Innovations in Knowledge-Based Collaboration: The GSSD-China Partnership

　　By Dr. Nazli Choucri(注1)

　　Massachusetts Institute of Technology

　　ABSTRACT

　　Rapid expansion of the Internet infrastructure and its user-base has heightened awareness of global inequalities as well as the barriers to the diffusion of knowledge. At the same time, the convergence of enhanced globalization, worldwide connectivity, and knowledge networking is creating new opportunities for learning technologies for research and education in all domains. This paper highlights a collaborative Internet-based strategy supporting knowledge-for-development. Implemented in the Global System for Sustainable Development (gssd.mit.edu), its current application in the domain or sustainable development illustrates the conceptual,　computational and knowledge strategy; and the China-GSSD partnership with ACCA21, Ministry of Science Technology, Government of China, illustrates the collaborative strategy.

　　INTRODUCTION–Knowledge Networking

　　This paper highlights a new strategy to help shape new parameters for sustainability and development based on knowledge networking in the context of distributed, worldwide, and global as well as local applications. In this context, knowledge networking refers to (a) computer-assisted organized systems of discrete actors (b) endowed with knowledge producing capacity (c) combined through common organizing principles, (d) actors retaining their autonomy, (e) interactions increasing value of capacities to the actors; and (f) knowledge networks expanding the overall knowledge base. Access to, and participation in, interactive knowledge networking enables stakeholder communities to express their preferences and participate in processes of interest. It also enables local knowledge provision as well as‘voices’that have previously not been heard. Illustrating the Global System for Sustainable Development and its collaboration with institutions in China, we highlight the strategic e-linkages to enable both globalization and localization of knowledge, as well as both the top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top knowledge provision, communication, and innovation–all essential for reducing barriers to knowledge.

　　Reducing Barriers to Knowledge

　　What are the barriers, and how can they be reduced? Here we note the barriers and solutions. In the following section, we turn to the specific implementation via one cyber-system, namely, the Global System for Sustainable Development.

　　1. Conceptual ambiguity. Given the complexity of sustainability there is a diversity of views and definitions, and a range of contentions surrounding both the concept and its uses. The idea of sustainability appears somewhat vague and its constituent parts are also unclear. Our solution is to develop a conceptual framework to guide our understanding of the overall issues and of their individual components, and–to the extent feasible to help organize existing knowledge pertaining to the broad domain of sustainable development.

　　2. Explosion of information about sustainability. In both print and electronic forms an information explosion is giving rise to access problems and attendant difficulties of selecting relevant materials on any specific set of issues. This vexing problem is basically one of managing information flow (or overflow) on the Internetswheresquantity dominates and quality is sacrificed. The solution is to put in place a knowledge provision process, coupled with quality controls and reality checks. In practice, we developed a knowledge base on sustainability consisting of selected, quality controlled Internet resources (from over 300 institutions), and an indexing system to facilitate content access and use.

　　3.Infrastructure conditions & contraints. Digital differences between the rich and poor in all parts of the world continue to be significant features of current cyber-landscapes. This barrier can provide an inherent Internet bias given that the preponderance of users is from the industrial nations, most notably the United States and Europe. The solution is to develop partnerships with knowledge providers in various parts of the world and potential users of knowledge. In practice this means implementing a mirror-site strategy worldwide, so that users worldwide can access knowledge-systems by connecting to servers closer to them.

　　4.The Internet is an English-speaking medium in a world that is non-English speaking. Transcending matters of differences in languages are the more fundamental obstacles raised by related differences in understandings created by linguistic disparities. Our solution to this very real problem is to engage in multi-lingual knowledge networking insgroupsto enable diverse users and providers to express themselves in their appropriate languages, idioms and terms.

　　5. The language bias reinforced by structural impediments to access created a knowledge bias coupled with a knowledge-provision bias. This means the voices heard are mainly those from the‘north’while voices of the‘south’remains relatively silent. The solution to this problem involves the development of a workflow strategy that enables users to engage in content provision following collaborative methods and common approaches–while at the same time retaining their autonomy and their independence. In practice, the task involves providing a web-based mechanism enabling inputs and submissions from developing regionssintosglobal knowledge networks. .

