Indigenous Knowledge Management Systems Research Articles

Data management of digitized indigenous knowledge system in repositories

This paper assesses the data management of digitized Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) in IKS repositories in South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative research method. The multiple case study research design was adopted to collect data from eight respondents in four Indigenous Knowledge Systems Documentation Centres (IKSDCs) in repositories spread across three provinces in South Africa. The findings revealed that the Department of Science and Technology (DST) coordinates the national IKS programmes under the National Recordal System (NRS) and they are responsible for the management of digitized IKS. The findings also revealed that although the National Indigenous Knowledge Management System (NIKMAS) was built for the management of the data, the system is still in its planning phase, and work is still in progress. In addition, it was discovered that information professionals like archivists and records managers are currently not involved in the management of IKS data in the repositories. The paper offers recommendations on the data management and storage of IKS, data description, mitigating the challenges, and some measures to help ensure the authenticity of the IKS data collected in the repositories.

Exploring models for the management of indigenous knowledge in academic libraries of Ghana

The need to manage indigenous knowledge (IK) as a key knowledge base of society has become vital in the era of information society. The lack of representation of IK is partly blamed on its exclusion from academia because IK is not primarily the core focus of academic library's collection. The study sought to explore existing models and develop a framework for the management of indigenous knowledge in academic libraries in Ghana. The qualitative methodology using content analysis was adopted for the purpose of the study. Data was analysed using themes developed from the documents and literature. It was evident that the library services and programmes did not reflect on the African content of knowledge management. For an integrated indigenous knowledge management system, stakeholder's partnership, policy guidelines and integration of IK into library's collection is instrumental. Transformation of knowledge systems was identified as the starting point of integration. Social inclusion of marginalised knowledge, equality, sustainable development was identified and recommended in the effort to integrate indigenous knowledge management systems into the library's collection. A proposed framework has been developed for the management of indigenous knowledge in academic libraries as a blueprint for any integration effort.

Use of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Crop and Livestock Production and Implication to Social Ecology: A Case Study of Chimanimani District of Zimbabwe

This study explored the indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) in the Chimanimani District of Zimbabwe and how they are used in crop management and grain storage. Also examined were the effects of IKS use on community food security and integrity of the environment. A qualitative interpretative research design was employed through the use of detailed in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with traditional leaders and community elders. The choice for these groups of people was informed by the general belief that they are often regarded in the community as a reservoir of indigenous knowledge systems. Phenomenological underpinnings anchored the study because it was vital to bring to the fore the various related IKS phenomena and links to food security and environmental management in the community. A socio-ecological lens was used to establish links and interrelations of factors that contribute to food security and environmental management. Major findings include that ashes and leaves from some indigenous trees are used to enrich soil quality, preserve food, and treat livestock. In addition, ashes and leaves are applied as organic pesticides for a variety of crops grown in the district. The study established that these local knowledge systems and practices contribute to low farming costs, high crop yields and good environmental management. The indigenous trees used for this purpose are held in high regard and conserved through the practice and enforcement of socio-spiritual prohibitions like taboos. The study concluded that the body of local knowledge firmly rooted in the Chimanimani people’s culture and traditions is relevant to and consistent with the national and global agenda towards strengthening and sustaining community food security and environmental management. Furthermore, the local knowledge systems found in this study have policy implications for environmental management and climate change strategies as well as knowledge management from a socio-ecological perspective.Keywords: indigenous knowledge management systems, environmental management, food security

Framing Indigenous Knowledge in Digital Context

For more than three decades, designers have been increasingly involved in various design activities through a large number of participatory design projects in indigenous communities. To understand the indigenous information taxonomies, the designers need active participation and engagement of the local community in the design process. Designers are in the continuous quest for methods and tools that can work as “all-in-one solutions.” However, every project is unique, and it is necessary to decide which design approach, method and tool to use in a specific context. This article covers the experiences of the community-driven design process in the development of indigenous knowledge management systems in a rural site of Borneo. The authors' endeavors lead them to question the validity of techniques and interpretations of interactions originating from a Western scientific paradigm and pursue the creation of an indigenous HCI paradigm to frame design methods. It hoped that the experience will help designers to understand the importance of local communities' active engagement in the design process.

