Pan African Visions

Knowledge Services: The Trajectory to Economic Growth, Sustainability and Good Governance

October 02, 2015

By Daisy Adele* [caption id="attachment_21119" align="alignleft" width="346"]Adele Daisy Adele Daisy[/caption] When we talk about knowledge services, the stereotypical linkage is to academia which is a not totally correct in every sense of the word. Knowledge practice or service involves more than academia. It is about people, processes and technology. It is the convergence of all these aspects in governance of both the public and private sectors of the economy. Knowledge Services is defined by St. Claire as “the convergence of information management, knowledge management and strategic learning for the development and implementation of strategies for management and organizational learning”. As the definition states, it is a convergence of information, Knowledge management and strategic learning. This ties back to the three fundamental application to knowledge management which are; people, processes and technology. Africa as a continent and in particular Nigeria as a country is undergoing a transition with regards to governance. It is vital that in the reshaping of the country, leadership is cognizant of the benefits of imbedding knowledge practice into the new DNA of the country. We agree that this would take a reset of the mindset of people and most importantly leadership but then we can all commit to the adoption of a new “Normal” with the way we operate as a country. In the face of the challenges faced by the slower adoption of technology and processes, people have become resilient in their approach to problem solving. They have devised means of achieving outcome through the knots within our processes. As inefficient as they may be, the take away here is the attitude of persistence. The tenacity exhibited by people if re-directed through the alignment of people, processes, facilitated by technology can lead to better results with; Greater efficiency: this is achieved through the elimination of repetition in work processes that cause redundancy and duplication. Efforts are channeled towards maintenance and innovation and building stronger alliances and networks within the workforce. Succession: A strong network of resources within the workforce through collaboration and knowledge sharing creates a strong work bench. There are more people who know the same things. This eliminates fear of loss of power and fosters an environment of trust and unity which translates to ease of onboarding and increased workforce mobility. Improved Organizational culture and growth:  Organizational culture and growth are the life wire of any government or business. A nurturing culture that fosters strategic alliances and innovation is one that is better suited for the challenges of tomorrow. An environment that is devoid of hoarding and encourages openness is one that will flourish with transparent governance. Economic Growth: The global eco-system is quickly shifting from product based to a knowledge based economy.  Competitive advantage now stems from the sum of the cumulative intellectual capital within an economy. Knowledge practice frameworks help to understand and analyze the strategic imperative of leadership and thus facilitate the creation of roadmaps that will best capture the relevant knowledge needed at the right time. Sustainability: The ability to sustain and growth intellectual capital translates into the longevity of any system. The era of excessive waste of both human and material resources is long gone and the society demands more frugal ways of ensuring the extension of available resources and utilization to the extent that is optimal to its capacity. Good Governance: Is the outcome of efficiency, productivity and effectiveness. For this to be attained, there key components that collectively make up the epitome of good governance.  These are;

  • Participatory: The head cornerstone of good governance is participation through adequate representation of the populace. The ability for people to freely express themselves is in the best interest for all stakeholders.
  • Consensus Oriented: Consensus is needed by all stakeholders for sustainability.
  • Accountable: Leadership is accountable to the people who will be affected by the policies and decision taken as well as the rule of law. Therefore, accountability should be clearly documented and enforced.
  • Transparent: Information should be provided in easily understandable forms and media. It should be accessible to those who will be affected by governance policies and practices. Decisions taken and their enforcement must be in compliance with established rules and regulations.
  • Responsive: It should be flexible to changes in structure and time.
  • Effective and Efficient: Processes implemented to produce results must meet the needs of stakeholders, while using people, process and technology as enablers.
  • Equitable and Inclusive: It should be collaborative and valuable to society.
  • Rule of Law: Should have a legal framework and enforced by impartial regulatory body.
Our ability to ensure that knowledge transcends individualism and become an accumulation of our collective intellectual capital will determine how far we will go in meeting the challenges of our global eco-system. The onus is ours to ensure that we are equipped with the right tools at the right time to take charge of our future and our country. It is ours, Our Nigeria. *The is with Alpha Zen Incorporated

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pan African Visions
WorkinAfrica.com transforms how online recruitment is done in sub-Saharan Africa
October 02, 2015 Prev
Pan African Visions
Burkina Faso coup leader handed over to government: sources
October 02, 2015 Next