J.H. Gous C.S.L. Schutte2 1 University of Stellenbosch, South Africa - Using kno… · · 2011-03-08University of Stellenbosch, South Africa [email protected] ... Hierdie rolspelers

USING KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS TO SUPPORT INNOVATION

J.H. Gous1* and C.S.L. Schutte2

1Department of Industrial Engineering University of Stellenbosch, South Africa

[email protected]

2Department of Industrial Engineering University of Stellenbosch, South Africa

[email protected]

ABSTRACT

The Innovation Process has a distinct life cycle and involves a wide array of role-players. These role-players should be connected in way that promotes knowledge exchange between them. To achieve this, several modern approaches to Knowledge Management are available, but very few of these grasp the complexity of Innovation. Integrated Knowledge Networks do however offer a viable option, as they encompass a number of organizations, people and resources and the relationships between them. Integrated Knowledge Networks are supported by an architecture that combines organizational and technological elements. This allows for the design of an Information System that supports the Innovation Process. This study develops an architecture specification that functionally describes the aforementioned Information System. Using this architecture specification as a guideline, the Information System is designed with the use of an online content management toolset.

OPSOMMING

Die Innovasieproses besit „n kenmerkende lewenssiklus waarbinne „n wye verskeidenheid rolspelers betrokke is. Hierdie rolspelers moet op „n wyse wat hul sal toelaat om kennis onderling uit te ruil, met mekaar verbind word. Verskeie moderne Kennisbestuurstrategië is beskikbaar om hierdie doel te bereik, maar weinig van hulle kan die kompleksiteit van Innovasie ondersteun. Geïntegreerde Kennisnetwerke bied egter wel „n gepaste benadering, aangesien hulle uit „n aantal organisasies, indiwidue, hulpbronne en die verwantskappe tussen hulle bestaan. Geïntegreerde Kennisnetwerke word deur „n argiktektuur wat organisatoriese en tegnologiese elemente kombineer, ondersteun. Dit skep dus die geleentheid vir die ontwerp van „n Inligtingstelsel wat die Innovasiesproses ondersteun. Hierdie studie ontwikkel „n argitektuurspesifikasie wat die bogenoemde Inligtingstelsel funksioneel beskryf. Die Inligtingstelsel word daarna met hierdie argitektuurspesifikasie as riglyn binne „n aanlyn inhoudsbestuur gereedskapstel ontwerp.

1 The author was enrolled for an MScEng (Industrial) degree in the Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Stellenbosch *Corresponding author

Gous Schutte - Using knowledge networks to support innovation

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1 INTRODUCTION

Innovation capability is undoubtedly an essential attribute for organizations that wish to survive and grow in a modern economy. Economic magazines annually publish editions especially devoted to listing the year‟s most innovative companies. Even in times of economic downturn, management teams with a healthy long-term vision for their enterprises will recognize that Innovation is a vital tool for generating value. Many organizations intend to sustain or even increase spending on Innovation in tough economic times. Innovation is confused with Invention, which is only one of several stages in the Innovation Process. As will be discussed in this article, the Innovation Process has a distinct life cycle and involves a wide array of role-players. These role-players span the pre-competitive and competitive domains and include a variety of entities, ranging from academia, government, industry (including competitors and suppliers) as well as the market. Effective Innovation Management is reliant on efficient cooperation between these role-players. This cooperation however extends beyond collaborative organizational structure, bilateral agreements and partnership contracts. Role-players in the Innovation Process should be connected in a way that promotes knowledge exchange between them. Several modern approaches to Knowledge Management are available, but few grasp the complexity of Innovation. A wide variety of knowledge sources and formats exist within a set of parties like those involved in Innovation. Knowledge resides with a range of carriers, and may manifest in both explicit and tacit forms. Collaboration and development of any nature is furthermore constantly augmenting these knowledge objects as knowledge creation or transfer takes place. The preferred Knowledge Management strategy to accompany the Innovation Process should therefore take a holistic view on knowledge while embracing its dynamic nature. Knowledge Networks are a recent development within the Knowledge Management sphere and provide exactly this approach by encompassing a number of people and resources and the relationships between them. Recent technological developments have resulted in an abundance of connectivity within industry. Great advances have been made in online technologies and several open-source projects come to mind as pioneers of the modern online content management landscape. These innovative technologies are often used as the cornerstone of Knowledge Management strategies aimed at explicit knowledge. Very few of these technologies have however attempted a holistic approach by facilitating a Knowledge Network. Such a project would aim to connect role-players in an environment that promotes knowledge creation and transfer, as a means of supporting the Innovation Process.

