Executing innovation projects using the collaborative nature of integrated knowledge networks

Date
2010-03
Authors
Schutte, C. S. L.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Innovation is important for competitiveness. It thrives on the availability of novel public and private domain knowledge. Thus the ability to access, analyze, synthesize, share, and re-use knowledge is paramount to enabling innovation within the different partners of the supply chain. These activities grow the available pool of knowledge. It also facilitates learning from mistakes, as well as capturing and enhancing opportunities for future innovation. Proactively networking resources within a formal and informal structure improve the ability of any participating enterprise to use/re-use knowledge, in a concurrently growing knowledge base. Such a "Knowledge Network” (KN) enhances knowledge sharing between and among individuals, groups and organizations in informal and formal ways. This network is also scalable in the sense that more individuals and enterprise may join the network as success cases are reported on. It is clear that knowing how to design, deploy and operate a Knowledge Network could be highly beneficial. How to successfully design and deploy a KN is a challenge and has been widely researched to a limited extent within in the past decade. The design, deploy and operate functions require understanding of social processes and how people learn and share knowledge. KN management requires a proactive, systematic approach to the planning and deployment of a formalized network for knowledge creation and transfer. It addresses promoting and improving conditions to cultivate informal and formal networking within a larger collaborative network of enterprises. This dissertation presents a refined methodology for initiating, deploying, managing and operating an Innovation Project based on the available research reported in this domain. It incorporates concepts of generic, partial and specific roadmaps, best practices, templates and examples and allows individual teams to capture knowledge about specific projects and expertise in context for later re-use.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Om mededingend te kan wees, is innovasie belangrik. Laasgenoemde floreer op die beskikbaarheid van nuwe publieke, sowel as private domein kennis. Dus is die kundigheid om kennis te assesseer, te analiseer, saam te vat, uit te ruil met ander en dan weer te gebruik van die uiterste belang om innovasie moontlik te maak vir die onderskeie vennote in die voorsieningsketting. Hierdie genoemde aktiwiteite vergroot die beskikbare poel van kennis. Daarbenewens fasiliteer dit ook leer uit foute, sowel as die vasvang en versterking van geleenthede vir toekomstige innovasie. Deur pro-aktief en vindingryk van netwerk bronne gebruik te maak, binne ʼn formele sowel as informele struktuur, word die moontlikheid van enige deelnemende onderneming om kennis te gebruik of te hergebruik, vergroot in ʼn gelyktydig groeiende kennisbasis. So ʼn “Kennis Netwerk” (KN) versterk die uitruil van kennis tussen individue, groepe en organisasies op informele sowel as formele maniere. Hierdie netwerk is ook meetbaar in die sin dat hoe meer suksesse aangekondig word, deur individue en organisasies wat aansluit, hoe meer ondernemings wil aansluit. Dit is duidelik dat kennis ten opsigte van die ontwerp, ontplooiing en bestuur van ʼn Kennis Netwerk uiters voordelig kan wees. Dit is ʼn uitdaging om ʼn Kennis Netwerk suksesvol te ontwerp en te ontplooi en daar is die afgelope dekade op ʼn wye front beperkte navorsing op hierdie terrein gedoen. Die ontwerp, ontplooiing en bestuursfunksies vereis ʼn goeie begrip van sosiale prosesse met beklemtoning van hoe mense leer en kennis uitruil. Die bestuur van ʼn Kennis Netwerk moet pro-aktief en sistematies benader word, ten opsigte van die beplanning en ontplooiing van ʼn geformaliseerde netwerk vir die skep en oordrag van kennis. Die bevordering en verbetering van omstandighede kan formele sowel as informele netwerkbeoefening binne ʼn groter samewerkende netwerk van ondernemings vestig. Hierdie proefskrif bied ʼn verfynde metodologie vir die inisiëring, ontplooiing en bestuur van ʼn Innovasie Projek wat gebaseer is op die beskikbare navorsing wat in hierdie domein gerapporteer is. Dit behels konsepte van generiese, gedeeltelike en spesifieke padkaarte, asook die beste praktyke, patrone en voorbeelde en gee geleentheid vir individuele spanne om kennis ten opsigte van spesifieke projekte en kundigheid in konteks te bekom vir latere hergebruik.
Description
Thesis (PhD (Industrial Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
Keywords
Integrated knowledge networks, Innovation, Dissertations -- Industrial engineering, Theses -- Industrial engineering
Citation