Social Media

Information sharing via social media has become stylish, fashionable and unavoidable in all walks of life to date. Through Social media tools people can share information quickly and widely within a very short period of time. From desktop research and documentary review, the chapter establishes how effective use of social media can enhance knowledge sharing within government organizations in a bid to generate new possibilities and opportunities for their efficiency in business operations. The chapter concludes by proposing issues to be considered by modern governments as they embrace the proliferation of social media technologies for effective knowledge sharing which is of vital importance for their success. It has however been emphasized on the necessity of developing and implementing social media policies and procedures.

Document Description and Coding as Key Elements in Knowledge, Records, and Information Management

Document description and coding are key operations to information storage and retrieval systems. Description makes it possible for users to obtain information about the documents while coding provides unique numbers to described documents, and enables users to locate, retrieve and store documents manually or electronically. Consequent upon the mass production of information and attendant information explosion, modern libraries and other information dissemination institutions, attached to various institutions, were established. A need therefore arose to put in place systems of achieving bibliographic control over the information produced and collected to facilitate its identification and location wherever it may be found. Among the major systems or tools that information professionals developed to achieve bibliographic control and organization of information include: cataloguing, classification, indexing and abstracting. Using largely documentary sources, the chapter makes a case on the critical role of document description and coding systems in information and knowledge management.

The Management of Magistrate Courts Records in Namibia

This chapter is based on a study prompted by concerns about delayed cases in Namibian magistrate courts. The purpose was to examine the prevailing records management practices. The study was conducted in seven regions which were purposively selected based on location or population. Data was collected by means of observations and face-to-face interviews. The study revealed that: some magistrate courts did not adhere to records management standards resulting in an absence of a records management policy, classification schemes, retention schedules, shortage of storage space, lack of physical security and untrained record staff. The study recommends employment of trained records personnel; staff awareness in the management of the Namibia Case Information System (NAMCIS); install CCTV and maintain air conditioners in records storage facilities; ensure that the National Archives of Namibia fast tracks the process of approving requests for transfer or destruction of magistrate courts' records; and uphold records management standards.

Preservation of Recorded Information in Public and Private Sector Organizations

The long-term preservation and accessibility of business records is often not accorded the attention that it deserves. Yet, records are a major organizational resource needed to support the current business of the organization as well as retaining the verifiable evidence of an organization's past programmes and activities. Records also serve as tools of accountability, transparency and good governance and provide reliable evidence in organizations' transactions and activities. The long-term preservation of records ensures that the organization is protected against costly litigation and that its interests and those of its employees are protected. This chapter lays emphasis on the need to preserve organizational records, the challenges facing preservation activities in the public and private sector organizations, the challenges of managing and preserving electronic records and proposes strategies for addressing these challenges.

Governing Social Network Knowledge Activities

Knowledge as an intangible asset can show flexibility and also be directed due to its context and path. The main concern of an organization's selected social network environment as a place for knowledge sharing and creation would be the suitable guidance of activities and ensuring alignment and adaption to organizational needs. Two main streams in the knowledge management domain address the concerns and give solutions: knowledge management governance (KMG) and knowledge governance (KG). Some researchers believe in the former and emphasize on managing the knowledge management programs in social network as a communication and information tool; while others believe that knowledge in social network as a virtual society (which has no strict formal relations) must be treated with flexibility and must be seen out of formal binding frameworks. In the latter, suitable policy making and engaging the right guidelines are the key points. It is obvious that no superiority can be considered for the two described streams and they may be preferred according to the mission and objectives of different social networks implemented in organizations. This chapter describes these two main streams and differentiates them according to their distinctions and similarities in the literature and available practices. The chapter gives insights to better understand the researching streams and their differences to find out the most suitable development policy for inner-organization social network knowledge management activities.

Knowledge Management and Records Management and Competitive Advantage in Business

This chapter does not seek to start or close a debate about Knowledge management (KM) versus Records Management (RM) differences to organisations. Our humble purpose is to review literature and show how KM and RM help organisations to have competitive advantage both from the public and private sectors. The chapter first examines the knowledge and records concept by presenting the definitions to circumscribe their differences. Secondly, an understanding of knowledge management is done by presenting and defining the key concepts. Thirdly, a discussion on the nexus between knowledge management and records management is given by presenting reviews from literature related to the areas. Fourthly, records management and knowledge management in enhancing competitive advantage are discussed. Last but not list, the chapter discusses knowledge management enablers in organisations; and technologies and applications for knowledge management.

Knowledge Sharing

Knowledge sharing is central to knowledge management in organizations. The more tacit the knowledge, the harder it is to share. However, successful knowledge sharing means looking not just at the content of the knowledge, and the people and technology concerned in the sharing, but the context in which that sharing takes place. This chapter discusses relevant theories from knowledge management and other fields. It goes on to present a model covering the time, place and context of the knowledge sharing activity, developed using theories about decision support systems. This forms the final part of a three-stage approach intended to help managers (and others) make decisions about how to support knowledge sharing activities in organizations. Each stage takes the form of a question to be answered, as follows: 1) What are the business processes concerned? 2) What is the knowledge to be shared related to - knowledge creation, knowledge acquisition, knowledge refinement, knowledge storage, or knowledge use? 3) What does this mean for the time, place and context of the knowledge sharing?

Cultural Festivals of Botswana Ethnic Communities

Botswana is known in the recent years for the variety of its ethnic communities' cultural festivals. Activities that celebrate culture of indigenous communities have hitherto remained in the ethno-cultural domains of manifestation or production. While their initial purpose was to celebrate culture, they are increasingly integrating business strategies for the purposes of supporting their annual celebrations and also attracting people with diverse leisure interests. Cultural festivals are emerging local tourism activities that can effectively contribute to economic development and diversification. Strategies that emerge from annual events have been honed over the years and better logistic approaches have ensured their success in commercialization. Coordinated national strategies are required to make festivals attractive tourist destinations on the national calendar.

Managing Indigenous Knowledge in Tanzania

This chapter examines the integration of a business perspective in the management of indigenous knowledge (IK). Indigenous knowledge existed among the diverse societies in Tanzania since the beginning of life in such societies. With a business perspective it is considered that IK will be properly managed as the IK owners will be rewarded with some benefits for engaging in such business. Therefore, this chapter is designed to help readers understand: the status quo of managing IK in Tanzania; the applicability of the business perspective to the management of IK; the impacts of the business perspective in the management and development of IK; and the roles of stakeholders (IK owners and the government) in managing IK as a business enterprise. Thus, a business perspective for the management of such knowledge as a major source of development in this era of the knowledge economy is highly recommended for the appreciation revival of such knowledge.

Ethical and Legal Issues in Knowledge Management Life-Cycle in Business

In this Knowledge-based economy knowledge is the driver of economic growth and knowledge management (KM) is seen as a strategic tool by most successful organizations. ICTs have transformed the way information and knowledge are acquired, created, stored and shared. These days, social media has become a mainstream for internal and external communication, collaboration and knowledge sharing. As the importance of KM is increasing, the numbers of ethical and legal issues also are escalating through-out the KM life-cycle from knowledge creation to knowledge maintenance, such as, issues related to privacy, confidentiality, plagiarism, ownership and intellectual property. Advanced technologies have raised new concerns and issues regarding KM and business at large in the form of ethical challenges. This chapter discusses the ethical and legal issues in Knowledge Management Life-Cycle in Business. In its conclusion, the chapter presents recommendations to overcome some of the ethical and legal challenges of KM in business.