2 BACKGROUND

2.1 Innovation Innovation is one of the key drivers of the modern economy, and the ability to innovate is considered vital for an enterprise to survive and grow (Drucker [4]). A multitude of definitions for innovation exists and it is a concept that is often misunderstood. Salvendy [8] gives a thorough definition of innovation: “Innovation is not just one simple act. It is not just a new understanding or the discovery of a new phenomenon, not just a flash of creative invention, not just the development of a new product or manufacturing process; nor is it simply the creation of new capital and markets. Rather innovation involves related creative activity in all these areas. It is a connected process in which many and sufficient creative acts, from research through service, are coupled together in an integrated way for a common goal.”


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Although innovation is recognized as an essential competitive enabler, it is often found that even companies that understand innovation do not manage it efficiently or effectively (Boston Consulting Group [2]). This can be attributed to the fact that most innovation management strategies do not pay attention to the complete Innovation Life Cycle, i.e. from an idea to a commercially successful product. An innovation management framework is characterized by structure that provides guidance for the project through the entire life cycle, but also flexibility to not inhibit innovative thinking. 2.2 The FUGLE Innovation Model The model is centered on a generic innovation process roadmap and combines the convergent innovation front-end or funnel with the divergent deployment and exploitation elements, thereby representing the entire Innovation Life Cycle (Du Preez, Louw [5]). This divergent phase is described as the “bugle”. The innovation process (the funnel and bugle) operates internally in the firm, but all the stages of the process are linked to the external environment. This emphasizes the network aspect of innovation, as well as the open innovation trend to incorporate external inputs in the process. These inputs could influence any stage of the process, even up to the point of outsourcing. The complete process is guided and supported by the enterprise‟s strategies, people and culture, organizational structure and processes, as well as information and knowledge. The FUGLE (a concatenation of “funnel” and “bugle”) model consists of a number of stages with gates and filters. The model is however flexible and allows for activities to overlap between stages. Iterative loops are possible between the concept definition and concept feasibility stages, as well as between the deployment and refinement stages. Iterative loops are also possible within the stages. Gates and filters are used as decision points between certain activities and stages. During the idea generation stage and concept definition and evaluation stages these decision points are called filters. This illustrates the less rigid approach that should be applied during these initial development stages. Filters are used to sift the promising and less promising ideas and concepts. The less promising ideas and concepts should however still be documented along with their full context and stored for future revisit and evaluation, as circumstance may be more favorable for these ideas and concepts in the future.


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Figure 4 – The Fugle Innovation Process Model (Du Preez, Louw [5])


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2.3 The Knowledge Supply Chain

If innovation is seen as a source of sustainable competitive advantage in a modern economy, a logical step to follow a company‟s alignment to embrace innovation is a move toward efficient and effective innovation management. Research is increasingly highlighting the fact that knowledge management is a key requirement for effective innovation management. How knowledge is used, spread and stored by an organization‟s employees determines whether this organization has a culture of stimulating or restraining innovation (Schutte [9]). Innovation is a product of the novel exploitation of existing internal and/or external knowledge. In order to innovate effectively and sustainably, existing knowledge should not only be captured, but also shared and integrated in context. As the global innovation rate accelerates, companies are however starting to understand that most innovation targets are not reachable as an isolated organization. Collaboration is needed within the knowledge environment and this means that knowledge sharing activities should no longer be limited by organizational boundaries. Understanding the Knowledge Supply Chain provides insight into the way that organizations may combine to facilitate rapid innovation within the material supply chain (Du Preez, Louw [6]). The Knowledge Supply Chain is equivalent to a knowledge generation value chain. It indicates how discovering new knowledge, making the knowledge transferable, transferring that knowledge through documentation and from person to person, and finally applying that knowledge, all support the material supply chain (Du Preez, Louw [6]). This may be interpreted as an indication of the way in which information and knowledge supports the innovation process. Considering the wide array of knowledge sources and formats involved in the Knowledge Supply Chain, a major challenge is to enable improved communication and collaboration throughout the chain. The knowledge available within the system is also at no point static, as personal learning, experiences, insights and ideas are continually augmenting the knowledge component that is contained in the minds of individuals. By enabling individuals to better communicate and collaborate within a team, across teams, within and across organizations, even more significant new knowledge, insights and ideas will be created, transferred, shared, absorbed and leveraged at a much faster rate, thus promoting innovation rates (Du Preez, Louw [5]). Knowledge Networks can be seen as the organizational environment within which knowledge processes related to the Knowledge Supply Chain take place in order to achieve innovation.

