University of Stellenbosch Business School
Knowledge Management Conference 2012
The democratisation of knowledge:
The role of knowledge in the betterment of society
The University of Stellenbosch Business School is hosting a Knowledge Management Conference over three days to explore the role of knowledge in building a better society.
The objective of this 'discussion-intense' conference is to move from the theory on knowledge in social organisations, through the implications for society, to practical social policy-making to address the asymmetries of knowledge in society.
We have hand-picked the speakers – from respected international academics to foremost representatives of important groupings in society – to offer you multi-perspective dialogues on the function of knowledge in society. The speakers include representatives and experts in the areas of politics and policy-making, business, the NGO sector, the World Bank and social economics. Input on India and South America – as other examples of stratified societies - will form part of the programme.
In essence, this is what we are working towards:
- Exploring the theory on the dynamics of knowledge in networks and organisations
- Looking at a system-based knowledge model which links theory to socio-economic context
- Examining this model in an informed policy debate to develop an action agenda for reducing disparities in knowledge in our stratified societies.
It all starts with being knowledgeable.
The conference in a nutshell
Why this conference?
Speakers
Programme overview
Conference format
Registration and further information
THE CONFERENCE IN A NUTSHELL
- Date and time: Monday afternoon, 16 January to Wednesday, 18 January 2012 at the USB campus, Bellville, Cape Town. (map)
- Format:
- Day 1 (late afternoon): Registration, keynote address and cocktail event.
- Day 2 (full day): Academic presentations and discussions to explore the behaviour and dynamics of knowledge in networks and organisations. Includes lunch.
- Day 3 (half day): Input by representatives and experts in the areas of policy-making, social economics, business, the NGO sector, the World Bank and other emerging areas of the world. Developing a system model to reduce knowledge disparities in stratified societies. Includes lunch. See programme.
- Costs: R 1 500 per person, click here to make a booking.
- Further information: Contact Annemarie Olivier on +27 (0)21 918 4242 or at Annemarie.Olivier@usb.ac.za
- Sponsorships: Negotiable
WHY THIS CONFERENCE?
South Africa, along with the comparable economies of South America and India, possesses massive potential for economic growth as well as positive influence in its own society and its wider region. However, in all three economies we can see obvious asymmetries of economic circumstance, social advantage and health alongside the less visible asymmetries of knowledge between social groups – be they defined in terms of colour, religion, language or geography. Hence, it is the aim of this conference to assist policy-makers and –shapers, business and other groupings in addressing these asymmetries of knowledge.
Over the course of three days, the speakers will explore aspects of knowledge as drivers of growth in society.
- The starting point: Obtain a theoretical perspective on the behaviour of knowledge as an abstract property.
- Next steps: Examine the behaviour of knowledge in social organisations in general.
- The overall aim: Mobilise this work towards the benefit of society by better informing social policy. Policy-making representatives will be asked to relate actual situations in developing countries with what academics say about knowledge, its dynamics and the organisational characteristics thereof.
The objectives
- To identify the causal mechanisms underlying the system of interactions leading to deprivation, disadvantage, discrimination and stratification in developing societies, especially South Africa
- To identify the asymmetries of knowledge in society
- To identity the appropriate knowledge 'packages' and the associated delivery mechanism(s) to achieve knowledge gearing
- To move from a theoretical perspective on the behaviour, through the behaviour and dynamics of knowledge in social organisations to the implications for social policy
The outputs
- An improved and captured understanding of the mechanics of deprivation
- A validated system model of the interaction of the various causal mechanisms identified
- Without-commitment identification of action proposals for the reduction of knowledge asymmetry in South Africa and by extension in other developing social economies
- Various papers in publishable form plus a summary paper of the conclusions resulting from the responses of the attendees.
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Day 1: Monday, 16 January 2012 (late afternoon and evening)
Keynote address
- Includes cocktail and networking event
Day 2: Tuesday, 17 January 2012 (full day)
Knowledge dynamics: theory, characteristics and behaviour
Knowledge in organisations: a practice/policy viewpoint
Day 3: Wednesday, 18 January 2012 (half day)
Implications for policy-making, the economy and society
The development of a real-time system model as a response to the discussions
Input by business and policy-making attendees
Detailed Programme (*Subject to change)
CONFERENCE FORMAT
- The central part of the conference consists of presentations by leading academics, multi-perspective dialogues and panel discussions. This progresses from topic to topic with each focal academic leading a segment.
- The presentations by the academics are high in content yet accessible to those who may not be experts in certain areas.
- Each presentation is followed by critical commentary by a discussant and a discussion period.
- The dialogues culminate in the development of a real-time system model (for example of key interactive mechanisms and action results) as a response to the discussions, capturing the segment discussions as well as the interactions between the discussions.
- Representatives of the World Bank, public policy-making, business, NGOs and labour, as well as those from India and South America give their perspectives and respond to the academic system model.
- The conference will be professionally videoed for subsequent use.
REGISTRATION AND FURTHER INFORMATION