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Knowledge sharing should not be confused neither with data sharing nor with information sharing; the knowledge sharing includes data and information sharing, skills and expertise communication, ideas exchange. Since the fourth FOCAC held in Egypt in 2009, many policies have been added to reinforce Africa and China educational cooperation, especially in the area of higher education. And this paper intends to look more closely at this area, particularly with regards to the possibility of establishing and strengthening knowledge sharing, ideas exchange between Africa and China, through African and Chinese students' partnership. Based on the documented trends on Africa and China higher education cooperation, partnership and exchanges, questionnaire surveys, interviews and observations, the author tries to find out whether African students who are studying in China will to collaborate or not with Chinese students during their studies and researches. What are their motivations to cooperate with their Chinese classmates, and how should we beef up and promote knowledge sharing between African and Chinese people through University students' knowledge sharing partnership?

This paper is based on the premise that public officials in developing countries lack the necessary skills to implement Knowledge Management (KM) successfully, so a framework is required to facilitate this process. South Africa is the case study. It is therefore necessary to develop a Knowledge Management Implementation Framework (KMIF). Consequently, one of the objectives of this paper is to validate this need and then outline a KMIF that can help government departments in developing countries implement KM and foster a KM culture. A mixed methodology approach was used, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection. Based on the Taro Yamane formula, 139 people were selected from a target population of 221 officials involved in KM in the South African government. DATAtab, a web-based statistics application, was used to analyze the responses. A comprehensive review of several secondary literature sources was carried out. For the literature review, relevant peer-reviewed articles were downloaded from Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Scopus, and Phil Papers. The study posits that officials charged with KM implementation in the South African government lack the necessary implementation skillset, that a need for a KMIF exists, and subsequently outlines a three-stage KMIF to facilitate their efforts. This study recommends that the proposed three-stage KMIF be adopted since it will provide the government (i) a simplified and structured way of realizing KM; (ii) it will be an effective tool that officials can use to guide them on how to implement KM, and (iii) it will cultivate a KM culture within the government. Even though the study is original to the South African government, the findings, however, may be applied to other emerging governments in Africa and beyond. Despite its theoretical nature, the paper lacks empirical validation, leaving it open to further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the development and climate crisis of the Anthropocene, world leaders at the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York have reconfirmed the urgency of a sustainability transformation. This paper shows how a strong conceptualisation of sustainability can guide scientists in contributing to this transformation. The Eastern and Southern Africa Partnership Programme (1999-2015) offers experiences in framing and implementing research as a transdisciplinary future-forming process. Its procedural, reflexive programme design proved adequate to support the democratisation of knowledge generation. This fostered evidence-based contextualised knowledge and corresponding institutions, and strengthened the future-forming capacity of all partners involved.

The growth of management scholarship in Africa and the increasing role of history in management and organization (MO) education across the globe necessitate examination of historical events that inform MO in Africa. In this paper, I trace the historical trajectory of MO education from the traditional era, wherein ancient civilizations, empires, and kingdoms rife with commerce, education, and epistemologies were displaced, during the modern era, by colonialism and European domination, which contributed to the adoption and focus on Western education (management practice and knowledge systems). In the post-modern era, I propose reconfiguration of MO education based on greater societal embeddedness and a circular structure--integration of formal, nonformal, and informal education--consistent with the traditional principles and values of Africa on business conduct and education. I contend that the knowledge arising fromthe reconfiguration ismore likely to be relevant and meaningful to themultiple constituents of Africa. It will also enable MO scholarship in the future to help rebalance the extant epistemic tilt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of knowledge transfer (KT) mechanisms in a franchise network. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses qualitative and grounded theory techniques to collect and analyze data from a franchise network based in Africa. This approach enables the triangulation of data from different sources including field visits, observation, interviews and company reports. Findings: The findings suggest that training is the most preferred mechanisms for transferring localized knowledge. The results highlight the importance of identifying franchisees' training needs for transferring relevant knowledge according to experience and market profile of franchisees. Additionally, a collaborative environment within the network facilitates the sharing of best practices. Research limitations/implications: Data/insight from Africa in this study provides both theoretical and practical implications. Propositions presented can help advance KT and franchise research. Originality/value: Franchising and knowledge management research in emerging markets especially in Africa is rare. This paper provides valuable insights for understanding KT practices in the African franchise