2.4 Knowledge Networks A Knowledge Network may be defined as “a number of people and resources, and the relationships between them, that are able to capture, transfer and create knowledge for the purpose of creating value” (Bernard, Tichkiewitch [1]). Networks may be distinguished as emergent or intentional. Intentional knowledge networks are constructed from scratch, whereas emergent knowledge networks already exist informally, but have to be cultivated in order to become high-performing. These emergent networks may evolve to include a common language, set of values and objectives between team members. These knowledge networks are of a social nature and may be supported and transformed by information and communication technology. As these networks of knowledge-sources are continuously being augmented by knowledge gained from learning situations, a knowledge network should be regarded as a dynamic organism rather than a static structure. A framework for Knowledge Networks comprises the following: (Seufert [10])

Actors (e.g. individuals, groups, organizations)

Relationships between actors (categorized by form, content and intensity)

Resources which may be used by actors within their relationships

Institutional properties (control mechanisms, norms and rules, communication patterns)


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Figure 1 – A framework for Knowledge Networks (Seufert [10])

Knowledge networks may be conceptualized to have the following three building blocks: 2.4.1 Facilitating Conditions A knowledge network‟s facilitating conditions consists of the network‟s internal structural and cultural dimensions in which knowledge work processes take place. These conditions could therefore act as enabling or inhibiting factors for knowledge creation and transfer. 2.4.2 Knowledge Work Processes Knowledge Work Processes comprise social interaction and communication processes on an individual or group level. These processes may be categorized according to the transformation that knowledge undergoes as a result of the activity (Schutte [9]).

Socialization comprises the exchange of tacit knowledge between individuals in order to convey personal knowledge and experience.

Externalization involves the conversion of implicit into explicit knowledge, and the exchange of knowledge between individuals and a group.

Systematization transforms explicit knowledge into more complex and more systematized explicit knowledge.

Internalization is the conversion of organization-wide, explicit knowledge into the implicit knowledge of the individual.

These four knowledge work processes combine to form a spiral representing all the knowledge creation and transfer activities within the network. 2.4.3 Knowledge Network Architecture

The knowledge network architecture consists of tools that are used to facilitate social relationships, and include organizational as well as information and communication tools. These tools are aimed at enabling or improving Knowledge Work Processes.


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A tool classification framework may be employed to divide the combination of organizational information system tools into four main categories: Communication and Coordination Tools, Organization and Management Tools, Intelligent Tools and Integration and Database Tools. To ensure maximum impact on the knowledge network, these tools are used in combination to form “solution frameworks” (Seufert [10]) instead of operating as modular tools. Integration Tools form the basis of solution frameworks and comprises technical as well as organizational aspects such as the integration of technology, knowledge work processes, knowledge objects (implicit and explicit knowledge), and support levels (individual, network, company). From an Information and Communication Technology perspective, systems that aim at supporting a knowledge network should focus on supporting Knowledge Work Processes by providing services for locating and capturing knowledge, sharing and transferring knowledge and especially the creation of new knowledge (Raimann [7]). ICT-tools used to support a knowledge network should furthermore provide for personal and group “work spaces” and the comprehensive management of the network knowledge base as knowledge objects. The creation of a knowledge portal to provide access to the knowledge network may be realized with modern web-based technologies. This provides a single point of access to the knowledge objects and all underlying systems. Such a knowledge portal should be configurable and adaptable to the needs of knowledge networks as well as the needs of their members. 2.5 Integrated Knowledge Networks It may be observed from the Knowledge Supply Chain that a number of role players are involved in knowledge creation and transfer processes. It therefore makes sense for organizations to extend the reach of their knowledge networks according to function and not merely along organizational boundaries. This supports the open innovation philosophy and Integrated Knowledge Networks are therefore regarded as an ideal knowledge management structure for the support of innovation. The Enterprise Engineering Research Group at the Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Stellenbosch defines an Integrated Knowledge Network (Schutte [9]) as:

“A formal network of organizations that position their systems, processes and people in such a way as to allow for the integrated transfer of information and knowledge between the organizations to support sustainable innovation.”

