need knowledge - toward an effective knowledge sharing system. At the time of the paper's delivery, the author, Zbigniew Mikolajuk, was affiliated with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), a Nepal-based organisation working to build awareness of knowledge sharing benefits, to investigate and promote new technologies and methods supporting knowledge sharing, and to assist its partners in capacity building around knowledge sharing. Mikolajuk's paper was delivered at ICIMOD's 21st Anniversary Symposium - "Securing Sustainable Livelihoods in the Hindu-Kush Himalayas: Directions for Future Research, Development and Cooperation" - in Kathmandu, Nepal (December 5-6 2004).

The paper rests on the following central claims:

• To solve development problems, people need knowledge, which is "there somewhere, described in some way, but usually not made available to those who need it at the right time and the right place."
• Knowledge sharing is not a solution of development problems, but is a "public good" in that it is "an important factor in finding effective ways to deal with such issues as natural resources management, health and child care, employment, governance and ultimately poverty reduction."
• Knowledge is a human faculty and ultimately resides in people, not in machines and books. A knowledge sharing system rests on knowledge descriptions or representations such as written documents, maps, pictures, stories, audio and video clips - as well as direct communications between experts and knowledge seekers.

Mikolajuk here explores how to create and strengthen connections between those who have knowledge and those who need it - and to ensure that this happens at the right time and place, and in the right ways. Having outlined the questions to be asked in developing knowledge sharing in a society, the author stresses that this is a long-term process that needs to be embedded in other social and development initiatives. He offers various vignettes to illustrate this process, which he says:

• requires commitment on the part of political powers, civic organisations, and technical and research establishments
• involves the design of customised and context-specific knowledge content and delivery methods - for example, interactive theatre and visual presentations that reflect on specific local issues and that are delivered in local languages - especially when trying to reach remote and economically poor communities with large illiterate and semi-literate populations
• calls for attention to intellectual property rights, and efforts to ensure that a reasonable part of any wealth generated from the shared knowledge contributed by economically poor communities is returned to those knowledge providers
• necessitates continuous analysis of needed knowledge for diverse users - i.e. efforts to understand what knowledge is needed, in what format(s) it can be most appropriately be delivered, and how effective was the knowledge acquired with the assistance from the system.

In conclusion, Mikolajuk urges that "Effective linking of knowledge providers and knowledge seekers means sharing the information (metadata) about available knowledge resources (knowledge objects) and establishing communication and delivery channels."

To request a copy of the paper, please contact the author at the address listed below.