market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Africa's economic transformation relies on a radical transformation of its higher education institutions. The establishment of regional higher education Centres of Excellence (CoE) across Africa through a World Bank support aims to stimulate the needed transformation in education and research. However, excellence is a vague, and often indiscriminately used concept in academic circles. More importantly, the manner in which aspiring institutions can achieve academic excellence is described inadequately. The main objective of this paper is to describe the core processes of excellence as a prerequisite to establishing academic CoE in Africa. Methods: The paper relies on our collaborative discussions and real-world insight into the pursuit of academic excellence, a narrative review using Pubmed search for a contextual understanding of CoEs in Africa supplemented by a Google search for definitions of CoEs in academic contexts. Results: We identified three key, synergistic processes of excellence central to institutionalizing academic CoEs: participatory leadership, knowledge management, and inter-disciplinary collaboration. (1) Participatory leadership encourages innovations to originate from the different parts of the organization, and facilitates ownership as well as a culture of excellence. (2) Centers of Excellence are future-oriented in that they are constantly seeking to achieve best practices, informed by the most up-to-date and cutting-edge research and information available. As such, the process by which centres facilitate the flow of knowledge within and outside the organization, or knowledge management, is critical to their success. (3) Such centres also rely on expertise from different disciplines and 'engaged' scholarship. This multidisciplinarity leads to improved research productivity and enhances the production of problem-solving innovations. Conclusion: Participatory leadership, knowledge management, and inter-disciplinary collaborations are prerequisites to establishing academic CoEs in Africa. Future studies need to extend our findings to understand the processes key to productivity, competitiveness, institutionalization, and sustainability of academic CoEs in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education, as a service sector, offers various programs to develop the students which can add value to the society. People, knowledge and technology play vital roles in attaining high service delivery in higher education institutions (HEIs). Knowledge sharing (KS), which is an arm of knowledge management (KM), is a key factor in HEIs requires full usage of technology to disseminate knowledge from teaching and researches through e-learning. However, technology challenges are prevalent in Africa. Hence, this paper illustrates how e-learning system can be used to enhance KM in HEIs in Africa and provide the benefits of both. Characteristics of KM and e-learning system have been highlighted. The paper shows relationship among different types of KM, elearning and blended e-learning (BEL). It has been enumerated that there is a meeting point between KM, e-learning and BEL towards enhanced service delivery in HEIs in Africa in the era of open distance learning for towards achieving mass education. Hence, African governments should step up their efforts in funding technology-enhanced training in HEIs and necessary policies to promote effective and efficient quality services in DL education using KM and BEL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The knowledge management (KM) models in the African organisations are influenced by the interplay between human agents from diverse societies whose experiences, values, contextual information and insights that are perceived controversial in Africa. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the indigenous assumptions related to knowledge and its management in Africa and the perceived contradictions in the existing models by adopting the Ubuntu philosophy. Design/methodology/approach: The authors used a perspective lens to examine the existing management practices and propose an integrated framework that is appropriate for the utilisation of the Ubuntu epistemic knowledge management practices and at the same time provide highlights on the perceived paradoxes and how they can be managed to improve knowledge management and people management in African societies. Findings: The inductive posteriori knowledge approach is perceived to be dynamic, applicable and more desirable in the African societies as it allows organisational managers and their work teams to embrace knowledge construction, dependent on experiences in form of stories and metaphors that demonstrate successful work samples. The Ubuntu dramaturgical knowledge management approach adds value to the posteriori knowledge by refining the rhetoric stories and metaphors into empirical performance scripts that are tailored to the audiences' expectations. Research limitations/implications: The paper adapted a perspective view to explain knowledge management; therefore, it was not possible to provide empirical data on the metaphysical and dramaturgical elements that are assumed to influence knowledge management in Africa. However, based on theoretical analysis, the authors have proposed a coherent knowledge management framework based on the interaction between posteriori KM assumptions and Ubuntu dramaturgy. Practical implications: Ubuntu ideology has been appreciated since it treasures interdependency and interconnectedness among people. Therefore, collaborating partners working in Africa would be expected to act as interdependent agents, whereby this interdependency is perceived as an integral part of the knowledge management process. The proposed Ubuntu knowledge management model is grounded on the posteriori knowledge approach which assumes that experience is the source of knowledge. Through social interactions and experiences sharing, organisational members can create new processes, innovative technologies and dynamic context based performance scripts that can drive productivity. Social implications: The authors concluded that a coherent framework that is tailored to social interactions and contextual needs of the people and their communities can promote productive