Search results

This study aims to pose one major research question, i.e. why and how to use knowledge management methods in order to enhance knowledge creation in academia – at universities and research institutes?

The paper defines KM in academia as any systematic activity related to support and enhancement of the creation of scientific knowledge and achievement of research goals, including both social process and relevant computer technology tools. Two surveys and case studies were carried out to achieve the research purpose at Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST). The first survey focused on knowledge management in academia and investigated the current KM situations, special and diverse requirements from researchers. The second survey concentrated on supporting the creative processes of academic research and investigated which aspects of knowledge creation processes should be supported in particular. Based on survey findings, the practical solutions are further presented aimed to improve the creative environment for scientific knowledge creation.

The findings from the first survey showed that the KM obstacles reflected on various aspects: technological support, the people involved in creation activities, laboratory cultural, and so on. The seven most critical questions and three most important questions were evaluated by responders with respect to academic knowledge creation process in the second survey.

The study advances the belief that knowledge management (KM) is applicable not only in industrial and market organizations, but also in academia.

With respect to the survey results, it is suggested that a creative environment in academia should be enhanced from both “soft” and “hard” aspects under the guidelines of a systems thinking framework for KM in scientific labs. From the soft side, by using personalization strategies, a knowledge‐sharing culture has to be built in labs to facilitate scientific communication, debate and team work. From the hard side, by using technology strategies, a practical example is presented in JAIST concerning the implementation of the hard aspect of creative environment. It is hoped that the research can launch further debate and prompt practical steps to help research institutes or universities improve their management and increase the research efficiency.

An essential point is that the study is based on the feedback from knowledge creators in a typical knowledge creation organization, which makes the analyses and conclusions more comprehensive and persuasive from both the theoretical and practical points of view. The research not only explores some hidden or tacit problems existing in academic knowledge management and scientific knowledge creation, but also proposes solutions for scientific knowledge creation that were found to be valuable by university management.

Proposes to discuss the implementation of biological methods of the reinforcement and protection of slopes and dissemination to designers and builders of earthen structures.

The methodology of the process developed consists of field experiments including plant selection, preparation of the slope, hydroseeding mass composition, structure and rheological properties, as well as observation of the growing process and proper management of the layer covering. Laboratory tests and field experiments were conducted.

The research results confirm that covering slopes with a hydroseeding layer contributes to a reduction of the erosion process. The most important effect of the protection process is the creation of favorable conditions for seedlings growing in the third leaf phase with the effect of compact green cover.

The research results could be an important basis for the development of legislation acts related to road building, including proper slope management, together with seeding, underseeding and prototechnical operations that should be done during the first two years for both shaded and sunny slopes. The next step should be the training of designers and builders, and implementation of the technology.

This technology is new in Poland. The authors have realized several hundred slopes with this technology. However, for further improvement of slopes, protection was a necessary realization of the research discussed in the paper.

The thesis that the institutional arrangements, social organizations, and ideology in Eastern Europe are not conducive to the establishment of capitalism, and certainly not the laissez‐faire variety, with Poland cited as the illustrative case. Karl Polanyi′s necessary conditions for laissez‐faire capitalism in the nineteenth century represent the point of origin for the analysis, i.e. the maintenance of rules to permit the self‐regulating market. The focus is on the ongoing process of privatization, citing the primary institutional shortcomings. Also examines governmental structural problems in addition to historical institutional developments. Considers the history of property rights from legal and cultural perspectives. The final concern is to offer a different interpretation of markets, i.e. markets as cultural and political institutions.