Knowledge Networks

COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COCHIN 682022
2010

Seminar Report
On
Knowledge Network
Submitted By
Hafsath.C.A
In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of
Degree of Master of Technology (M.Tech)
In
Software Engineering

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DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
COCHIN 682022

Certificate
This is to certify that the Seminar report entitled Knowledge
Network, submitted by Hafsath.C.A, Semester I, in the partial fulfillment of the
requirement for the award of M.Tech. Degree in Software Engineering is a bonafide record
of the Seminar presented by her in the academic year 2010.

Dr. Sumam Mary Idicula

Seminar Guide

Dr. K Paulose Jacob

Head of the Department

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I express our profound gratitude to the Head of Department Dr.
K Paulose Jacob for allowing me to proceed with the seminar and also for giving me full
freedom to access the lab facilities.
My heartfelt thanks to my guide Dr. Sumam Mary Idicula for taking time
and helping me through my seminar. She has been a constant source of encouragement without
which the seminar might not have been completed on time. I am very grateful for her guidance.

I am also thankful to Mr.G Santhosh Kumar, Lecturer, Department of Computer

Science, for helping me with my seminar. His ideas and thoughts have been of great importance.

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ABSTRACT
The world is experiencing an era which is termed as knowledge age. In this new context,
knowledge is the primary commodity and management of knowledge becomes more and
more crucial. Knowledge network is an effective method for knowledge management. KN is a
method used for combining individuals knowledge and skills in pursuit of personal and
organizational objectives. Knowledge network is grounded not just the application of existing
explicit knowledge, but the sharing of tacit and implicit knowledge.

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CONTENTS

1.

Introduction

2.

Information hierarchy.

3.

Knowledge?

4.

Knowledge management..

5.

Knowledge network
5.1

Need?.................................................................................

5.2

Operating principles..

5.3

Structure..

5.4

Components..

5.5

Process

5.6

Nonaka's Model of Knowledge Creation & Transformation

5.7

Layers..

5.8

Components of success

5.9

Case study

6.

Conclusion

7.

References..

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1. Introduction
Over the last three decades the use of computers has steadily changed along
the spectrum from aiding computation (data processing) to communications (email etc.). It
is now entering a new era of helping cognition - human thinking and knowledge
processes. However much information organizations store in computer only a small
fraction of the knowledge needed to run an enterprise is encapsulated in this form or in
manual procedures - 10%-30% is the figure given by most groups asked to estimate this
percentage. The rest is the tacit knowledge and wisdom in people's heads.
Tacit knowledge becomes even more important in a dynamic business
environment and is the key to an organizations ability to respond in a flexible and timely
manner. This is a role that knowledge networking can help fill.

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2. Information hierarchy

The content of the human mind can be classified into five categories:

1. Data: Data is raw. It simply exists and has no significance beyond its existence (in
and of itself). It can exist in any form, usable or not. It does not have meaning of
itself. In computer parlance, a spreadsheet generally starts out by holding data.

2. Information: Data that are processed to be useful; provides answers to "who",

"what", "where", and "when" questions information is data that has been given
meaning by way of relational connection.

3. Knowledge: Application of data and information; answers "how" questions.

Knowledge is the appropriate collection of information, such that it's intent is to be
useful. Knowledge is a deterministic process.

4. Understanding: Appreciation of "why. Understanding is an interpolative and probabilistic

process. It is cognitive and analytical. It is the process by which I can take knowledge and
synthesize new knowledge from the previously held knowledge. The difference between
understanding and knowledge is the difference between "learning" and "memorizing".
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5. Wisdom: evaluated understanding. Wisdom is an extrapolative and non-deterministic,

non-probabilistic process. It calls upon all the previous levels of consciousness, and
specifically upon special types of human programming (moral, ethical codes, etc.).