　　6. Matters of Cost and price. The economics of Internet access makes it difficult for most people in most places to participate in the new cyber domain, thus compounding the implications of variability in infrastructure conditions throughout the world. The proposed solution, to date is pragmatic form of in kind cost-sharing to reduce the constraints of this particular barrier. This is clearly a temporary one. Matters of costs, financial basis and price structures are always critical, therefore innovative responses are needed.

　　These barriers and attendant strategies for enablers and solutions are illustrated by implementation of the Global System for Sustainable Development (GSSD), in partnership with institutions in industrial and developing countries.

　　Global System for Sustainable Development (GSSD)

　　GSSD is an initiative devoted to understanding, and responding to, the challenges of sustainable development; it is characterized by distributed knowledge management and sharing, evolving multilingual Internet uses, and internationalization through collaborative site locations. The system’s architecture rests on principles of diversity, complexity, globalization and localization. Adopting a meta-networking strategy, GSSD provides networking facilities across stakeholder communities to identify innovative approaches and enabling technologies, as well as new institutional, financial and regulatory mechanisms for meeting sustainability challenges that confront everyone.

　　As a knowledge-based system, GSSD seeks to: (1) render evolving knowledge relevant to sustainability-- in all its forms -- more accessible to agents of change for public policy, business strategy, and creative decision-making; (2) enable access to cutting-edge analysis, innovative technologies, and multidisciplinary knowledge by providing tools to identify options available in technologies, policies, and strategies; (3) enhance capacities for knowledge access and informed decision-making by strengthening both global and local venues though multilingual e-functionality; and (4) offer a platform in which knowledge-holdings in any supported language can be cross-indexed and then made available without a heavy translation cost by streamlining and computerizing the e-multilingual process.

　　The GSSD knowledge base consists of over 300 institutional　Internet holdings, representing close to 3000 indexed and cross-referenced Internet sites. It is an evolving knowledge base that covers a comprehensive range of sustainability-related resources. Multilingual search functionality enhances access to, and diffusion of, the knowledge content. Appendix 1 briefly introduces the system and its capabilities. New GSSD functionality includes multiple language interface and workflow, which currently houses Chinese, Arabic and English (with development of French, Spanish and Japanese e-functionality in progress).

　　Language Matters

　　Individuals think in their native language. Institutions operate in national or official language(s). The world’s population is non-English speaking. But the Internet is almost entirely English in its medium. This means that linguistic differences serve as critical barriers to information, communication, knowledge distribution, etc. Equally important, linguistic barriers create fundamental inequalities in access to knowledge. And, if knowledge is power, then harnessing the power of knowledge for development is a critical global imperative. Multilingual e-functions are essential in this context. GSSD multilingual functionality enables: (1) improved access to information, reducing difficulties facing non-English speakers by allowing them to search and locate specific information on the Internet through the use of abstracts. Each site included in the GSSD knowledge base is abstracted; each abstract is translatedsintoseach of GSSD’s supported languages; abstracts are then available for e-searches multi-lingually through the system’s five search modes; (2) strategic use of resources, given that GSSD’s abstracts allow users to know in advance of full translationswheresthe most fruitful information is housed thus improving access significantly; (3) expansion of knowledge base, since the absence of a platform for non-English content has constrained the ability of many groups to make their own data available widely and reduced the amount of local knowledge found on the WWW.

　　Power & Practice of China–GSSD Partnership

　　Strategic partnering makes dual outcomes possible: globalization of knowledge via greater diffusion, and localization of knowledge via representation of distinct local technical and linguistic features. In practice, effective partnering in this context involves several modes: (a) mirror site-ing the GSSD system; (b) distributed knowledge inputs and content provision; (c) strategy for multilingual functionality; (d) collaborative management; and (e) division of labor. The ongoing collaboration with the ACCA21- Ministry of Science and Technology partnership shows the practical aspects of such partnership–the gains as well as challenges shaping new opportunities. Appendix 2 is by the China–GSSD team and its collaborators.

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