knowledge and knowledge management systems in the African contexts. Moreover knowledge management requires one to acknowledge the complexity of Ubuntu ideology in a sense that it recognises the past experiences and contributions of the diverse individuals in the same community/organisation. Originality/value: This paper focused on examining how the Ubuntu philosophy can promote knowledge development and management strategies that are tailored to social and contextual needs of the organisations in Africa to curtail the perceived paradoxes in the existing knowledge management models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing contemporary nutrition problems often requires application of knowledge from multiple disciplines. The scaling up nutrition (SUN) movement harnesses multiple sectors for effective global and in-country planning and implementation. Although the role of knowledge networks (academia and research institutions) is recognised, the how of engaging knowledge networks in the current SUN architecture is only now becoming apparent. For relevant sectors to play their roles effectively, observed capacity gaps, particularly in developing country settings, need to be addressed. The present paper presents the work being undertaken by the Ghana SUN Academic Platform (AP), a local knowledge network, towards strengthening nutrition capacity in Ghana. The AP presently provides technical support, evidence and capacity towards scaling up effective nutrition interventions in Ghana and beyond. The data presented draws heavily on the observations and collective experiences of the authors in practice, complemented by a review of relevant literature. The ultimate goal of the AP is to build capacity of professionals from nutrition and cognate sectors (including planning, agriculture, health, economics, research and academia). This is an essential ingredient for effective and durable SUN efforts. The paper recognises that both disciplinary and interdisciplinary capacity is required for effective SUN efforts in Africa, and offers an approach that utilises cross-sector/inter-professional, peer-learning and experiential learning initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is an opinion paper to the perspective paper "The spread of the Fall Army Worm Spodoptera frugiperda in Africa—what should be done next?" from the "Section Plant Protection in the Tropics and Subtropics" at the 61st German Congress of Plant Protection, held at the University of Hohenheim, Germany, on 11 September 2018. It highlights the best approaches in communication, information sharing, and advisory services to raise awareness for fall armyworm detection and area-wide management by farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is a growing desire for more scientific and technical knowledge regarding Africa. This is because Africa has the potential and opportunity to generate impactful research. However, this potential is not optimized because of several constraints, including the lack of systematic reviews and models of knowledge management and paradoxical trends in Africa. The purpose of this paper is to review studies on knowledge management and associated paradoxes in Africa and a paradox-conscious African knowledge management model. The autochthonous African model that the authors propose has implications for global knowledge management. Design/methodology/approach: The authors review studies on knowledge management and paradoxes on Africa. Findings: The authors propose a model and identify 12 paradoxes broadly categorized as industrial, political and social. Practical implications: The paradoxical tensions characteristic of Africa may be considered integral to business and policy rather than local expressions to be solved through international "best practice." Originality/value: The model this paper propose enables theoretical and empirical studies of knowledge management sensitive to the paradoxical tensions associated with autochthonous management knowledge and autochthonous knowledge management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper's main purpose is to deepen the general understanding regarding copyright exceptions and limitations as an important balancing tool of copyright law, particularly for developing countries in Africa. It seeks to address the problematic interplay between copyright exceptions and limitations on the one hand and technological protection measures (TPMs) on the other. It then aims to offer a solution for mitigating the potentially detrimental impact of TPMs on otherwise-permitted uses of copyright-protected knowledge materials.Design/methodology/approach – The paper's approach is legal doctrinal research that relies exclusively on written texts.Findings – The paper finds that copyright exceptions and limitations are currently in tension with the legal regulation of TPMs and their circumvention. The two do not seem to be optimally balanced, with some African countries having adopted an unduly restrictive legal approach. The paper therefore suggests a more balanced model that is in keeping with developmental ends and human rights concerns.Originality/value – The paper makes a meaningful contribution by locating the discussion in Africa and providing a suggested equitable legal approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study accounts for the growth analysis of research output in the knowledge management (KM) domain in Africa, using the Web of Science database between 1974 and 2019. The implication that necessitates this study was the intertwined nature of the KM domain associated with other fields of study. The interpretive content/document analysis was used to extract publications using key terms of knowledge management from the Web of Science database within 45 years. The extract of the document analysis and the presentation of results took four weeks. The findings indicated that 2,564 publications such as articles, conference papers, reviews, and proceedings were the platforms used the most within the period. Management was at the top of the list of subject areas. A top journal that publishes KM papers is the South African Journal of Science. The most productive institutions by affiliation were the University of Cape Town and the University of Pretoria, and inter-continental