3. Knowledge
Knowledge is the knowing familiarity gained by experience; persons range of
information; a theoretical or practical understanding of; the sum of what is known.
There are three types of knowledge:

1)

Explicit knowledge

2) Tacit knowledge
3) Implicit knowledge

Explicit knowledge is that which is written down, recorded or codified in some

manner is often used almost interchangeably with information in the knowledge management
/knowledge network context. The mapping and sharing of knowledge focuses primarily on
individual explicit knowledge and its relation to organizational explicit knowledge.
Tacit knowledge is the understanding of how to do things. It is created by doing, by
personal trial, error, reflection and revision ie. Understanding how to research and develop new
policy recommendations, learning how to run a community consultation or how to negotiate a
policy change with a decision-maker. But it is difficult to articulate what that

how to actually is. The transfer of tacit knowledge is, therefore, through shared
processes ie.working together, mentoring, and so forth in addition to the physical
transmission of written or recorded content.
Finally, implicit knowledge refers to an individuals contextual surroundings
that are imbued with and shape his collective values, normative behavior, roles, customs,
and expectations of events in short, an individual's culture and values.
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4. Knowledge management
In an economy where the only certainty is uncertainty, the one sure source of
lasting competitive advantage is knowledge. This change of focus forces organizations to re-think
the way they manage their business since the focus is no longer on tangible assets but on peoples
abilities and experience. In the industrial economy if people thought about knowledge at all they
operated from the old equation: knowledge is power, so hoard it. Today companies are embracing a
new equation for success: knowledge is power, so share and it multiplies. This new logic represents
a radical rethinking of basic business and economic models.

Knowledge-focused strategic domains:

1 Sharing knowledge and best practices

2 Instilling responsibility for sharing knowledge
3 Capturing and reusing past experiences
4 Embedding knowledge in product, services and processes
5 Producing knowledge as a product
6 Driving knowledge generation for innovation
7 Mapping networks of experts
8 Building and mining customer knowledge bases
9 Understanding and measuring the value of knowledge
10 Leveraging intellectual assets
Such focus areas are typical of companies that embrace the sharing of
knowledge across organizational boundaries. Corporate know-how is important at strategic levels to
sense the environment and challenge management assumptions. At the tactical level, day-to-day
decision making requires that people talk candidly, share their experience and insights, and find
meaning together. At the operational level, replicating best practices throughout the company
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quickly and effectively can lead to greater efficiencies, lower costs and higher quality of
goods and services.

Two main streamlines of knowledge management focus on different approaches:

Information Management
Knowledge as network
IT network
Use and reuse of

Personnel Management
Knowledge as process
Social network
Creation of knowledge

Knowledge network is an effective method for knowledge management which

integrate these two approaches

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5. KNOWLEDGE NETWORK
Knowledge network is described by Newman. KN mainly for interactive
knowledge creation and use. Interdisciplinary communities can share knowledge and build
knowledge for complex problems .It uncovering expertise within the organization and
connections to/with external contacts. Basically it is a set of relationships. It is more
focused and narrowly based than informal network. It is an effective way of combining
individuals knowledge and skills in pursuit of personal and organizational objectives.

5.1 Need
The Web has become an indispensable tool of modern culture. To a degree, its
initial promise of creating a global network that offers access to the knowledge of the world has
been realized. It supports advanced technological research in the sciences, arts, and
humanities, but it also has popular appeal (online news, media, telecommunications) and has
drawn wide public engagement (Flickr, Wikipedia). Powerful, but relatively crude, search
engines organize the enormous amount of information on the Internet into simple answers to
clear cut, search term-based questions. What is deceptive about this everyday process is that it
flattens rather than deepens and improves knowledge since popular search engines enforce a
historical perspective; the Web does not support the long-tail effect.

