|
|
Scope
The culture of knowledge management forms the basis of
the WRC mission and is the focus of the WRC vision,
that of becoming a true knowledge hub. This key
strategic area (KSA) continues to strive to meet this
objective by focusing on the development and
protection of internal and external knowledge
resources. The knowledge resources are both explicit,
documented knowledge and tacit (subjective)
knowledge. Management of knowledge in the WRC will
therefore entail all the processes associated with the
identification, sharing and creation of knowledge.
This will require systems for the creation and
maintenance of knowledge repositories, and for the
support of the cultivation and facilitation of the
sharing of knowledge and organisational learning.
Internally, for the WRC to succeed in knowledge
management, it has to view knowledge as an asset and
to develop organisational norms and values, which
support the creation, and sharing of knowledge, both
internally as well as externally.
This
KSA will continue to develop knowledge management
capabilities, in terms of technology and fundamental
business processes in order to contribute to the
effectiveness of the WRC. The recent focus has been on
the basic building blocks necessary to support the
knowledge management objective of the WRC. The
development and improvement of the Fund Management System
(FMS) is one of these building blocks.
The
KSA also strives to package information in a format that
is understood by a broader audience including our major
stakeholders. The development of technical and management
project briefing notes is an example of a new innovative
knowledge dissemination tool which was implemented over
the past year.
Driven by external needs, the WRC continues to strive to
improve its position as the dynamic hub for water-centred
knowledge, innovation, and intellectual capital in South
Africa, Africa and the developing world. The WRC
continuously strives to strengthen its position in Africa
and abroad.
Therefore, this KSA will focus on deriving value from its
intangible assets, e.g. full utilisation of information
systems to manage data, information and knowledge; full
utilisation of a system that tracks who is using our
knowledge products (technical reports); increasing the
circulation of our publications; improving document and
information management internally; and the management
and/or administration of research projects.
Objectives
The broad objectives include:
-
To
provide a strategic support function to the WRC as a
whole and ensure effective knowledge management
internally and externally
-
To
actively support the water sector in its strategic
knowledge dissemination initiatives
-
To
manage the WRC-related intellectual property, media
relationship and public relations/communication.
Internally focused objectives:
-
To enhance the core processes of research support
and management
-
To improve access to relevant information
-
To support the emergence of the culture of knowledge
management
-
To develop and maintain consistent data architecture
to enable the flow of content through an FMS to
support the core business of the organisation
-
To support innovation and commercialisation through
proper management and protection of the WRC’s
intellectual property portfolio.
Externally focused objectives:
-
To participate and lead knowledge-dissemination
initiatives including sharing and networking
supported by functional, user-friendly research and
water information systems
-
To build and strengthen knowledge links with Africa
and globally
-
To continuously improve knowledge transfer and
dissemination through feedback from users,
dissemination of reports, guides, scientific and
popular-scientific journals, and by providing support
to other technology- transfer initiatives
-
To develop state-of-the-art communications systems,
to enable quick, meaningful contact between the WRC
and the water sector / stakeholders
-
To continuously develop better and more efficient
knowledge dissemination tools and channels,
especially to DWAF and Local Government
-
To promote the WRC by engaging with all stakeholders
and customers, either directly or through the media,
and providing them with information about the WRC's
activities, products and accomplishments.
Thrusts
Although KSA 5 does not fund research projects, the activities are nevertheless grouped into strategic thrusts:
|
Thrust 1:
Research Coordination and Strategic Research
Advice |
|
The core business of the WRC is to invest in
developing the water knowledge base in South
Africa. This is primarily done through investing
in water research on a priority basis through 3rd
party agreements. The focus of this thrust will be
to coordinate the research cycle in the WRC and
provide strategic research advice through
facilitation, feedback and review.
An FMS has been developed to facilitate the
coordination of the research cycle in the WRC.
Consequently the functions will entail:
·
Overseeing the further development of the FMS
·
Driving the content and population of the FMS
·
Producing management reports from the FMS for the
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and WRC Executive
·
Overseeing the annual call for research proposal
cycle and preparing the necessary documentation
·
Reviewing project and finalisation reports and
submitting consolidated reports to WRC Executive.
The WRC is a knowledge organisation and hence the
fundamental processes are knowledge-based, thereby
creating value for the WRC and its stakeholders.
Thus the WRC is well positioned to offer strategic
research advice on water-related issues to a range
of stakeholders. This function will involve:
·
Provision of independent expert research advice to
key stakeholders such as the Portfolio Committee
on Water Affairs and Forestry and DWAF
·
Technology prospecting and foresight. |
|
Thrust 2: Knowledge Dissemination and Promotion |
|
The focus of this thrust will be to develop
knowledge-sharing and knowledge-dissemination
instruments to support the objectives of the WRC
(of being a knowledge hub) in its
knowledge-creation and learning activities and the
core process of knowledge generation. It will
develop a culture based on the understanding that
‘knowledge resides in the user and not in the
collection of information.’ Thus there will be a
need to develop a clear link between this KSA and
the other water KSAs, who will be at the core of
the knowledge management activities.
Further, this thrust will oversee that the WRC
maintains access to the necessary information to
make appropriate decisions internally as well as
externally. This management area will also act as
a resource centre to meet information requirements
of the WRC and the water sector in general and
will lead and participate in other knowledge-
sharing and knowledge-dissemination activities. It
will also strengthen the WRC’s ability to exchange
information and data on developments around water
management issues, while continuing to disseminate
technical reports and technology transfer
documents.
This KSA also acknowledges that the knowledge base
must remain dynamic, and globally relevant. In
pursuing this goal, there will be increased focus
to collaborate with other countries and/or
researchers in the international arena. Such
initiatives will be pursued while leveraging the
WRC’s funding for these initiatives.
This thrust will also focus on promoting the WRC
through engaging with all stakeholders, especially
DWAF and customers, either directly or through the
media, and providing them with information about
the WRC's activities, products and
accomplishments. The purpose of promoting the WRC
in this way is to realise crucial benefits for
both the WRC and its stakeholders/customers. |
|
Thrust 3: Publications |
|
This thrust focuses on the WRC publications and
the internal library and the management of the
publications, including maintaining library and
information services. The key focus is on
dissemination of knowledge created via the support
of the WRC as well as other sources (originating
from the national and international arena) through
publication of an internationally rated journal (Water
SA) as well as a popular-science magazine (the
Water Wheel) and the ongoing publication of
research reports and technology transfer (TT)
documents. Working with Thrust 2 (see
above), there will an effort to support proper
packaging for better sharing of knowledge. The KSA
will strive for continual improvement to improve
the quality of the reports and other knowledge-
dissemination media. |
|
Thrust 4: Intellectual Property Management |
|
In order to encourage successful invention and
subsequent solid patents and commercialisation,
the WRC will continue to address the creative
needs of the researchers and foster an environment
that encourages innovation within the research
area and engage with the researchers at all
levels. By supporting the creation of and
protecting technological developments the WRC
strives to further improve knowledge transfer
(utilisation and commercialisation) of its
research results (in collaboration with its
research providers and the water sector at large)
where and when applicable. |
|
Thrust 5: Business Systems Infrastructure |
|
This thrust will continue ensuring effective
communication between service providers and the
WRC and users of WRC knowledge products and the
WRC. The creation of virtual communities of users
and customers is among the key priorities of our
vertical portals to be developed. The challenge of
walking the tightrope between adopting the latest
technologies and remaining up to speed with
ongoing business and technology developments is
becoming more acute. These systems will be
developed by KSA 7 with KSA 5 support. |
|
KSA 5: Water-Centred Knowledge