The use of technology-based mechanisms and knowledge management techniques in library practices in an academic environment : a case study

In response to the knowledge-driven economy, many academic libraries have adopted knowledge management (KM) techniques in the provision of services. KM techniques have been implemented in commercial and business environments towards operational advantages and figains. However, there is uncertainty about whether the use of KM principles and technology-based mechanisms could partly solve the academic library\u27s approach to improving its quality of service and fulfi l its mandate to its community in the modern information environment. Using a case study approach, this study considered the use of technology-based mechanisms and KM techniques in library practices in order to enhance performance and improve the quality of service in the Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY) library. Data were collected with the use of a questionnaire, interviews, observation and institutional documents. The fiof this study indicate that KM concepts were not universally understood at MCNY, and that library practices were not based on KM, but that they were adopting such KM practices as using social networking media for the purpose of collaboration and sharing knowledge

Public programming skills of archivists in selected national memory institutions of east and southern Africa

The National Archives are an important part of South African society because they serve as memory institutions. Fulfilling this mandate requires archivists to encourage societal engagement with the archives. This article sought to examine the role of an archivist’s knowledge and skills in promoting public archival institutions. Therefore, the perceptions and experiences of the directors of the National Archives, archivists who work at the National Archives and Executive Board members from the East and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA) were explored. This was achieved through administering questionnaires to all the directors of the National Archives in the ESARBICA region, and conducting interviews with archivists from this region as well as ESARBICA Executive Board members. The intention was to identify whether archivists from the National Archives in the ESARBICA region thought that they have the relevant skills to conduct public programming initiatives; if public programming was part of the core archival curricula in the region; and furthermore, to determine the availability and awareness of public programming training and education in the region. The study provides an overview of public programming, together with a better understanding of the significance of archivists’ skills and knowledge regarding public programming in the mission of encouraging greater use of archives.n/aInformation Scienc

Mixed methods research in the South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences: An investigation of trends in the literature

Mixed methods research (MMR), which is touted as a third methodological movement is increasingly becoming a popular approach in several fields as a result of the promise it holds to providing a better and balanced investigation of research problems in context. In spite of that, there is limited knowledge about its pervasiveness in economic and management sciences in South Africa. Based on a content analysis of 332 articles published in The South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences from 2003 to 2011, the main purpose of this quantitative study is to explore the prevalence of MMR in SAJEMS. Although methodological advances have been made in the field of economic and management sciences as reflected in the articles in SAJEMS, the findings reveal that scholars employ quantitative and qualitative methodologies than MMR. Given the paucity of MMR in the field, this study underscores the potential benefits of embracing methodological pluralism as it offers methodological and theoretical benefits. First, the use of MMR provides the possibility for researchers to obtain a comprehensive picture of a phenomenon under investigation and achieve their research purpose effectively. Secondly, its utilisation may also contribute to theory development and the maturity of the field as reflected in SAJEMS

Public Libraries as Conduits for Indigenous Knowledge in South Africa

The dearth of indigenous knowledge (IK) in libraries in general and in South Africa in particular is cause for concern as the situation can lead to its demise. Awareness of the usefulness of IK in various aspects of community life is well documented. It is imperative that public libraries, as gateways to information and knowledge should be at the forefront of facilitating access to all knowledge, including IK. The article explores how public libraries in South Africa can facilitate access to indigenous knowledge. Data for this multiple case study was collected through semi-structured interviews with directors of provincial library services. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Findings indicate that despite awareness of the value of IK, public libraries have not yet devised mechanisms to enhance its availability and access. It is recommended that partnerships with stakeholders such as communities and archives archival institutions be forged in order to define, capture and preserve indigenous knowledge in order to ensure its accessibility

ENTERPRISE CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION READINESS TO IMPROVE MEDICAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT IN LIMPOPO PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA

This study sought to establish readiness for implementation of ECM to improve medical records management in the public hospitals of the Limpopo Province in South Africa. The use of digital systems such as enterprise content management (ECM) to manage medical records is fundamental to ensure timely access, sharing and use of the medical records by healthcare providers and hospital management. This is because timely access to medical records will result in timely healthcare service delivery to the patients. There have been many different kinds of digital systems applied in different organisations for different categories of records throughout the world. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires directed to the Records Management Units at the public hospitals in the Limpopo Province of South Africa supported with observation and document/system analysis. The study reveals that the hospitals in the Limpopo Province had not yet implemented ECM as a system and had limited IT resources like computers, printers, servers, network points and internet access. This study appears to be the first of its nature to investigate the readiness of the hospitals in Limpopo province of South Africa for implementation of enterprise content management system. The study recommends that ECM be implemented to improve medical records management in the public hospitals of Limpopo since the hospitals had no effective systems for proper management of medical records

Using Contingency Valuation Approaches to Assess Sustainable Cultural Heritage Tourism Use and Conservation of the Outstanding Universal Values (OUV) at Great Zimbabwe World Heritage Site in Zimbabwe

AbstractSustainable cultural heritage tourism is correlated to conservation use and tourism usage. The case study examines the tourism use of Great Zimbabwe World Heritage Site (GZWHS) using the contingency valuation method. It assesses whether there is enough input from tourism use directed towards the conservation of outstanding universal values (OUV). The tourism use is unsustainable, where tourism use is less than conservation use, at the property. The findings demonstrate that the plan used to maintain a balance between conservation and use at GZWHS were inadequate and unresponsive to the micro-environment in which it exists. Recommendations for a shift in conservation strategy are made

Revitalising and preserving endangered indigenous languages in South Africa through writing and publishing