5.2 Operating principles

Knowledge networks consist of groups of expert institutions working together
on a common concern, strengthening each other's research and communications capacity,
sharing knowledge bases and developing solutions that meet the needs of target decision
Based on this definition, there are several operating principles for formal networks:
1. Knowledge networks are purpose driven.
We have observed that the narrower the focus, the more influential a network
becomes. The institutional collaboration takes place around a single issue or problem rather than
a broad spectrum of interests. Focus is essential. The network's research on the issue should be
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transdisciplinary. The purpose of the network could be thematically based

(ex. trade,

dams, ozone depletion) or regionally focused (ex. environmental policy options in Central America).

2. Knowledge networks are working networks.

One of the greatest challenges in setting up and running a network is moving
the participants beyond basic information exchange to actually working together on solutions.
In our view, knowledge networks are far more "work" than "net.? A working network is driven
not just by research but by implementation. As part of creating work plans for the network, the
members should focus on how the results of the network's research will be used. The work
plans should include strategies for the application of the research: How will the research be
linked to the public policy process? How will the process or technology developed by the
network be commercialized or put into practice by those outside the network?
3. Knowledge networks require institutional commitment beyond the participation of

individuals and experts.

While expert networks and consultative groups have their place, we have
learned that a knowledge network requires the commitment of an institution for several
reasons.

Accountability: The participants in the network represent institutional

mandates rather than personal research interests. The agenda is,
therefore, more likely to be focused on implementation. Participants are
also held accountable for their work not only by their colleagues in the
network, but by the institutions they represent.
Continuity: Networks can take up to a decade to thrive and have real
impact. With institutional commitment, it is more likely that work will
continue even if individual staff changes.
Commitment of resources: The network activities will be endorsed as part of
each institution's mandate, making easier the justification of both financial and inkind support from participating institutions and ensuring their involvement in
promoting

the results of the network's research.

4. Knowledge networks are built on expertise, not just interest alone.

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The identification and selection of members is one of the most important

tasks of the network. The reputation of the network, and the level of influence it will have,
will be based on the expertise and credibility of the members. We also suggest, as guiding
principle, that institutional membership be based on expertise and the capacity to
undertake the research and implement work plans. Interest in an issue is not, in itself,
reason enough to include an organization in a knowledge network.
Membership in a formal network should be based on merit. In order for a
knowledge network to create new knowledge and to have real influence, that knowledge
and influence must be grounded in expertise and reputation. If exclusivity is a concern of
the network, then communications mechanisms can be employed to bring points of view
from outside of the immediate network membership. These include workshops, electronic
conferences, the nomination of associate members for specific activities and the formation
of more open, dynamic "working groups" within the formal network.
5. Knowledge networks are cross-sectoral and cross-regional.
Knowledge networks should result in a reduction of boundaries between
sectors such as universities and industry, or governments and civil society.
6. Knowledge networks must develop and strengthen capacity in all members.
Strengthening capacity is critical to the formal knowledge network model: we
create knowledge networks in order to learn from each other and build on each others
strengths. Capacity development occurs at all points in the work plan: in research
management; in the substantive issues; in virtual teamwork; in communicating findings
more broadly; and in influencing decision-making. An underlying premise of a knowledge
network is that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. However, a significant benefit
of participating in a knowledge network is that each of the parts becomes stronger.
7. Knowledge networks are communications networks.
This final principle underpins all the others. The knowledge created and
aggregated by the network must be shared beyond the network members. This operating
principle is part and parcel of a network being a purpose-driven, working network.
Mechanisms must be put in place from the beginning to reach targeted decision-makers
who will be the ones to put the research of the network into action.
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5.3 Structure of Knowledge network

When people think about some things or events, all the concepts (nodes)
are connected by some relations or Laws (links) to formulate a network. The network can
be used as a thinking and knowledge presentation tool .For a working group, the concepts
of all members with different expertise will be integrated as a large network
There are three kinds of linking in the knowledge network system:

1. Linking knowledge to knowledge: The different units of knowledge can be

linked. It is the necessary condition for the knowledge integration.

2. Linking people to knowledge: This is the important way for people to get the knowledge.
In reverse direction users can find the related people from the knowledge.

