[Sigkm-l] Two weeks - ASIS&T 2007 Proposals DUE

[Claire McInerney]

Dear Mark and others,

Thanks to Mark for his comments.

To address Mark's concerns expressed in his email message -- please know
that neither Ron Day nor I (and I think I can safely say none of the
others on this proposed panel) plan on being cheerleaders for the
technologies that were mentioned in the abstracts. We most certainly plan
on addressing critiques of the 2.0 technologies and the way people have
jumped on the bandwagon without considering negative aspects.

It's our intention to address the themes announced by ASIST, connect them
to KM, and offer a thoughtful session that will provoke discussion and
some depth of thinking about social computing.

Our forthcoming interdisciplinary book -- "Re-thinking Knowledge
Management: From KM to Knowledge Processes" being published by Springer
Verlag in early 2007 -- will contain a collection of writings from around
the world about the movement to knowledge processes in organizations and
away from the techno-centric, object-oriented view that was commonly
adopted in the early days of knowledge management. Certainly technologies
have helped in building knowledge and making knowledge objects available
throughout organizations, but the focus on human centered communication is
now seen as critical to the knowledge building process.

The deadline for submissions is this evening. We were hoping for an
endorsement by the SIG before submission (and I apologize that we only
gave the group two days notice), so we'll have to submit with or without
an endorsement. Mark says he's ready to endorse the session along with his
cautionary comments. Is anyone else going to jump in here?

Thanks for considering our submission.

Claire

PS I know many don't check email on the weekends -- not a bad policy,
really -- but in this case we were hoping to hear from a few people
because of the deadline being on a Sunday night. Thanks, everyone.

Claire R. McInerney, PhD
Director, Information Technology & Informatics Program
School of Communication, Information & Library Studies
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
4 Huntington St.
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Voice 732-932-7500 xt. 8218
Fax 732-932-2644
clairemc at rci.rutgers.edu

