MAPPING AND MANAGING CORE KNOWLEDGE MAPPING AND MANAGING CORE KNOWLEDGE PROCESSES AND SYSTEMS: THE EXPERIENCES AT PROCESSES AND SYSTEMS: THE EXPERIENCES AT

MOI UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, KENYAMOI UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, KENYA

Paper Presented at SCANUL-ECS, Kenyatta Paper Presented at SCANUL-ECS, Kenyatta University Library, Kenya 1University Library, Kenya 1stst – 2 – 2ndnd June 2012 June 2012

BYBY

DR TIRONG arap TANUIDR TIRONG arap TANUI

UNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN, MOI UNIVERSITY, KENYAUNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN, MOI UNIVERSITY, KENYA

• Business as usual is no longer sustainable due to Business as usual is no longer sustainable due to changing corporate landscapechanging corporate landscape

• Traditional jobs are disappearing, shift from full time Traditional jobs are disappearing, shift from full time jobs to parcelled outjobs to parcelled out

• Paradigm shift from basic economic resource to Paradigm shift from basic economic resource to knowledge as a new resource as a result of knowledge as a new resource as a result of confluence in social economic environment, confluence in social economic environment, management thinking and technologymanagement thinking and technology

• MUL users are shifting preference from information MUL users are shifting preference from information to knowledge resources seekingto knowledge resources seeking

Established in 1984 by two professional staffEstablished in 1984 by two professional staff Located in a rural environment 35 kms south of Located in a rural environment 35 kms south of

Eldoret Town and 350 kms north-west of Nairobi, Eldoret Town and 350 kms north-west of Nairobi, the capital citythe capital city

MTL project planning 1986-1990, construction MTL project planning 1986-1990, construction 1990-1994 at a cost of Pounds Sterling 8m1990-1994 at a cost of Pounds Sterling 8m

Currently in 12 locations countrywide, 120 staff, Currently in 12 locations countrywide, 120 staff, 850 vols. of books and use ABCD library system850 vols. of books and use ABCD library system

12 PhD staff registered, 5 completed, 1 in place 12 PhD staff registered, 5 completed, 1 in place

University libraries are established legal University libraries are established legal entities with specific rolesentities with specific roles

Functions remain traditional and Functions remain traditional and ‘paddocked’‘paddocked’

University libraries manage other peoples’ University libraries manage other peoples’ knowledge and little of our ownknowledge and little of our own

Knowledge is as old as the Egyptian Knowledge is as old as the Egyptian pyramidspyramids

Francis Bacon in 16Francis Bacon in 16thth Century coined Century coined “knowledge is power”. Peter Drucker in “knowledge is power”. Peter Drucker in 1960’s coined “knowledge worker”1960’s coined “knowledge worker”

KM is to identify, create, present, KM is to identify, create, present, distribute and enable adoption of insights distribute and enable adoption of insights and experiencesand experiences

The librarians role was to establishThe librarians role was to establish

- KM initiatives- KM initiatives

- Framework for ICT support- Framework for ICT support

- Knowledge sharing culture- Knowledge sharing culture

- hub of internal communication - hub of internal communication strategystrategy

University Librarian becomes a member of University Librarian becomes a member of every committee except senior every committee except senior management and councilmanagement and council

Advocated the establishment of MISAdvocated the establishment of MIS

Moi University Library (& Margaret Thatcher Moi University Library (& Margaret Thatcher Library)Library)

School of Information SciencesSchool of Information Sciences Moi University BookshopMoi University Bookshop Management Information System (& ICT Management Information System (& ICT

Depart.)Depart.) Institute of Open & Distance LearningInstitute of Open & Distance Learning University ArchivesUniversity Archives African Network for Internationalisation of African Network for Internationalisation of

Education (ANIE) ? Education (ANIE) ?

• What is knowledge sharing?What is knowledge sharing?• Culture determines how knowledge is sharedCulture determines how knowledge is shared• Social – sharing tacit knowledge between Social – sharing tacit knowledge between

individualsindividuals• Internalisation – turning explicit knowledge into Internalisation – turning explicit knowledge into

tacit knowledgetacit knowledge• Externalisation – articulation of tacit knowledge Externalisation – articulation of tacit knowledge

into explicit knowledgeinto explicit knowledge• Combination of external and internal – Combination of external and internal –

conversion of explicit knowledge into more conversion of explicit knowledge into more complex explicit formcomplex explicit form

• Communities of practiceCommunities of practice

Helps to avoid reinventing the wheel, Helps to avoid reinventing the wheel, saves time, and reduce effortsaves time, and reduce effort

Speeds up decision making processSpeeds up decision making process Encourage the use of knowledge and Encourage the use of knowledge and

promote collaborationpromote collaboration Institutionalises trustInstitutionalises trust Encourage transfer of best practiceEncourage transfer of best practice Promotes innovation in procedures, Promotes innovation in procedures,

processess and productprocessess and product

People are at the centre of any successful People are at the centre of any successful KM process. KM depends on the context in KM process. KM depends on the context in which it operateswhich it operates

KM is every ones businessKM is every ones business Knowledge practices are legitimate core Knowledge practices are legitimate core

businessbusiness Communication is essentialCommunication is essential Knowledge is both personal and communalKnowledge is both personal and communal Leadership, human resource, networking Leadership, human resource, networking

are critical for successful KMare critical for successful KM

Lack of proper KM risks organisational failures Lack of proper KM risks organisational failures such as dysfunctional culture, unmanaged such as dysfunctional culture, unmanaged organisational knowledge and ineffective organisational knowledge and ineffective controlscontrols

Transferring knowledge to decision makers Transferring knowledge to decision makers before it is needed, providing access to before it is needed, providing access to information as it is needed, testing new information as it is needed, testing new knowledge for organisational risk managementknowledge for organisational risk management

University libraries have to be at the centre of University libraries have to be at the centre of all these in the new world knowledge all these in the new world knowledge dispensationdispensation