Exploiting tacit knowledge through knowledge management technologies

The purpose of this paper is to examine the contributions and suitability of the available knowledge management (KM) technologies, including the Web 2.0 for exploiting tacit knowledge. It proposes an integrated framework for extracting tacit knowledge in organisations, which includes Web 2.0 technologies, KM tools, organisational learning (OL) and Community of Practice (CoP). It reviews a comprehensive literature covering overview of KM theories, KM technologies and OL and identifies the current state of knowledge relating to tacit knowledge exploitation. The outcomes of the paper indicate that Internet and Web 2.0 technologies have stunning prospects for creating learning communities where tacit knowledge can be extracted from people. The author recommends that organisations should design procedures and embed them in their Web 2.0 collaborative platforms persuading employees to record their ideas and share them with other members. It is also recommended that no idea should be taken for granted in a learning community where tacit knowledge exploitation is pursued. It is envisaged that future research should adopt empirical approach involving Complex Adaptive Model for Tacit Knowledge Exploitation (CAMTaKE) and the Theory of Deferred Action in examining the effectiveness of KM technologies including Web 2.0 tools for tacit knowledge exploitation

Research methods and methodologies for studying organisational learning

The purpose of this paper is to compare and evaluate the main research methods and methodologies for studying organisational learning (OL), and propose a framework for their selection. It presents a comprehensive review of literature on OL, learning organisation (LO) and research methods and reports evidence on recent developments in research methods for studying OL. The paper highlighted on the purists and pragmatists’ views of research methodologies as basis of the study. The results revealed that the research methods and methodologies for studying OL do not reflect on the differing views of the purists and pragmatists’ debate but rather conform to the convergence ideologies of the two camps. Particularly, the outcomes augment the use of triangulation and suggest that the choice of method(s) should be consistent with research aims and epistemological philosophy of OL. Consequently, the study recommends OL Research Methods Framework as a useful guide for selecting a suitable approach in the area. The paper recommends ethnography for future research consideration

Texture and Compositional Evidence for Epigenetic Alteration in Mn Carbonate Protore at the Palaeo-proterozoic Nsuta Manganese Deposit, Western Ghana”

This communication is the first to report the presence of significant epigenetic alteration in protore manganese carbonate at the Palaeo-proterozoicNsuta manganese deposit in the Birimian of Ghana. The alteration is recognisable macroscopically by strong veining of quartz and/or pink rhodochrosite and, in some cases, in slightly sheared or deformed carbonate rock. Under the ore microscope, the alteration assemblage commonly consists of micro-granular rhodochrosite, occasionally coexisting with one or more of alabandite, mangano-cummingtonite, alleganyite and jacobsite. The compositions of carbonate minerals also demonstrably show an increase in the MnCO3 end-member in the altered compared to the least altered carbonate protore. These textural and compositional features sharply contrast with low regionally metamorphosed protore that shows remarkable preservation of primary sedimentary features including lamination and is, in addition, dominated by micro-concretionary to microcrystalline rhodochrosite ± kutnahorite ± mixed Ca-Mg carbonates ± spessartine garnet. The alteration is not only suggested to be post-metamorphic (low-metamorphosed) and pre-supergene but may also, contrary to the interpretations of some previous workers, have introduced unusual manganese-bearing minerals (e.g. alabandite and mangano-cummingtonite) as well as possibly enriched the protore carbonate

The Development of School Based Curriculum in Ghana Schools: The Effects on Students

The concept of school based curriculum development has been of keen interest through my profession as a teacher. Since end of school test is based on the central curriculum, teachers and stakeholders usually pay less attention to other curriculum types, like school-based curriculum development (SBCD). Can students achieve something out of SBCD? Does it have any positive effect on students learning? With different learning needs of learners and dynamism in education. I argue that SBCD should be introduced in Ghana schools. Through literature mining, mine and colleague’s experience, I discuss the following as to why SCBD should be introduced into Ghana schools: First to meet the needs and interests of students and the school community; Second, to insert school learning into local contexts, knowledge, and resources, and meet local and national aspirations; Thirdly, respond to new social issues and technology in education. Keywords: School based curriculum development (SBCD), central curriculum, student learning, Student interest, community interest, social issues, local learning context. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-2-14 Publication date: January 31st 202

A Customer-Complaint Analyzer for E-Banking Services: The Context of the Ghanaian Banking Industry

Banking and financial institutions continue to intensify their efforts to engage in technological innovations in the provision of quality e-banking products and services. With this strategic approach, many banks in Ghana have migrated from the traditional and rudimentary branch banking to web-based banking transactions. This paper develops a model for a web-based customer-complaint analyzer that addresses customer complaints or suggestions in real time as well as supporting decision making processes of banks and other financial institutions. The exploratory prototype model, context diagram and UML use-case diagram were used to simplify and explain the design and development phases of the system. Both alpha and beta tests were done at the Ghana Commercial Bank and the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Ghana Limited of the KNUST Branch in Kumasi, Ghana. It is very expedient on the part of banks in Ghana to use complaint analyzer system to enable them do analyses on customers’ complaints or suggestions as well as on performance for improved and better service delivery. Keywords: e-banking, analytical performance, customer complaints analyzer, banking industry, customer service deliver