collaboration in research in KM was affirmed with the United States of America (USA). The National Research Foundation of South Africa is among the top bodies that fund research in Africa. The growth analysis of publication output in KM in Africa indicates a slow productivity rate of 6.4 percent within the period covered. This paper demonstrates that the KM domain remains an evolving and interesting phenomenon, which requires integration in different organizations. Every actualization of work performance today by individuals depends on tacit and explicit knowledge application, which forms the spectrum of KM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore why Africa's indigenous knowledge is not playing a more active and visible role in the knowledge economy and to the roles that academia and librarians must play for it to be so. Design/methodology/approach – The paper's approach is to combine a literature review and discussion of the issues. Findings – The importance of indigenous knowledge to development has been established over the years. Calls have been made for African universities to take indigenous knowledge into account in their teaching and research, and to view indigenous knowledge as valuable and as a way of addressing the view of Africa as a consumer of knowledge rather than a generator and contributor of knowledge. However, whilst there have been some initiatives in academia and in libraries to integrate indigenous knowledge into their activities, it has not been enough. The reasons are many and varied and stem largely from the globalizing and unifying nature of the world education system. However, this system does also offer an opportunity for African universities to distinguish themselves as African universities that have something different to offer the world. Research limitations/implications – The paper focuses on universities and libraries in Africa in general although Africa is a vast continent and there are differences in context. Practical implications – Universities and libraries should look inward and find creative ways of integrating Western and indigenous knowledge systems in their teaching, research, engagement and information management. Originality/value – The paper explores concrete ways that academia and libraries can address the matter of integrating indigenous knowledge into their activities to ensure recognition as being distinctively African. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Following a knowledge management analysis, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) - a medical humanitarian non-governmental organisation (NGO) - identified significant loss of medical knowledge from the field, owing primarily to the absence of a platform on which to share clinical lessons learned in humanitarian and resource-limited settings (HRLS). Wishing to address these missed opportunities to retain important scientific and pragmatic knowledge, the NGO has begun to actively encourage its clinicians to publish case reports/series that bring new and/or practical insights of benefit to patients and population groups. In parallel, we wished to obtain a clearer understanding of how case reports (CRs)/series can best play their role as 'first-line evidence' from HRLS, especially in areas suffering from a significant lack of data.Methods: We developed a survey with closed and open questions on 'The value of CRs from HRLS' to explore primarily (1) the reasons why this form of evidence from HRLS is often lacking, (2) what makes a case report/series worth sharing with the wider global health community, and (3) how we can ensure that published case reports/series reach their target audience.Results: Over a 6-month period, 1115 health professionals responded to the survey. Participants included clinicians and public health specialists from all over the world, with a majority based in Africa. The main reason cited for the dearth of CRs from HRLS was that practitioners are simply not writing and/or submitting reports (as versus having their papers rejected) due mainly to (1) a lack of skills and (2) time constraints. A large majority of respondents felt the CRs are a valuable tool for HRLS given their ability to discuss how cases are managed with rudimentary means as well as to draw attention to emerging or underestimated public health problems and neglected populations.Conclusion: We conclude that the clinical knowledge gained in resource-challenged settings is being underutilised in the interest of patients and global health. Consequently, clinicians in HRLS need greater access to basic training in scientific investigation and writing in addition to awareness as to the potential value of sharing their clinical experience with a view to broadening evidence production from high-income to low-income settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the importance of relational and conditional knowledge by assessing how service and signaling competences affect manufacturing firms' productivity. These relationships are explored in the context of Africa, where, paradoxically, firms selling abroad must satisfy different market demands than firms that serve only domestic markets. Design/methodology/approach: The authors draw on the World Bank Enterprise Survey to perform a cross-sectional analysis of 4,683 manufacturing firms. These surveys cover the period 2009-2017 and 35 different African countries. The authors define service competence development as co-location with knowledge-intensive business service (KIBS) firms, measured through KIBS density at city level. Signaling is measured through outward-looking competences. Findings: This paper shows that African exporters differ significantly from their non-exporting counterparts in terms of productivity and competences. External service competence generates productivity gains for exporters but has the opposite effect for non-exporters. Results consistent with previous research also show that signaling competences generate productivity gains, but the effect for firms serving domestic markets is stronger than the effect for exporting firms. The authors use paradoxes of learning to interpret these results. Research limitations/implications: This study detects nuances of the African context that increase the understanding of knowledge