The use of an Integrated Knowledge Network is important to enable inter- and intra-enterprise teams to innovate using their collective experience, and by expanding their knowledge. This collective experience can be exploited only if explicit, implicit and tacit knowledge is created, refined and exchanged, and are captured and structured in a manner that is accessible to all members. This implies the deployment of inter-enterprise knowledge networks (Schutte [9]).

3 RESEARCH GOAL

Considering the literature reviewed, the problem statement for this research was defined as: “Innovation within a globalized economy requires that a wide range of role-players along a Knowledge Supply Chain collaborate by transferring and creating knowledge. A mechanism that offers this functionality is required.”


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From this problem statement, the following may be hypothesized: Innovation may be supported by an Integrated Knowledge Network ICT Architecture that offers the following functionality:

Support for all the necessary Knowledge Work Processes needed for knowledge creation and transfer within an Integrated Knowledge Network.

Support for the full Innovation Life Cycle of projects that develop within the Integrated Knowledge Network.

The goal of this study is therefore to design an Information System that facilitates an Integrated Knowledge Network, while providing support for the full life cycle of innovation projects that develop within this network.

4 DRUPAL

Exploration of modern Innovation Management software seems to indicate that few ICT solutions have attempted to exploit the potential of the Integrated Knowledge Network. Even fewer projects have connected the Integrated Knowledge Network with the latest available Web technologies. These technologies offer the latest developments in the remote connectivity, content management, media-rich environments, community building and social networking. Research however uncovers a striking similarity between the requirements of an Information System that will support the Integrated Knowledge Management as a cradle for Innovation in a modern environment, and the exact features many of these technologies boast. Closer inspection of the Web technology landscape indicated that open-source Content Management Systems are some of the most rapidly developing online projects, with WordPress, Joomla and Drupal [3] leading the way. The standard release of Drupal, known as "Drupal core", contains basic features common to most Content Management Systems. These include the ability to register and maintain individual user accounts, administration menus, RSS-feeds, customizable layout, flexible account privileges, logging, a blogging system, an Internet forum, and options to create an interactive community website. Drupal was also designed to allow new features and custom behavior to be added by third parties. For this reason, Drupal is sometimes described as a "Content Management Framework". Although Drupal offers a sophisticated programming interface for developers, no programming skills are required for basic web site installation and administration. Positive aspects of Drupal:

Flexible framework for the development of web-based applications

Vibrant developer community on the Drupal site

New content types are easily created and may be extended with the Content Construction Kit module

Fully customizable user permissions

The Organic Groups module provides unrivaled community building functions

Dynamic approach to content handling

The Taxonomy module is unparalleled in the CMS landscape and allows for predefined content classification, as well as free tagging

The Views module allows for custom views of any content within the content pool Negative aspects of Drupal:

Limited availability of themes

Steeper learning curve than many other CMS packages


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Despite Drupal‟s steep learning curve, it creates a framework the offers extendibility far beyond most other CMS packages and is supported by a vibrant and helpful community of knowledgeable developers and users. Drupal includes a number of features and extensions (Taxonomy, Organic Groups, Content Construction Kit, Views) that allow developers to create highly customized web-based community platforms. Drupal was therefore chosen as the basis of the proposed Information System.

5 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN

A multi-layer approach was used to ensure that all the requirements of the aforementioned solution are considered. The Information System Architecture requirements of an Integrated Knowledge Network (i.e. the Knowledge Network Architecture and the Knowledge Work Processes) were considered first, after which a similar set of requirements was derived for the Innovation Life Cycle (refer to Figure 3). Combining these requirement sets provided an Information System Architecture specification that was used to develop the Information System that serves as a proposed solution for the problem.