3. Linking people to people. This forms a social network.

5.4 Components of Knowledge Network
Knowledge architecture can be regarded as a prerequisite to knowledge
sharing. The infrastructure can be viewed as a combination of people, content, and technology.

The People Core

By people, here we mean knowledge workers, managers, customers, and suppliers.
As the first step in knowledge architecture, our goal is to evaluate the existing information/
documents which are used by people, the applications needed by them, the people they usually
contact for solutions, the associates they collaborate with, the official emails they send/receive,
and the database(s) they usually access. All the above stated resources help to create an
employee profile, which can later be used as the basis for designing a knowledge management
system. The idea behind assessing the people core is to do a proper job in case of assigning
job content to the right person and to make sure that the flow of information that once was
obstructed by departments now flows to right people at right time.

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The Technical Core

The objective of the technical core is to enhance communication as well as ensure
effective knowledge sharing. Technology provides a lot of opportunities for managing tacit
knowledge in the area of communication. Communication networks create links between
necessary databases. Here the term technical core is meant to refer to the totality of the required
hardware, software, and the specialized human resources. Expected attributes of technology
under the technical core: Accuracy, speed, reliability, security, and integrity. Since an organization
can be thought of as a knowledge network, the goal of knowledge economy is to push employees
towards greater efficiency/ productivity by making best possible use of the knowledge they posses.

Content core
Knowledge stored in the database
Procedures
Access, Navigation, Observation, Analysis, Collaboration, Learning

5.5 Process in KNS

The knowledge network system aims at the integration all the knowledge resources at
all the levels (as well as the whole Internet) and provides easy and flexible means for the knowledge
capturing, processing, and creation. In the daily work, people get their knowledge through the
following ways: Searching and finding knowledge on paper (explicit knowledge). Meeting persons in
real life to get explicit and tacit knowledge. Using multimedia communication tool like telephone, TV
to get some knowledge. From personal computer, in which there exist some knowledge captured
and stored .From the distributed knowledge network (DKN) at different level. Creating new
knowledge after capturing, integrating existing knowledge and creative mental process .For the
effective processing the knowledge, the concept of knowledge node is introduced. A knowledge
node is a kind of high level processing unit. It has three main functions:

1. Dissemination of information on request or automatically channelled.

2. Two way communication and feedback capacities through multimedia interfaces.
3. Access to a local knowledge bank and possibly meta knowledge about other knowledge
nodes.

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At the lowest level,

a technological innovation is

preceded by a number of

interconnected scientific and technological facts (concepts). In the basic research work, those
facts may present new

scientific ideas, theories, empirical achievements, discoveries, etc in

different scientific disciplines.

In applied research work, they are advances in different

technologies, e.g. new technical solutions, inventions, new principles and methods of design and
manufacturing, etc. A network can be constructed by connections between these facts or
concepts. Each node can be interlinked to another node at different levels
The more important point is each new concept may play a catalytic role in triggering
out new ideas and their applications to extending knowledge. If we can mine the existing

networks and explore some pieces of network and integrate them, some prototypes of
knowledge generating network may be expected, though it can not guarantee to perfect
success. The most crucial task for the knowledge management is knowledge conversion
and creation. A typical approach is put forward by Nonaka and Takeuchi. They assumes
that knowledge is created through the interaction between tacit and explicit, individual and
organizational knowledge, and proposes four modes of knowledge conversion.

5.6 Nonaka's Model of Knowledge Creation & Transformation

In 1995, Nonaka coined the terms tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge
as the two main types of human knowledge. The key to knowledge creation lies in the way
it is mobilized and converted through technology.
Tacit to tacit communication (Socialization): Takes place between people in
meetings or in team discussions.
Tacit to explicit communication (Externalization): Articulation among people
trough dialog (e.g., brainstorming).
Explicit to explicit communication (Communication): This transformation
phase can be best supported by technology. Explicit knowledge can be easily
captured and then distributed/transmitted to worldwide audience.