management in emerging markets. The findings would benefit from confirmation in a longitudinal and causal setting. Practical implications: African exporting firms should establish mechanisms to develop joint knowledge with external partners (know-with) to enhance their competitiveness, whereas African non-exporters should prioritize building knowledge credibility. Originality/value: The study develops a novel empirical approach to analyzing firm competences in Africa. It also shows that contextualization of existing knowledge management theories matters, opening a research avenue to test further existing theories in emerging economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to distinguish between information management (IM) and knowledge management (KM) and present the findings of small-scale research conducted to investigate KM practices in academic libraries in East and Southern Africa, and discussing the importance of KM and suggest the way forward. Design/methodology/approach – This research was undertaken in 20 university libraries in Africa using a questionnaire survey to investigate the current practices in university libraries in Africa to discover whether these libraries are practising KM or IM. Findings – This survey results seem to suggest that currently most participating libraries are practising IM. A majority of 65 per cent of the participants considered themselves information managers. Research limitations/implications – This survey have had some limitations: one, all the participants were University librarians; two, due to the unavailability of contact addresses, the survey could cover only eight African countries. Future research should include a broader spectrum of participants to have an in-depth knowledge related to KM. Practical implications – This paper has practical implications for those who are not fully aware of the importance of KM, how KM can be used to gain a competitive advantage; to break financial and technological constraints; and to satisfy escalating user needs. Originality/value – Not much has been done in Africa to explore KM practices in University libraries, this paper contributes towards filling that gap and adds to KM literature in general and offers empirical support to KM concept. This paper discusses the benefits of KM and offers several recommendations to facilitate KM practices in university libraries in East and Southern Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the ways of improving performance of agricultural projects through stakeholder engagement and knowledge management in a Sub-Saharan context. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire from 342 agricultural projects in Mukono and Wakiso districts in Uganda. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used in the analysis. Findings – The results reveal that stakeholder engagement and knowledge management are valuable intangible resources that significantly influence performance of agricultural projects. The findings, managerial and policy implications are fully discussed in this paper. Originality/value – The authors empirically show that a model that synchronizes stakeholder engagement, knowledge management and performance of agricultural projects is a requirement for promoting sustainable agricultural performance outcomes. This study makes a contribution by providing information that is relevant for filling the practical gap that exists in agricultural projects of Sub-Saharan Africa as well as contributing to the theoretical development of project management discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While contributions from Africa once again predominate, this article begins with a paper from Trinidad and end with one from Malaysia. In his paper, "Knowledge Management in the Main Library, the University of the West Indies, Trinidad", scholar Reginald Clarke points out that an essential precondition for successful knowledge management in any organization is a navigational tool. In the Main Library of the University of the West Indies in Trinidad, this tool is the Secretariat Manual. His detailed description of this document demonstrates the specific areas of knowledge needed for the smooth operation of the library's administrative services, which have been much enhanced thanks to developments in information technology. The new Universal Basic Education program is expected to result in greater female participation in national development. The provision of standard multimedia school libraries will help schools to produce more educated citizens of both sexes, and so enable Nigeria to achieve a more balanced contribution of both men and women to national development activities and improve the country's human development rating.

The emigration of experts from Africa to the developed world is often analysed in terms of the reverse transfer of technology (RTT), a process typically described as one in which the skills embedded in an expert become part of a reverse flow of technology from the less developed to the developed world. In the reverse flow or brain gain, the African home country obtains the embedded skills of the returning expert and is able to use them towards national development efforts. The objectives of this paper are to investigate the RTT from the conceptual, empirical, and policy perspectives. At the conceptual level, the objective is to review the insights to the RTT provided in the globalization, the New Diaspora and the New Brain Drain paradigms. Empirically, the paper uses available data to make the case that even though the RTT has been marginalized in recent scholarship, it is a persistent development problem that continues to warrant scholarly and policy attention. Building on this argument, the paper outlines a model of expert migration, termed the reverse and return transfer of technology (RRTT). This model explores the decision-making of migrating experts, especially in terms of source-destination pathways and the choice of locations as either temporary or permanent homes. The policy implications of this reformulation are assessed in terms of the brain drain, the brain gain and remittances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper starts with an exploration of knowledge management which focuses on the knowledge pyramid concept. The successful