The deferred model of reality for designing and evaluating organisational learning processes: A critical ethnographic case study of Komfo Anokye teaching hospital, Ghana

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.The study proposed an evidence-based framework for designing and evaluating organisational learning and knowledge management processes to support continuously improving intentions of organisations such as hospitals. It demarcates the extant approaches to organisational learning including supporting technology into ‘rationalist’ and ‘emergent’ schools which utilise the dichotomy between the traditional healthcare managers’ roles and clinicians’ roles, and maintains that they are exclusively inadequate to accomplish transformative growth intentions, such as continuously improving patient care. The possibility of balancing the two schools for effective organisational learning design is not straightforward, and fails; because the balanced-view school is theoretically orientated and lack practical design to resolve power tensions entrenched in organisational structures. Prior attempts to address the organisational learning and knowledge management design and evaluation problematics in actuality have situated in the interpretivist traditions, only focusing on explanations of meanings. Critically, this is uncritical of power relations and orthodox practices. The theory of deferred action is applied in the context of critical research methods and methodology to expose the motivations behind the established organisational learning and knowledge management practices of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) which assumed rationality design conceptions. Ethnographic data was obtained and interpreted with combined critical hermeneutics and narrative analyses to question the extent of healthcare learning and knowledge management systems failures and unveil the unheard voices as force for change. The study makes many contributions to knowledge but the key ones are: (i) Practically, the participants accepted the study as a catalyst for (re)-designing healthcare learning and knowledge management systems to typify the acceptance of the theory of deferred action in practice; (ii) theoretically, the cohered emergent transformation (CET) model was developed from the theory of deferred action and validated with empirical data to explain how to plan strategically to achieve transformative growth objectives; and (iii) methodologically, the sense-making of the ethnographic data was explored with the combined critical hermeneutics and critical narrative analyses, the data interpretation lens from the critical theory and qualitative pluralism positions, to elucidate how the unheard emergent voices could bring change to the existing KATH learning and knowledge management processes for improved patient care

Neo-Colonialism and alienation in African fiction: Ayi Kwei Armah’s Fragments

This article examines the themes of neo-colonialism and alienation in Ayi Kwei Armah’s novel Fragments. It contends that these are two of the most topical subjects within African existence in the contemporary era and are still very directly related to the present African predicament of a seemingly developmentally slow and retrogressing continent. Alienation and neo-colonialism are also inextricably intertwined with the whole question of nation-building and nationalism and directly linked with issues relating to African identity in the aftermath of slavery and colonialism. The discussion suggests that Ayi Kwei Armah’s engagement of the themes of neo-colonialism, alienation, nationalism and nation-building offer some very useful insights into grappling with the present African condition. Ultimately, the point is made that examining and exploring the nature and intricacies of neo-colonialism and alienation of both individuals and community through the experiences of protagonists in the fiction discussed contributes to facilitating an understanding of the project of African self-rehabilitation and reclamation, which are pursued through nation-building and nationalism and which are currently ongoing

The role of Euphemisms in Nzema Language and Culture

This paper examines the role of euphemisms in the context of Nzema. It however discusses the Nzema examples alongside Akan, a sister language. Euphemisms can be linked to bone marrow in the sense that they are inseparable from language just as marrow is with bone. That is to say, it is highly impossible for bones not to have marrow as they are already embedded or built into the bones for varying purposes. Inasmuch as a body without breath is lifeless, a language that has no euphemistic expressions can also be said to be inadequate with respect to its functional and stylistic aspects. We use language to communicate and euphemism is a proper language style that people pursue in social communication in order to reach an ideal communication effect. Euphemisms are used in place of some sensitive, unpleasant, disturbing and taboo topics. The Nzema data indicate that in this language (Nzema), these expressions (euphemisms) can be dichotomised into two categories based on the communicative function they hold. In the first place, euphemisms are motivated by issues relating to taboos and are mainly used to avoid affronting both speaker’s and the hearer’s face. Secondly, they function as a stylistic marker so that their use is not as a response to taboo topics, rather, are subtle means of expressing one’s thought which fit in the context of use

The Strengthening of Geological Infrastructure, Research and Data Acquisition - Using Gis in Ivory Coast Gold Mines

The artisanal gold mining in Ivory Coast has become a key problem in the mining sector. A diverse group of people in Ivory Coast, including the young and the old, are all engaged in these activities that are reportedly better than agricultural inputs. However, it is still a high-risk activity that leads to pollution, environmental degradation and the loss of human life. About ten people die each year in the gold mines. This paper focuses on gold mine safety by using the Geographic Information System (GIS) as a major solution to solve the artisanal gold mines problem, and also seeks to promote the mining industry in Ivory Coast