Libraries and librarians play a central role in organising and communicating knowledge. They are an important part of theknowledge production and use chain. The development and sustenance of a knowledge-based economy hinges on theirability to facilitate the accessibility, retrievability and usability of the knowledge and information that permeates theinformation society. Writers and publishers as part and parcel of the knowledge chain are central to the production anddistribution of ideas. Language is fundamental to their ability to communicate and get their literal messages, expressionsand ideas through. Their preferred language of writing and publishing may mean a difference between the growth anddemise of a language of a society and its culture and civilisation. Many indigenous languages around the globe arestruggling to survive because of various reasons including neglect by writers and publishers. Publishers and writers as majorrole players in the knowledge production and reproduction chain may assist in promoting and preserving indigenouslanguages in general and in South Africa in particular. This may ensure that South Africa’s knowledge economy developswithout sidelining or discriminating against any culture or language. There are challenges and opportunities that writersand publishers are likely to face in attempting to revitalise and empower indigenous languages in South Africa, but theyare not insurmountable. Using a theoretical approach, the purpose of this article is to highlight the role that writers andpublishers may play in revitalising and preserving endangered indigenous languages in South Africa. Recommendations aremade on how the role players may deal with the challenges that have culminated in the neglect of the endangeredindigenous languages

Pathways for retaining human capital in academic departments of a South African university

Literature has revealed that in the knowledge-driven economy, knowledge is regarded as a strategic, valuable and competitive asset that enables organisations to foster innovation and improve effiiency, effectiveness, productivity and competitiveness (Alstete 2003; Desouza & Awazu 2004; Drucker 2001; Hira 2011; Horwitz, Heng & Quazi 2003). This is based on the notion that knowledge is deemed to be central not only to power, but also to wealth. Knowledge is embodied in a person or carried, created, augmented, improved, applied, taught and passed on, used or misused by a person; which means that the person is at the centre (Castro 2008; Choo & Bontis 2002; Drucker 2001; Nelson & McCann 2010). Unlike during the industrial age where physicality was of primary importance, in the knowledge economy it is the brains rather than the brawn of the workforce that will add value to intelligent organisations or learning organisations (Alvin Tofflr, cited in Desouza & Awazu 2004). Thus, it is knowledge, the intellectual capital of astute workers, which is the fundamental resource for economic development. The inherent value of knowledge means that the leverage of knowledge assets is iSchool of Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Studies (SIRGS

Pathways for retaining human capital in academic departments of a South African university

Background: The article underscores the process of knowledge retention for academics in select academic departments in the College of Human Sciences (CHS) at the University of South Africa (UNISA). The knowledge economy is ubiquitous and necessitates that organisations foster innovation and improve efficiency, effectiveness, competitiveness and productivity through knowledge retention. In an academic setting, which is the focus of this article, the situation is no different because there seems to be an accord worldwide that the quality of higher education largely depends on the qualifications of staff and professorial capability in quality research, instruction and doctoral level certification. By implication, it is critical that the retention of knowledge should be prioritised to ensure the curtailment of the impact of knowledge attrition. Objective: The study intends to profile knowledge assets in CHS, determine retention strategies and offer suggestions about regenerating knowledge retention initiatives. Research methodology: A quantitative approach, more specifically the informetrics technique of data mining, was adopted to profile academics in CHS at UNISA. Results: The results confirm the assertion that there is a discrepancy between senior academics who are probably due to leave the university in the next few years, and entrants who will replace them. The issue is worsened by the lack of an institutional framework to guide, standardise, strengthen or prioritise the process of knowledge retention. Conclusion: The study recommends the prioritisation, formalisation and institutionalisation of knowledge retention through the implementation of a broad range of knowledge retention strategies

Teaching research data management courses in higher learning institutions in Tanzania

This research article was published by Emerald Publishing Limited, 2022Purpose – The study investigated teaching research data management (RDM) courses in higher learning institutions (HLIs) in Tanzania to enable postgraduate students to work with their research data. Design/methodology/approach – The study triangulated research methods. Postgraduate students were investigated using survey questionnaires to learn about their needs and perceptions of the teaching RDM courses in HLIs. Key informants (academicians, information and communication technologists and library staff) were also investigated using in-depth interviews to explore their experiences and knowledge of teaching RDM courses. SPSS statistical software was used for analysing quantitative data; qualitative data were analysed thematically. Findings – A total of 70 questionnaires were distributed to postgraduate students with a returning rate of 44 (69%). On the other hand, 12 key informants were interviewed. A low level of RDM literacy was revealed among 38 (86%) respondents. Most respondents 40 (91%) reported the need for HLIs to start teaching RDM courses. A lack of skills and knowledge in teaching RDM courses was revealed among key informants. The competency based, adaptive and constructive teaching techniques were selected for teaching RDM courses, whereas intensive training and online tutorials were revealed as teaching formats. Research limitations/implications – This study focused on teaching RDM courses in HLIs. The survey questionnaires were distributed to all 2nd year postgraduate students, however, the findings cannot be generalised to all postgraduate students due to the response rate obtained. The findings obtained from key informants can also not be used as a basis for generalization across HLIs. Practical implications – This study concluded that postgraduate students need to be well equipped with skills and knowledge on RDM and its related concepts; teaching RDM courses should be regarded as a continuous programme for benefit of students, researchers and the community at large. Social implications – Appropriate teaching of RDM courses among students not only ensures that students meet the funders’ and publishers’ requirements, but also encourages students to store and share their research among researchers worldwide; thus increasing collaboration and visibility of the datasets and data owners through data citations and acknowledgements. Originality/value – This is a comprehensive study that provides findings for HLIs to teach RDM courses in HLIs, especially for postgraduate students. The findings revealed the need for teaching RDM courses in HLIs. The study provides the basis for further RDM research in HLIs and research institutions