management of the transition from an agricultural to a knowledge based society, it is argued, should go beyond formulating information communication technology policies to include knowledge management policies as well. The contribution of information and knowledge systems in six key sectors of the national economy is described as vital to kick start the revival and reconstruction of Africa. The sectors identified are: poverty eradication and wealth generation, transfer of technologies and innovations, education sector, agricultural sector, small, medium and micro enterprises, and health sector. The new era of knowledge management challenges information specialists to reinvent and reposition themselves as infomediaries and knowledge managers who can manage efficiently the process of converting data and information into knowledge for development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of IFLA Journal is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Paper presented at the Sixth Water Information Summit: Breaking The Barriers Let Water Information Flow! Waterweb Consortium and IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre September 9-12 Delft, The Netherlands 2003. Describes the organization, membership, aims and functions of the Southern African Water Information Network (SAWINET), a web-based source of information on integrated water resources management (IWRM) specifically designed to meet the needs of the Southern African water sector. Despite the low level of access to the Internet in Southern Africa, SAWINET is a valuable mechanism of accessing IWRM information and experience in Southern Africa. It is a one-stop centre that reduces the frustrations of searching for water information on the web. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time as a strategic variable has gained a great deal of attention in recent literature, but little has been reported on how to effectively manage time between strategic partners in a global context. In addition, there has been virtually no attention paid to time as a critical strategic variable when doing business in African countries. This paper examines the importance of time in developing effective operating relationships between Western and African countries. We posit the concept of strategic timescapes to provide managers with a way of visualizing the various dimensions of time that could vary from one culture to another. In addition, a means to effectively manage knowledge and learning between Western and African organizations is presented using the concept of “virtual” organizations to serve as the coordinating vehicle. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: 31.4 million people in low- and middle-income countries die from chronic diseases annually, particularly in Africa. To address this, strategies such as task-shifting from doctors to nurses have been proposed and have been endorsed by the World Health Organization as a potential solution; however, no comprehensive review exists describing the extent of nurse-led chronic disease management in Africa. Aims: This study aimed to provide a thorough description of the current roles of nurses in managing chronic diseases in Africa, identify their levels of knowledge, the challenges, and gaps they encounter in this endeavor. Methods: We performed a scoping review following the key points of the Cochrane Handbook, and two researchers independently realized each step. Searches were conducted using five databases: MEDLINE, PyscINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Embase, between October 2021 and April 2023. A descriptive analysis of the included studies was conducted, and the quality of the studies was assessed using the Downs and Black Scale. Results: Our scoping review included 111 studies from 20 African countries, with South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana being the most represented. Findings from the included studies revealed varying levels of knowledge. Nurses were found to be actively involved in managing common chronic diseases from diagnosis to treatment. Facilitating factors included comprehensive training, close supervision by physicians, utilization of decision trees, and mentorship. However, several barriers were identified, such as a shortage of nurses, lack of essential materials, and inadequate initial training. Conclusion: There is significant potential for nurses to enhance the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic diseases in Africa. Achieving this requires a combination of rigorous training and effective supervision, supported by robust policies. To address varying levels of knowledge, tailored training programs should be devised. Further research is warranted to establish the effectiveness of nurse-led interventions on population health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Contemporary Journal of African Studies is the property of Institute of African Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) poses a threat to African women in their reproductive years, being an important cause of maternal mortality and poor foetal outcomes. Timely diagnosis and adequate management reduce significantly obstetric complications. Our study aimed to describe the knowledge of diagnosis and management of RHD in pregnant women among reproductive health professionals (RHP) working in a highly endemic area. The study that took place in May/2017 in two conveniently selected health facilities. Doctors (residents and specialists) and mid-level (maternal and child health nurses/technicians, MLRHP) were invited to respond to an anonymous, self-administered and standardized survey (electronic and paper-based questionnaires), which contained closed and open-ended questions on pregnancy-related RHD diagnosis, treatment and complications. The responses were coded and analysed using SPSS version 20. Seventy-three RHP participated (27 doctors, 46 MLRHP). While RHP understand the fetal 49 (67%) and maternal 57 (53%) outcomes in presence of RHD, they are unprepared to diagnose, manage and refer them adequately. RHP constitute a group that can be targeted for decentralization of diagnosis and management of RHD, a strategy that may be crucial to reduce maternal mortality by indirect causes in low-middle income countries. • The 