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Explicit to tacit communication (Internalization): This implies taking explicit

knowledge (e.g., a report) and deducing new ideas or taking constructive action.
One significant goal of knowledge management is to create technology to help the
users to derive tacit knowledge from explicit knowledge.

5.7Layers of KNS
The knowledge network system composed of 5 layers

1. User interface layer

2. Authorized Access Layer
3. Collaborative Intelligence and Filtering Layer
4. Knowledge-Enabling Application Layer (Value-Added Layer)
5. Transport Layer
6. Middleware Layer
7. Repositories Layer
User Interface layer
It is the top layer in the KM system architecture. A web browser represents the
interface between the user and the KM system.It provide a way for the proper flow of tacit and
explicit knowledge ie, Capturing tacit knowledge from experts and making it available to people

User interface layer should have following features:consistency, relevancy ,visual

clarity ,usability ,ease of navigation
Authorized Access Layer
This layer maintains security as well as ensures authorized access to the
knowledge captured and stored in the organization's repositories. The knowledge is usually
captured by using internet, intranet of extranet. An organization's intranet represents the internal
network of communication systems. Extranet is a type of intranet with extensions allowing
specified people (customers, suppliers, etc.) to access some organizational information. Issues
related to the access layer: access privileges, backups. The access layer is mostly focused on
security, use of protocols (like passwords), and software tools like firewalls.
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Firewalls can protect against:

E-mails that can cause problems.
Unauthorized access from the outside world.
Undesirable material (movies, images, music etc).
Unauthorized sensitive information leaving the organization.
Firewalls can not protect against:
Attacks not going through the firewall.
Viruses on floppy disks.
Weak security policies.
Collaborative Intelligence and Filtering Layer
This layer provides customized views based on stored knowledge. Authorized users
can find information (through a search mechanism) tailored to their needs. Intelligent agents (active
objects which can perceive, reason, and act in a situation to help problem solving) are found to be
extremely useful in some situations. In case of client/server computing, there happens to be
frequent and direct interaction between the client and the server. In case of mobile agent computing,
the interaction happens between the agent and the server. A mobile agent roams around the
internet across multiple servers looking for the correct information.

Some benefits can be found in the areas of:

Fault tolerance.
Reduced overall network load.
Heterogeneous operation.
Key components of this layer: The registration directory that develops
tailored information based on user profile. Membership in specific services, such as sales
promotion, news service etc. The search facility such as a search engine. In terms of the
prerequisites for this layer, the following criteria can be considered: Security, Portability,
Flexibility, Scalability, Ease of useand Integration.
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Knowledge-Enabling Application Layer (Value-Added Layer)

This creates a competitive edge. Most of the applications help users to do their jobs
in better ways. They include knowledge bases, discussion databases, decision support etc.

Transport Layer
This is the most technical layer. It ensures to make the organization a
network of relationships where electronic transfer of knowledge can be considered as
routine. This layer associates with LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network),
intranets, extranets, and internet. In this layer we consider multimedia, URL's, connectivity
speeds/bandwidths, search tools, and consider managing of network traffic.
Middleware Layer
This layer makes it possible to connect between old and new data
formats. It contains a range of programs to do this job.
Repositories Layer
It is the bottom layer of the KM architecture which represents the physical
layer in which repositories are installed. These may include, legacy applications,
intelligent data warehouses, operational databases etc. After establishing the
repositories, they are linked to form an integrated repository.

