Proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Knowledge ...

Eduardo Rodriguez, John Edwards and Angel Facundo
Applications <strong>of</strong> KM appear in various organizations in society such as <strong>the</strong> example <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Finnish
Parliament (Suurla et al.2002) or developing intelligent cities and regions using knowledge networks
(Kratke and Brandt 2009) where a cooperation between scientific institutions and firms is identified.
Equally, developing knowledge-based regions is a potential result <strong>of</strong> KM efforts (Etzkowitz and
Kl<strong>of</strong>tsen 2005). Komninos (2006) stated that “Intelligent communities and cities belong to an
emerging movement targeting <strong>the</strong> creation <strong>of</strong> environments that improve cognitive skills and abilities
to learn and innovate.” (p.Abstract) Similarly, <strong>the</strong> KnowCis methodology (Ergazakis et al. 2006) has
been applied to <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> knowledge cities, and KM has also been used to support
collective learning for innovation (Hasan and Crawford 2007). Ano<strong>the</strong>r example is collaboration
among organizations in order to perform better service (Gorry 2006).
Porter and Stern (2001) pointed out “The vitality <strong>of</strong> innovation in a location is shaped by national
innovative capacity. National innovative capacity is a country’s potential-as both a political and
economic entity- to produce a stream <strong>of</strong> commercially relevant innovations.” (p.29)This leads to <strong>the</strong>
review <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> value <strong>of</strong> working directly in regions where <strong>the</strong> innovation might not be in products but in
processes and ways to solve problems. Probably <strong>the</strong> purpose is not <strong>the</strong> commercialization <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> idea
but <strong>the</strong> consolidation <strong>of</strong> a better standard <strong>of</strong> living.
The capacity <strong>of</strong> users in regions and <strong>the</strong> access to technology in regions <strong>of</strong> a country might be a
barrier to overcome and priority to analyze, even though Colombia has climbed from 52 nd in 2008 to
31 st in 2010 in <strong>the</strong> United Nations e-government rankings (United Nations, 2010). Additionally CRM
(Customer Relationship Management) is used by government as a means to understand citizen
demands and to provide input to <strong>the</strong> organizations that serve citizens (Ho and Chuang, 2006).
Equally, Liebowitz (2003) and Osborne (2004) identified KM applications in <strong>the</strong> improvement process
<strong>of</strong> government and its organizations. Misra et al. (2003) and Zavadskas et al. (2010) indicate in
specific that electronic solutions for KM in a region supports organizations and e-technologies in
regional development lead organizing cities with electronic services.
6. Research Program in Knowledge Management based on development <strong>of</strong>
intelligences
The previous sections have introduced concepts <strong>of</strong> competitiveness, risk and KM and examples <strong>of</strong>
KM actions in communities through KMSs. What is missing in particular in Colombia is people that
support <strong>the</strong> processes, identify needs and KM solutions. Access to ICT is a barrier to overcome in
some regions but even if <strong>the</strong> ICT is available <strong>the</strong> communities have a lack <strong>of</strong> human capital that
supports KM transformation for <strong>the</strong>m. Additionally, universities in <strong>the</strong> regions are supporting <strong>the</strong>
development but it has not been enough. Hautala et al. (2009) pointed out that <strong>the</strong>re are two needs
that affect negatively <strong>the</strong> innovation coming from universities: ”The quality <strong>of</strong> scientific research is still,
<strong>of</strong> course, highly appreciated, but innovative application <strong>of</strong> new knowledge for creating new business
and making established ones more successful has also become a serious and essential ingredient <strong>of</strong>
a successful university.”(p.19)
Thus this paper presents <strong>the</strong> created research program that is based on <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
combination <strong>of</strong> different intelligences for KM. It seeks to use intelligence in relation to <strong>the</strong> tools that
individuals and groups possess, along with thought processes to find solutions to real community
problems: solutions based on knowledge and creativity. The four facets <strong>of</strong> artificial, collective,
sentient and strategic intelligence produce a structure in which <strong>the</strong> elements <strong>of</strong> KM constitute a
response to <strong>the</strong> problems <strong>of</strong> organizations, communities and countries.
The research program has as its objective to train researchers with holistic and interdisciplinary vision,
capable <strong>of</strong> promoting <strong>the</strong> generation <strong>of</strong> knowledge, innovations or technological developments, using
KM (symbiosis <strong>of</strong> intellectual capital and technology) in different lines <strong>of</strong> research focused on <strong>the</strong> four
intelligences, as well as <strong>the</strong> ability to solve problems in <strong>the</strong> context <strong>of</strong> regional organizations in order
to contribute to <strong>the</strong> transformation and scientific, technological, cultural, and socio-economic advance
<strong>of</strong> developing countries.
Doctoral students will have some specific scenarios <strong>of</strong> action and communities will benefit through
development <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir doctoral research projects. The doctoral student will be exposed to <strong>the</strong>
production chains in <strong>the</strong> regions, <strong>the</strong> sustainability <strong>of</strong> projects in <strong>the</strong> regions, <strong>the</strong> integration <strong>of</strong> science
and technology in <strong>the</strong> production chains, <strong>the</strong> recognition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> artistic, cultural and technological
844