25% contribution of cardiovascular disease to deaths related to pregnancy must not be overseen in Africa. • Reproductive Health Workers in Afruca should be able to detect Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) in pregant women • Ideally, women with RHD should be given pre-conception counseling and be followed since early stages of pregnancy • Reproductive health professionals in Mozambique reported low knowledge of diagnosis and manage RHD in pregnancy • Targeting RHW for training in RHD diagnosis and management is key to reduce indirect maternal mortality in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the relationship among information, knowledge and technology management, with special emphasis on their applications in developing economies and how they relate to sustainable development. It also discusses the role of the national Information Technology (IT) policies in providing enabling environments for Knowledge Management (KM) for sustainable development. Finally, the paper appraises the national IT policies in two African countries (Nigeria and Ethiopia) to further provide insight into the provision of enabling environment that can lead to the process of KM for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, mainstreaming knowledge management practices in government processes has assumed increasing importance. How have governments in Africa, if at all, incorporated knowledge management in governance and how inclusive has this process been? This paper will attempt to answer these key questions by examining the experiences and lessons learned in efforts to build knowledge management capacity across Africa. In doing so, the paper will provide a summary of the key presentations of the latest two-day conference, Knowledge Management as an Enabler of Change and Innovation in Africa (Cairo, 2007). Central to discussions was the need to create an enabling environment encouraging the adoption of knowledge management practices in Africa and the utilisation of indigenous knowledge assets as an important input in poverty alleviation strategies. More importantly, the paper outlines the challenges that can be observed and what opportunities for building the Africa Knowledge System are available. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of strategic and policy implications of these findings for achieving sustainable development in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper unpacks the concept of 'content' and its derivative 'local content'. It further elucidates on the confusing nexus between 'local content' and indigenous knowledge and asserts that IK is in fact a special form of local content. The benefits of local content to the economy are discussed as are the challenges. The paper submits that contrary to widely held perception, Africa has made good progress towards developing and managing its local content. Several local content initiatives by international agencies as well as regional and national efforts are testimony to this claim. The paper suggests the way forward to enhance local content development in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Replacing synthetic pesticides and antimicrobials with plant-based extracts is a current alternative adopted by traditional and family farmers and many organic farming pioneers. A range of natural extracts are already being marketed for agricultural use, but many other plants are prepared and used empirically. A further range of plant species that could be effective in protecting different crops against pests and diseases in Africa could be culled from the large volume of knowledge available in the scientific literature. To meet this challenge, data on plant uses have been compiled in a knowledge base and a software prototype was developed to navigate this trove of information. The present paper introduces this so-called Knomana Knowledge-Based System, while providing outputs related to Spodoptera frugiperda and Tuta absoluta, two invasive insect species in Africa. In early October 2020, the knowledge base hosted data obtained from 342 documents. From these articles, 11,816 uses—experimental or applied by farmers—were identified in the plant health field. In total, 384 crop pest species are currently reported in the knowledge base, in addition to 1547 botanical species used for crop protection. Future prospects for applying this interdisciplinary output to applications under the One Health approach are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article unites different disciplinary debates on 'southern innovation', 'theory from the South', and 'decolonisation of knowledge' in order to discuss existing understandings around the role of Africa in the production of health-related knowledge, public health policy, and medical innovation. Arguing that high-income countries have much to learn from the global South when it comes to health-related knowledge and practices, we propose an interdisciplinary research approach to uncovering and examining African contributions to global health, drawing on an ongoing collaborative project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. We present four empirical case studies concerning drug development, healthcare systems, and urban planning to critically enquire into both historical and contemporary transcontinental knowledge circulation and learning potentials, as much as cases of forgetting and silencing. On this basis, we argue that 'learning from the South' must mean more than transplanting quick and cheap technological fixes to serve societies in the global North, but rather recognising the vast contributions that Africans have made to global epistemologies, without losing sight of the asymmetries inherent in South–North knowledge exchanges. Lessons learned might apply to fields other than those discussed here and go far beyond 'reverse innovation'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the investments of governments in establishing national scientific systems in many African countries. It focuses on the north-south partnerships in water sector in which uplifting problems reduced the production of relevant development of knowledge. It also suggests that limitations of partnerships should be minimized for the successful implementation of the partnership.