The Role of Ethics in the Commercialization of Indigenous Knowledge

Much has been written about indigenous knowledge and intellectual property rights (IPRs) in fields like anthropology and law. However, it remains an under-examined topic in business and management literature. In this article, we review the emerging contentious discourse, definitional issues and underlying assumptions of the western IPR and indigenous knowledge management systems. We highlight the similarities and differences between the two approaches. We argue that adopting a view that law is socially constructed with ethical underpinnings helps sort out the thorny issues related to indigenous knowledge ‘expropriation’. To do this, we draw on the role of ethical norms in the historical evolution of IPRs regimes. Finally, grounded in Stakeholder Theory, we conclude with a discussion of managerial implications.

Indigenous Knowledge Management in the Kelabit Community in Eastern Malaysia

Knowledge audits and assessment help organizations to identify the status of knowledge processes and develop strategies to manage their knowledge-based assets. The structure of Indigenous Knowledge Management Systems (IKMS) is different from the organisation’s Knowledge Management (KM) systems and mainly based on the tacit and implicit knowledge forms. Hence, the existing organisation’s knowledge audit and assessment tools are not addressing the inherent structure of IKMS. The paper addresses this gap and uses a methodological approach for the assessment of Indigenous Knowledge Management (IKM) processes. The approach is tested in the indigenous Kelabit community of Bario in East Malaysia. The methods used for data collection are survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The study finding argues that indigenous communities exercise the processes of storage, leveraging, sharing and applying knowledge. These processes are a combination of the knowledge and the ways in which this knowledge is put into practice in their daily life activities. These processes may be different but not less effective or less efficient in comparison to organisation’s KM processes. The study will help Information and Communication Technology (ICT) researchers to better understand the structure of IKMS and then use this understanding for designing the technological solution for IKM.

Exploring the downside of open knowledge resources: The case of indigenous knowledge systems and practices in the Philippines

The paper is based on the challenges encountered by the researcher while conducting a study titled “Design, Development and Testing of an Indigenous Knowledge Management System Using Mobile Device Video Capture and Web 2.0 Protocols.” During the conduct of the study the researcher observed a marked reluctance from organized indigenous people’s groups to participate in the initiative. It soon became apparent that interfacing indigenous knowledge with open access concepts held complicated issues. The inhibiting factors enumerated and discussed in the paper deal with: honoring indigenous belief systems; respecting the privacy of indigenous peoples; dealing with indigenous knowledge system (IKS) protocols; the significance of context in IKS; mainstream prejudice and value judgments among non-indigenous people users; and the misrepresentation of indigenous knowledge.

Towards a Knowledge-Based Economy – the Case of Botswana A Discussion Article

Botswana is keen to position itself as a knowledge-based economy as early as 2016 due to the realisation that to compete on a global scale, efficient knowledge value chains must be put in place, which includes indigenous knowledge management systems. This realisation is primarily caused by falling demand in the price of diamonds (due to the world’s recession), which is the country’s current economic mainstay. Today, Botswana is pushing for further economic liberalisation and diversification by employing and encouraging novel frontiers of knowledge with emphasis placed on research and efficient knowledge management as a vital resource for national development. In Botswana, the role of scientific and technical knowledge is being emphasized as the main driver of sustainable development, but not forgetting the potential contribution of indigenous and mythological knowledge to this aim. Several initiatives have been devised or implemented by both the government and the public sector to position Botswana as a knowledge-based economy. This paper surveys the fundamental concepts on which this paradigm shift is based and brings out the different initiatives that have been undertaken while emphasizing the role of research and efficient knowledge management paradigms in shaping Botswana as a knowledge-based economy.