> If I may, as one who is caught in-between divergent views on this topic,
> sometimes sticking my neck out in many directions as a referee of sorts.
> Highly intelligent and interesting abstracts, and I certainly agree that
> these two as well as many other SIGs are inseparable for anyone hoping to
> come away with meaningful understanding.
>
> Social computing and the often coined self-organizing systems, complexity
> theory, etc. are all the rage just as KM was a few years ago. Wikis for
> example in some U.S. Government KM circles means the same thing as KM,
> when
> in reality it's only one aspect of what would hope would be a
> comprehensive
> and purposeful system for organizational learning and improvement (towards
> a
> stated mission I would add). Personally, I saw evidence that even though
> Wikis and blogs have been around for anyone who could slap up a web page
> since the W3 (albeit with dumber functionality), it's found religion in
> large part due to a couple of drivers- primary one being quite sad in that
> kworkers in some mega cultures (I would include the U.S. Gov- some
> agencies
> more than others) are obviously demoralized and not empowered whatsoever
> to
> the level taken for granted by many of us. The Wiki served to set them
> free
> a bit to contribute to the organization. Go figure. So I have often found
> myself trying to tell the story that the Wiki and the Blog, however
> welcome
> and valuable, are but a couple of the tools that should be in the arsenal.
> The CIA for example just starting using a Wiki last year amazingly enough.
>
> Perhaps more appropriate would be for me to share a view from board
> members
> of several of the world's largest corporations who I've regularly defended
> KM to, more often than not losing the argument. Their view is that KM,
> after
> investing substantial dollars and not experiencing a return relative to
> their mission, is in summary a socialist political movement rather than a
> mission-oriented service. Unfortunately when investigations and audits are
> performed, it often only serves to support that admittedly cynical view.
>
> Many have therefore reduced or eliminated investment in anything relating
> to
> KM, which is still undefined at a level that any two practioners seem to
> be
> able to agree upon. A catch 22 is that rather than coming together, the
> two
> sides become more polar, and not only is that not good for either party,
> it
> isn't what I believe the goal of intelligent organizational systems should
> be- which is to align interests between the individuals, teams, and
> organizations with the goal of continual improvement.
>
> So while I personally would vote for an endorsement, I would like to see
> some of the negative aspects of social computing also discussed (which Web
> 2.0 or Semantic related technologies can indeed help overcome), such as
> the
> problems with accountability, mission-oriented performance or lack
> thereof,
> the current systemic disincentives for sharing of knowledge on the
> Internet,
> permissions and responsibilities within social computing, and related lack
> of protection for intellectual property. Without this seat at the table
> (or
> panel), it won't have much credibility with those who have a legal and
> fiduciary responsibility to make sure that investments in human capital
> and
> technologies are used to move towards the mission of the organization,
> rather than as some fear- the opposite direction and/or personal political
> agendas. Without which it makes it quite difficult for those of us with
> the
> ability to help promote in the private sector to do so. .02 - MM
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Claire R. McInerney" <clairemc at scils.rutgers.edu>
> To: "'Deborah Swain'" <swainham at msn.com>; <Sigkm-l at asis.org>
> Cc: <passman at stats.com>; <rkasprowski at uh.edu>; <qiping.zhang at liu.edu>;
> <naumer at u.washington.edu>; <doppsusan at hotmail.com>; <jp338 at drexel.edu>;
> <tao.jin at mcgill.ca>; <dzhang at jhmi.edu>; <veelling at uncg.edu>;
> <tareasa.bradley at ecolab.com>; <Lisa.B.Park at pfizer.com>;
> <deanna.hall at chemtura.com>; <carmstrong at libraryassociates.com>;
> <jo_remshard at yahoo.com>; <dzhao at ualberta.ca>; <clairemc at rci.rutgers.edu>;
> <matt_chapman at imaginatik.com>
> Sent: Friday, January 19, 2007 5:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [Sigkm-l] Two weeks - ASIS&T 2007 Proposals DUE
>
>
> Deborah and KM SIG members,
>
> Ron Day and I are proposing to have a panel on KM and Social Computing
> with
> panelists discussing implications of Web 2.0 for information professionals
> and the Web public at large. The topics represented in this technical
> panel
> seem to fit very well with the Conference theme for ASIST 2007 -- "Joining
> Research and Practice: Social Computing and Information Science." We hope
> we
> can have the endorsement of the KM SIG for this proposal.
>
> I've attached the proposal that outlines the different panel
> presentations.
> And below I have the text of the theme for the fall conference taken from
> the ASIST website
>
> Theme for the fall 2007 conference --- "Web 2.0 and social computing are
> changing the way people use and perceive the Internet as well as the way
> they work and play. When users are no longer simply consumers of
> information, and become active producers and contributors, what are the
> implications for information science? How are social computing and Web 2.0
> trends affecting the work of information professionals? What current
> research and applications are shaping future directions? ASIS&T 2007 aims
> to
> bring together researchers and practitioners from all aspects of
> information
> science, industry, academe, and information professions for lively
> discussions and debates about the social aspects of information, about all
> things 2.0 (or looking to the future) or higher."
>
> Please let us know if we can put the KM SIG down as the endorser of the
> panel.
>
> Thank you, and especially thank you to Deborah for her organizational
> work.
>
> Claire
>
> Claire R. McInerney
> Director, Information Technology and Informatics Program
> School of Communication, Information and Library Studies
> Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
> 4 Huntington St.
> New Brunswick, NJ 08901
> Voice: 732-932-7500 ext. 8218
> Fax: 732-932-2644
> Email: clairemc at rci.rutgers.edu
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: sigkm-l-bounces at asis.org [mailto:sigkm-l-bounces at asis.org] On Behalf
> Of Deborah Swain
> Sent: Sunday, January 07, 2007 7:59 PM
> To: Sigkm-l at asis.org
> Cc: leona_faust at sec.senate.gov; carmstrong at libraryassociates.com;
> rkasprowski at uh.edu; Lisa.B.Park at pfizer.com; naumer at u.washington.edu;
> doppsusan at hotmail.com; jo_remshard at yahoo.com; tao.jin at mcgill.ca;
> dzhang at jhmi.edu; passman at stats.com; jp338 at drexel.edu;
> tareasa.bradley at ecolab.com; qiping.zhang at liu.edu;
> deanna.hall at chemtura.com;
> veelling at uncg.edu; dzhao at ualberta.ca; matt_chapman at imaginatik.com
> Subject: [Sigkm-l] Two weeks - ASIS&T 2007 Proposals DUE
>
>                                         [Apologies for multiple postings.]
> Greetings to all for a happy new year and healthy post-holiday recovery.
> We
> have just two weeks to put final touches on proposals for ASIST 2007
> papers
> and panels. Due date: January 21. I have attached file listing the
> suggestions that I have received so far for about 5-7 possible panels and
> 2
> activities. Ideas are wonderful! Great start.
>
> Help. I am sure there will be changes and some possible merging or moving.
> It is only a draft. We can revise, cut, or add as needed. (Details will be
> needed. See templates. If you need a template for panels, just let me
> know.)
>
> Let me invite everyone to share ideas about panels you are working on with
> other SIGs and organizations. (See OTHER section of document.) Don't
> hesitate to develop non-SIG/KM sponsored panels or papers, too.
>
> -Deborah Swain, Chair, SIG/KM
>
>
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
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