The report of the competitiveness and the knowledge based economy Executive Advisory Group to CILIP
July 2002
ISBN: 0 9543792 1 7
Contents
1 Summary
2 Introduction
3 Good practice and standards
4 Research and development
5 People and skills
6 Partnership
7 Marketing and promotion
References
Appendix A: Glossary
Appendix B: Abbreviations
Summary
The dawning of the knowledge economy presents enormous opportunities for CILIP and for its members. However, to realise these opportunities a step change is needed.
In this emerging economy knowledge is a key competitive advantage for individuals, organisations, regions and nations. The ability to create, share and utilise knowledge is fundamental to achieving success and whilst a focus on leveraging knowledge should be common sense it is not common practice. Most individuals and organisations still need to change their values, behaviours and skills and adopt a new way of working.
Changing values, behaviours and skills in an organisation requires a clear vision and approach, and the combination of many different professional competencies including leadership, organisational development, human resources and information and communications technologies. A new approach is required to managing and enabling information flows and resources – an approach that views information in a new context – a context where ‘information’ is communicated knowledge and is therefore pervasive throughout the organisation.
CILIP members have traditionally focused on information from external published sources; records managers have focused on information within internal records; database experts have focused on specific data sets; competitive intelligence professionals have focused on analysing intelligence. This silo approach to information is inappropriate for an organisation striving to compete in a knowledge based economy. Organisations need information strategies, information policies and information architectures that include and integrate all relevant information in the context of their goals and objectives and that support and enable knowledge rich cultures.
CILIP and its members must embrace this wider concept of information and the new context in which information plays such a key role.
Key opportunities
CILIP has the opportunity to play a leadership role in:
National competitiveness – through a pro-active role in helping to define and establish appropriate legislative, regulatory and fiscal frameworks that encourage and support creativity and innovation through knowledge creation, sharing and utilisation; and also in helping to define the additional information literacy skills and behaviours that need to be embedded in the education system and lifelong learning programmes.
Organisational competitiveness – through a pro-active role in helping to develop and promote adoption of standards and good practices for the management of all types of information in all sectors; and by becoming the gateway to information and expertise on all key issues relating to management of information in knowledge based organisations.
Individual competitiveness – through helping to define and promote the new skills and behaviours all individuals need to develop to play an active role in the knowledge economy – and in particular redefining and promoting the invaluable role that public and academic libraries could play in this.
Information profession competitiveness – through embracing, informing and stimulating the wider information profession – by becoming a thought leader, in the UK and globally, on all issues relating to the management of information in the knowledge economy. This will be best achieved through the adoption of an inclusive rather than protective approach.
Key Risk
The key risk is that CILIP does not respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by the emerging knowledge based economy. If it doesn’t it will be increasingly marginalised and the membership will transfer to other professional bodies as they take up the challenges and opportunities.
Key Recommendations
1. The CILIP Management Board and all key personnel equip themselves with an in-depth understanding of the knowledge economy and the implications that it has for CILIP and for its members.
2. CILIP recognises, defines and embraces the wider concept of information appropriate to emerging knowledge environments.
3. CILIP actively recognises the role of other professionals in the context of the wider concept of information and adopts an inclusive approach to membership, becoming an advocate of all players in the information continuum.
4. CILIP adopts a leadership role for the wider information profession and in doing so broadens its membership and representation substantially.
5. CILIP pro-actively informs and engages its members and potential members in the challenges and opportunities presented by the knowledge economy.
6. CILIP adopts an assertive approach to repositioning the image and role of the library and information profession within the knowledge economy.
7. CILIP develops partnerships and strategic alliances with other organisations which also see themselves involved in ‘information’ – now defined in a much broader context.
8. CILIP actively engages with government, and in particular with the Cabinet Office and the Office of the e-envoy, to assist in the development of knowledge based economy frameworks and policies.
9. CILIP seeks strategic partners to develop and promote the adoption of a voluntary national standard ‘Investors in Information’ by organisations in all sectors.
10. To facilitate the above recommendations the Group further recommends that CILIP develops a personal mentoring programme to enable Board members and all key personnel to quickly assimilate an awareness and understanding of the wider information community and to introduce them to appropriate networks and potential partners.