Figure 3 – A multilayer approach was used to determine the system requirements Grouping the requirements according to function provided a refined Information System Architecture, which was translated into technological terms to generate a system design specification: 5.1 Online Environment A web-based staging environment for the Information System, allows ease of access from anywhere in the world. By developing the system to be accessed with any standard web browser software, the need for specialized client software is eliminated, thereby making the Information System even more accessible. The online environment furthermore allows it to be accessed with ease by users from a number of different organizations from around the globe, thereby enabling Integrated Knowledge Network support.


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5.2 Network Model Implementing a network model approach to content is the base of the entire platform, as all subsequent design will be done relative to how this requirement is met. 5.2.1 Holistic approach to knowledge

Designing the network model with consideration for explicit, implicit and tacit knowledge requires the handling of different types of knowledge objects within the network. Knowledge objects therefore become the nodes of the network. 5.2.2 Inter-organizational Flexibility

Using a network design as the base of the system enables the system to take advantage of the positive attributes associated with networks, e.g. spanning across organizational boundaries as in the case of an Integrated Knowledge Network. The network should furthermore be allowed to grow organically, link with other networks and connect nodes without any unnecessary interference. 5.2.3 Drupal core The Drupal core initiates the basic features necessary for the implementation of the network model with its dynamic approach to content management and the ability to handle various content types. Its approach to access and user management furthermore provides the basis for inter-organizational flexibility. 5.3 Knowledge Object support Knowledge objects form the nodes of the knowledge network and it is essential for the successful implementation of the network model that different knowledge object types are handled elegantly. This implies that users, documents, content posts, ideas, concepts, projects and discussions should all be treated as peers on a data structure level. 5.3.1 Adding of content A variety of options should be available to contributors to store the knowledge they want to externalize, and it should be easy to add content to the network. Drupal offers a flexible content management system that allows for the creation of different content types. These content types may be customized to create the unique structure required by a specific type of knowledge object.

5.3.2 Media-rich environment

A media-rich environment is necessary to allow users freedom of expression. This implies that users should be able to embed images, audio and video in their contributions and have the option to attach files to nodes as well. Drupal allows users to utilize a wide variety of HTML elements when constructing their content, while embedding what-you-see-is-what-you-get content editing interfaces ensure that these elements are available to non-technical users. 5.3.3 Document management Documents are key knowledge objects in knowledge networks and should be able to form autonomous nodes within the proposed network model. This will create a repository of explicit knowledge that needs to be integrated with the knowledge base.


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When users create content items within a Drupal environment, they have the option to attach files to their content, thereby simulating document management functionality within the network of knowledge objects.

5.3.4 User profiles Users should be able to join easily and maintain their profiles and biographies, thereby creating and updating their own nodes in the network. Users will also be able to use their accounts to manage their communication and alerts within the network. The Drupal core includes a Profile module that helps administrators to define the structure of user profiles, thereby allowing them to capture the necessary information about their users. The Bio module attaches a content item reserved for a biography to every user‟s profile. Biography nodes attached to user profiles integrate with other content items (e.g. via the taxonomy scheme), thereby adding users to the network as knowledge objects. 5.3.5 Commenting and Forums The platform should allow users the option to comment on knowledge objects within the network. These comments should be linked to the objects themselves, as discussion on an object enriches the object. It may also happen that discussion develops without it being based on a specific node in the network, but is rather stimulated by a topic outline – in this case the discussion becomes an object in itself in the form of a forum discussion. The Drupal core includes a Comment module that implements a powerful commenting model within the system and allows users to comment on content. The Forum module adds the forum topic content type and allows users to initiate forum discussions.

5.3.6 Rating of Content Allowing users to rate content gives them the opportunity to express their opinion on knowledge objects in a quantitative fashion. Rating should not only be permitted on written content, but should be extended to documents, ideas, concepts, etc. The VotingAPI extension module for Drupal creates a framework for the storage and retrieval of votes, while the Fivestar module utilizes this framework to enable the rating of content items. 5.3.7 Innovation Life Cycle phase specific Knowledge Objects Ideas, concepts and projects should be represented as knowledge objects within the network, thereby integrating them with the knowledge that was used to generate them. Each phase of the Innovation Life Cycle also has specific information needs and custom knowledge objects must be designed for this purpose. The knowledge objects that are designed to represent concepts and projects during the Innovation Life Cycle should not only be singular objects. The needs of these phases of the life cycle are of such a nature that a group of network nodes should be combined in a dynamic and organic way, with a central node being used to bind them together. Throughout the Innovation Life Cycle, all knowledge objects that represent ideas, concepts or projects should clearly indicate their current development status. This will help to guide development along the generic innovation roadmap. Organic Groups is an extension module for Drupal that allows the formation of node clusters around a central node, thereby creating the dynamic content structure needed for the Concept and Project Objects. The structure of the concept and project content types may be customized, and instances of these two types are used to form the central nodes of organic group clusters.