5.8Components for success

We have found that effective formal knowledge networks usually have certain
components, some of which are well-understood and have been extensively documented
and others which are less well-understood or previously uninvestigated
1. External communications and engagement strategies for network audiences
According to our principles, knowledge networks need to be purpose driven,
workingnetworks, and they must be communications networks. This means that the knowledge
created by the network must be for broader application outside of the network. There are two levels
of audience for networks: the target audience - those whom the network most wants to influence
with the outputs of its work broader audiences - those individuals and organizations interested in
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or working on the same issues as the network. Each network should continually ask what
impact it hopes to have and on whom. The participants should determine their target
audience with as much specificity as possible. The network should consider how it will
move its advice and solutions into practice.
2. Relationship building, management and governance
It explores the need for setting network goals and objectives (the"purpose"
or focus of the network), network membership issues, governance and decision-making
mechanisms, day-to-day management through a secretariat or coordinating unit, funding and
resource sharing issue. The network falls into disuse without institutional commitment and
staffing to continually push all of the participants. The opportunity to develop new policy
recommendations and new development practices would be lost without this level of attention

3. Internal communications infrastructure and virtual teamwork protocols

For members to learn from each other and build on each others strengths,
knowledge networks require a communications infrastructure and protocols to support the
joint work of network members. An important step in managing a knowledge network is the
creation of a private, closed extranet to link the network members.
4. Evaluation mechanisms
It is a common observation that what you can't measure, you can't manage.
More research on measuring the overall performance of knowledge networks is required in
order to manage them more effectively. We think that pooling our knowledge and staff
resources in a knowledge network may result in more cost-effective research, particularly
when adequately supported by information and communications technologies.

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5.9 Case study

1. Halliburton energy services, Texas started a number of knowledge networks as
part of
knowledge management implementation

Let us assume that a user has a question. The user performs a self-search
and looks in the Knowledge Repository for relevant information. If the user cannot find what she/he
needs in the repository, then she/he posts the issue on the collaboration tool in the community
portal. The community members can contribute suggestions, share experiences, and help clarify
the scope of the problem until a solution is found. The community of practice has a full-time
Knowledge Broker (KB) who connects those who know with those who need to know. An
important part of developing the community is identifying individuals around the globe who have
specific expertise. The Knowledge Broker then connects those individuals with expertise to those
within the community who need it. Once solutions are validated by a subject matter expert (SME)
and acknowledged as a viable solution by the user, the KB tags the solution with taxonomy
attributes and metadata and places it in the knowledge repository for further use.
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Another component of the community learning system not apparent in

the processes described above is learning on demand. As users access the community
portal, there are new issues and questions posted to the collaboration tool daily. Users
learn by reading the postings, comments and solutions of others, as well as their own. The
collaboration postings and threaded discussions are a rich source of knowledge and
information, and can be searched using the portal search tool. Users do not have to wait
until this posting is placed in the knowledge repository to have access to it.
2. Knowledge network of Infosys solutions

Main co mponents of the system are:

KM portal: a central repository for contents
People knowledge map: a directory service for locating experts
Knowledge exchange: a set of online discussion forums
K-mail: an auto response generator and work flow engine for answering questions
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6. Conclusion
www flattens rather than deepens and improve the knowledge,butKnowledge
network concentrate on knowledge than raw information. The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure
has accorded in principle approval for the establishment National Knowledge Network (NKN).The
knowledge network is planned to be implemented by the NIC and will inter-connect all knowledge
institutions trough high speed data communication network.NKN would encourage sharing of
knowledge, specialized resources and collaborative research among scientists, researchers and
students from diverse spheres across the country to work together for advancing human
development in critical and emerging areas.NKN will catalyze knowledge sharing and knowledge
transfer between stakeholders seamlessly that too across the nation and globally for creating
intellectual property.NKN would enable use of specialized applications and allow sharing of high
performance computing facilities, e-libraries, virtual classrooms and very large databases.

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7. References
1. Martin Doerr,The dream of a global knowledge network-Anew approach:
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1367080.1367085

2. Heather

Creech,Principles

for

sustainable

development

Knowledge

networks:

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:_fY481Qhh4sJ:www.iisd.org/pdf/2001
/networks_operating_principles.pdf

3. Verna

Alle,Knowledge

network

and

community

of

practices:

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:YRej8SHjv9AJ:www.vernaallee.com/
value_networks/KnowledgeNetworksAndCommunitiesOfPractice-28Jan07.pdf

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