Specific Recommendations
Good practice and standards
1. CILIP should develop a process to identify all standardisation initiatives relevant to the management of information and ensure that members are represented on bodies determining these standards - to make sure that "information" is there as well as "IT".
2. CILIP should also develop a process to identify all new regulatory and legislative initiatives - with the same objectives as for standards.
3. CILIP should develop clear guidelines on ethical issues relating to the use of information in the context of a knowledge based organisation - and to promote widely the vital importance of industry and organisation specific information strategies and policies that enable individuals to understand and comply with the ethical behaviour expected of them.
4. CILIP should support information and knowledge professionals through the provision of a gateway, a "portal" to sources of information on existing and emerging standards, legislation and ethical guidelines; on examples of good practice; and on sources of expertise and centres of excellence relevant to the knowledge economy.
5. CILIP should promote to employers the value of introducing a wider range of information roles to assist with the adoption and application of standards and good practice for the knowledge economy.
6. CILIP should seek strategic partners to develop and promote the adoption of a voluntary national standard "Investors in Information" - similar in nature to ";Investors in People".
Research and development
7. CILIP should take the lead in encouraging and shaping an active research and development culture in all areas of the knowledge economy.
8. CILIP should argue for a co-ordinated research agenda amongst funders of knowledge-focused research and, in partnership with other professional bodies, identify key research questions that should be addressed by this agenda.
9. CILIP should take an active brokering role in developing research partnerships in response to national and international calls for research and development proposals.
10. CILIP should encourage and fund research and development activity in its own areas of professional interest, and in particular the information and knowledge roles career structure in organisations, in order to better position its members in the knowledge economy.
11. CILIP should actively promote research findings of relevance to the knowledge economy to its membership and the public.
12. CILIP should develop the skills of its membership to support and participate in research and development through training and development programmes and support of research-focused groups such as LIRG, BAILER and the Helicon Research Task Force Group.
13. CILIP should consider establishing a research Task Force to produce its own research statement, which should not only promote evidence-based practice for CILIP members but also encourage members to actively contribute to the knowledge base through research.
People and skills
14. CILIP should develop a skills framework which reflects an information skills continuum, the context of their application, and range of skills which enable effective application.
15. CILIP should work with government and other bodies to ensure that basic information literacy skills become a core competence of all members of society – part of the national curriculum. (see RSA Curriculum 2000 project – a competency based curriculum(1.1)).
16. CILIP should instigate further research into the utilisation and development of information literacy skills within the information continuum.
17. CILIP should develop a network of partners and alliances to facilitate the development of information and knowledge management skills throughout society. These partners should include commercial organisations as well as government and professional bodies.
18. CILIP should focus on accessibility and benefits in order to develop a membership that represents the diverse range of players in the information continuum, irrespective of academic qualifications, role or experience.
19. CILIP should research the core disciplines for information specialist in the knowledge economy.
20. CILIP should develop a strategy, structure and constitution that enables it to adapt and evolve to reflect the changes and developments in information and knowledge working.
21. CILIP should work to influence the design of academic courses to ensure that information specialist subjects are taught in the context of the business and organisational world; and that other subjects include the development of information literacy as a core outcome.
22. CILIP should consider accreditation of courses/modules in advanced ‘information literacy’ for people going into, or already in roles which require aspects of information specialism – for example analysts, market researchers, competitive intelligence officers, post graduate students etc.
23. CILIP should develop routes to the development of information specialist skills that encompass a mix of core academic and CPD modules to provide maximum flexibility and access.
24. CILIP should address the issues that create barriers to entry for those who do not come through a traditional information skills education route, without compromising the perceived quality of the professional endorsement.
25. CILIP should map the professions and disciplines engaged in 'managing information'; and define a small number of generic descriptions for people employed in the wider sector and for those employed in specific library and information areas – by March 2003.
Partnership
26. CILIP should identify and proactively pursue the organisations with which it would like to forge strategic alliances.
27. CILIP should identify areas for collaborative working with partners.
28. CILIP should develop specific qualities in order to be attractive to partners – these would include a networked approach and the skills and resources to manage strategic partnerships.
Marketing and promotion
29. CILIP should develop a top-quality web site
30. CILIP should develop a knowledge based award and event to launch it.