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Users may join these groups to become subscribed members, and posts from a wide variety of types may be posted into the group. The Drupal core is also used to create a new idea content type; instances of which form Idea Objects.

5.4 Taxonomy To generate the maximum amount of value from the knowledge network, nodes should be systematized. This entails creating categories in which to classify objects, as well as including the functionality to tag objects with keywords. These tags will be used to determine relevance between nodes (proximity within the network) and provide suggestions to users when they are navigating the knowledge base. Navigation of the knowledge base via the taxonomy should be made as simple and intuitive as possible. The Drupal core features a Taxonomy module that allows users to classify content by tagging items with keywords. These keyword terms are arranged in vocabularies that may include a predefined set of terms or set up to allow free tagging. Terms in vocabularies may form complex hierarchies and items may be tagged with multiple terms.

5.5 Querying 5.5.1 Extract custom user views of content The implementation of knowledge objects results in all network nodes being treated as peers on a data structure level. Categorizing and tagging these objects provides a rich knowledge base from which custom queries can be made. These queries can be used to enhance the user experience or to play an important role in the Innovation Life Cycle, e.g. generating a view of all concepts that have been identified as being “refined” for consideration in the funding gate. The Views extension module for Drupal is a powerful query builder that enhances the information system‟s support for knowledge objects.

5.5.2 Search function Along with being able to navigate through the taxonomy with ease, users should be able to search for terms throughout the network and receive full results. The implementation of knowledge objects will result in users, documents, posts, ideas, concepts and projects as possible output as search results.

5.6 Messaging

5.6.1 Private messaging

Communication has been highlighted as an important requirement for the proposed platform solution, especially for enabling social networking on the platform and promoting the smooth execution of the Innovation Life Cycle. Private messaging and contact forms that send a e-mail to users are included to provide an efficient communication system throughout the platform. These functions compliment the support for discussion that is created by employing commenting and forums.

5.6.2 User alerts Users may subscribe to alerts that are triggered by activity within the network. This could be a new comment in a certain thread, a new post being classified in a certain knowledge category, or a favorite user making a new contribution to the network.


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5.7 Navigation, Layout and Theme

5.7.1 Simple design and consistent navigation The knowledge network that must be implemented is a rather complex structure of knowledge objects, relationships, communication functions, etc. It is therefore imperative that the platform has a look-and-feel that is simple and easy to use and understand. The presentation of information is done in a way that is comprehensive, but at the same time relevant. Correct contextual use of menus and information blocks ensures that the right information is shown to the right users at the right time.

5.7.2 Featured content To ensure that newly contributed knowledge object are noticed by users browsing the platform, content is ordered with the latest items at the top of lists, unless otherwise specified by the nature of the list. Items that should always appear at the top of lists, regardless of its age, are also be supported. The full set of system requirements and corresponding implemented technologies is listed in Table 1. A less detailed, layered view is provided in Figure 3.

System Requirement Framework(s) or module(s) implemented

Online Environment Webserver

Network Model

Holistic approach to knowledge Drupal core

Inter-organization flexibility Universal web-access

Knowledge Object support

Adding of content Drupal content types

Media-rich environment HTML, WYSIWYG editing environment

Document management Drupal content type, Upload

User profiles Profile, Bio

Commenting and Forums Comment, Forum

Rating of content VotingAPI, Fivestar

Innovation Life Cycle phase specific Knowledge Objects

Drupal content types, Organic Groups

Taxonomy Taxonomy

Querying

Extract custom user views of content Views

Search function Search

Messaging

Private messaging Messaging, Privatemsg

User alerts Notifications

Navigation, Layout and Theme

Simple design and consistent navigation Garland theme, Panels, Color

Featured content Drupal core

Table 1 - System requirements and implemented technologies


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Figure 4 – A high-level layered representation of the Information System Architecture

