Globalization, Peace & Stability, Governance, and Knowledge Economy

A previous analysis of the impact of formal institutions on the knowledge economy of 22 Middle-Eastern and Sub-Sahara African countries during the 1996-2010 time period concluded that formal institutions were necessary, but inadequate, determinants of the knowledge economy. To extend that study, this paper claims that globalization induces peace and stability, which affects governance and through governance the knowledge economy. The claim addresses one weakness of previous research that did not consider the effects on the knowledge economy of globalization. We model the proposition as a three-stage process in four hypotheses, and estimate each hypothesis using robust estimators that are capable of dealing with the usual statistical problems without sacrificing economic relevance and significance. The results indicate that globalization has varying effects on peace and stability, and peace and stability affect governance differently depending on what kind of globalization induces it. For instance, the effects on governance induced by globalization defined as trade are stronger than those resulting from globalization taken to be foreign direct investment. Hence, we conclude that foreign direct investment is not a powerful mechanism for stimulating and sustaining the knowledge economy in our sample of countries. However, since globalization-induced peace and stability have both positive and negative effects on governance simultaneously, we also conclude that while the prospect for knowledge economy in African countries is dim, it is still realistic and attainable as long as these countries continue to engage in the kind of globalization that does indeed induce peace and stability. We further conclude that there is a need for a sharper focus on economic and institutional governance than on general governance as one possible extension of this paper

Library and information science research in Botswana: An analysis of trends and pattern

This paper analysed library and information science research in Botswana that has been published since 1979, when the library school at the University of Botswana was established. The period considered is from 1980 to 2006, a period of 27 years. The paper linked research and publication trends with the historical, social and cultural factors in Botswana. The conclusion is that Botswana has a relatively young history of library and information services, as well as library education; that the research activities have not been informed by a research agenda; and that there has not been significant collaboration between practitioners and academics primarily because for practitioners, research and publication is not viewed as essential to their job progression. Research skills are very crucial for empirical research, and the fact that most research activities have been descriptive may point to some deficiencies in that regard. Other factors that impinge on research have been identified as lack of funding, lack of time, and research that does not necessarily address the issues and challenges of the profession in Botswana. The paper concludes by providing recommendations on what needs to be done to address the current situation.African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science Vol. 18 (1) 2008 pp. 11-2

Grey literature and the DEVSIS-Botswana Project: The Case of the national institute of development research and documentation

The NIR Documentation Centre serves the research staff at NIR and other members of the public. It collects, organises and disseminates grey or unpublished literature. In 1984 a project was formulated between the Documentation Centre and the International Development Research Centre, Canada and the Pan African Documentation and Information System (PADIS). The Project sought to assist the NIR to effectively collect and organise its holdings using PADIS methodologies. It would also contribute to the bibliographic database at PADIS and would eventually computerise its own holdings. This was part of a grand scheme to establish a network with PADIS as the hub and with various regional nodes contributing and using the databases at PADIS. Centres like the NIR would be national centres through which other centres in the country would contribute and access the PADIS database. However, NIR itself would gain access to PADIS through the regional mode, to be known as SADIS. This paper will outline the experiences of NIR with such a project and what the results or outcome of this project were. In brief, NIR participated in this project, using PADIS methodologies of processing documents and computerising its holdings. The NIR developed to such an extent that they were ultimately able to develop their own database and to produce DEVINDEX-Botswana without any assistance. The envisaged network however never really took off. The paper will also look at some of the problems that impeded the DEVSIS project and what the project meant for the achievement of effective organisation and dissemination of grey literature.Includes: Conference preprint, Pratt student commentaryXAInternationa