6 CONCLUSIONS

This research project was aimed at designing and developing an Information System that may be used to link the wide range of role-players that are involved in the Innovation Process. It was discovered that the role-players mentioned above are connected by the flow of knowledge between them, and that together they form a Knowledge Supply Chain. It was further noted that the management of knowledge within this supply chain is not limited to the archiving of explicit knowledge in repositories. Role-players in the Innovation Process transfer and create implicit and tacit knowledge over and above the obvious explicit knowledge that they share. Knowledge Networks offer a modern and fresh approach to knowledge management that incorporates all types of knowledge. It achieves this by combining organizational and ICT elements in its architecture, thereby combining two domains that are successful in the management of tacit and explicit knowledge respectively. The network structure that a Knowledge Network employs is flexible and dynamic and delivers knowledge transfer at a rate unrivalled by other Knowledge Management strategies. A further advantage of having an organizational element at its core is that the same principles that drive the Knowledge Network within a single organization may be used to deliver rapid and flexible Knowledge Management between organizations. Tacit knowledge is integrated with explicit knowledge and manipulated as knowledge objects - irrespective of the organizational affiliation of the tacit knowledge source. This has lead to the formalization of the Integrated Knowledge Network as a cutting edge strategy for inter-organizational Knowledge Management. It therefore comes as no surprise that Integrated Knowledge Networks are seen as the future of collaboration between role-players in the Innovation Process. The review of relevant literature indicated that connecting the role-players in the Innovation Process was only half the battle won, as many Innovation Management projects that did in fact connect the necessary parties, still failed. A lack of understanding of the intricacies of the Innovation Life Cycle seemed to be the problem, and the Information System developed in this project was therefore equipped with a roadmapping capability. This function nurtures Innovation


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Projects through their infancy as Ideas, leads them through the adolescence as Concepts and monitors them through their adult development as Projects. Combining the developed system's ability to connect role-players in the Innovation Process with its capability to guide the Innovation Projects these role-players are involved in, results in a system that offers the functionality specified in the research hypothesis. It may therefore be concluded that the Information System developed in this research project offers the functions deemed necessary to support and enhance Innovation in a globalized modern economy. The scope of this research project did not include a full testing phase within a production environment. The claim that this study lays to a working system is therefore based upon the successful proof of the research hypothesis. Research suggested that the combination of features that were designed, development and eventually demonstrated are sufficient to support Innovation. It may however be that further insight in the Innovation process will lead to the identification of additional necessary features, or the augmentation of some of the currently known ones. Testing the system in a full production environment will be the only conclusive proof of an effective solution, as even a posthumously applied case study will not capture the complexities of real-time Innovation Management.

7 REFERENCES

[1] Bernard, A., Tichkiewitch, S., Eds. 2008, Methods and Tools for Effective Knowledge Life-Cycle-Management, Springer.

[2] Boston Consulting Group. 2006, Innovation 2006, online at www.bcg.com/publications/files/2006_Innovation_Survey_report.pdf

[3] Buytaert, D. 2009, http://www.drupal.org

[4] Drucker, P. 1985, Innovation and Entrepreneurship: practise and principles, Heinemann, London.

[5] Du Preez, N.D., Louw, L. 2008, “A Framework for Managing the Innovation Process”, PICMET ’08.

[6] Du Preez, N.D., Louw, L. 2007, “Managing the Knowledge Supply Chain to Support Innovation”, COMA’07 International Conference on Competitive Manufacturing.

[7] Raimann, J., Enkel, E., Seufert, A., Back, A. and von Krogh, G. 2000, “Supporting Business Processes through Knowledge Management”, Working Paper Research Center KnowledgeSource, University of St. Gallen. BE HSG/ IWI 3 Nr. 14/ IfB Nr. 42

[8] Salvendy, G. 1992, Handbook of Industrial Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, Canada.

[9] Schutte, C.S.L, Du Preez, N.D. 2008, “Knowledge Networks for Managing Innovation Projects”, PICMET ’08.

[10] Seufert A, von Krogh G, Bach A. 1999, "Towards knowledge networking", Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol 3 1999, pp. 180-190.

http://www.bcg.com/publications/files/2006_Innovation_Survey_report.pdf