Summary: This paper investigates the effect of foreign presence at the sector and firm levels on the productivity of manufacturing firms in Ghana. We examine both labor and total factor productivity (TFP) and control for a number of observed factors as well as unobserved heterogeneity. We find robust evidence that the presence of foreign firms in a sector has a negative effect on domestically owned, but a positive effect on most foreign-owned firms. Unlike in recent work on China, it does not appear that the negative level effect is compensated for by a positive growth effect, at least not in any reasonable time period. We find no evidence of any wage effects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This introduction to the special issue on managing knowledge and technology for sustainable development in Africa outlines the background to it and the technological transformation occurring in, and necessary for, African countries. It then discusses the papers presented and concludes with a section on the way forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa and African libraries and information centres are poorly equipped to make a meaningful contribution to the current global digital knowledge economy. The lack of management systems for indigenous knowledge perpetuates the low local content on the Web, retards buy-in from local communities into digital resources and inhibits digital skills development. Afro-centric Libraries and Information Services should include provision of indigenous knowledge resources. This paper discusses a model for community participation in establishing a digital library of indigenous knowledge. It focuses on public libraries and aims to create a virtual resource that is in step with the global information society while at the same time empowering citizens through preservation of indigenous knowledge and through development of digital skills. The model creates a platform using existing library infrastructure from where the project is carried out to communities. A multi-pronged approach uses community workers to collect oral and visual material, community members are taught how to add local content to the World Wide Web at the local library, and the library acts as moderator and custodian of the indigenous knowledge resource. A proviso of the model is free public Internet access at the library and the use of social Web 2.0 technology. People of all social and age groups are employed to steer the programme at ground level while volunteer contributions to the database is encouraged. This provides the potential for collaboration from the whole community. The model will provide a virtual library resource of local indigenous knowledge, freely accessible to all members of the community. Availability of local content on the Web will enhance use of digital resources. Improved digital skills will result in economic empowerment of communities and be instrumental in poverty alleviation. Eventually the model will enable communities to manage their own indigenous knowledge in an economically viable manner. Global exposure of local communities will attract international economic, scientific and cultural interest. Virtual ndigenous knowledge resources in African libraries will play a pivotal role in the currentglobal digital knowledge community whilst democratisation of the societies will progress through provision of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African public health care systems suffer from significant "brain drain" of its health care professionals and knowledge as health workers migrate to wealthier countries such as Australia, Canada, USA, and the United Kingdom. Knowledge generated on the continent is not readily accessible to potential users on the continent. In this paper, the brain drain is defined as both a loss of health workers (hard brain drain) and unavailability of research results to users in Africa (soft brain drain). The "pull" factors of "hard brain drain" include better remuneration and working conditions, possible job satisfaction, and prospects for further education, whereas the "push" factors include a lack of better working conditions including promotion opportunities and career advancement. There is also a lack of essential equipment and non-availability or limited availability of specialist training programs on the continent. The causes of "soft brain drain" include lack of visibility of research results in African journals, better prospects for promotion in academic medicine when a publication has occurred in a northern high impact journal, and probably a cultural limitation because many things of foreign origin are considered superior. Advocates are increasingly discussing not just the pull factors but also the "grab" factors emanating from the developed nations. In order to control or manage the outflow of vital human resources from the developing nations to the developed ones, various possible solutions have been discussed. The moral regard to this issue cannot be under-recognized. However, the dilemma is how to balance personal autonomy, right to economic prosperity, right to personal professional development, and the expectations of the public in relation to adequate public health care services in the developing nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge Management (KM) is, arguably, the fastest growing component of a burgeoning, 'big business' Knowledge Industry which incorporates much of the theory and practice of library, archives and information services. Against the backdrop of a description of the main features of KM, this article attempts to define a realistic, pragmatic African response to the KM challenge by first describing, in some detail, how a fledgling African business enterprise is approaching the business challenge of KM, and then discussing some issues that African schools of library and information studies might begin to address in facing up to the KM challenge implicit in modernizing their university-based education and training programmes for information in the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The purpose of this study was to review the socialisation, externalisation, combination and internalisation (SECI) model of knowledge management (KM), and to explore the trends of its use, challenges, and best practices in the model's application in KM practice in the period from 1995 to 2018. Using the methodology known as the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), we sought to do the following: establish whether the SECI model was more widely accepted than other KM models; examine specific demographic details of research studies on the SECI model; investigate the weaknesses of the model in practice; and generate a compendium of the use of the model in respect of the period we reviewed. Four databases were explored to search for open access, peer-reviewed, empirical journal articles. The study found that the SECI model continued to be widely accepted and used in spite of criticism levelled at it. Weaknesses that we noted in our review included the limitations of certain modes of the model in some areas of application and the non-linearity of the model in other areas. The study found evidence of exponential growth in the SECI model's usage in the period reviewed. Also noted was the wide application of the model in knowledge creation studies in Africa. The study suggested that organisations could employ the model for their knowledge creation activities, but with the support of factors that enabled knowledge sharing. The model's socialisation mode stood out as a mode of high impact, implying that the management teams of organisations needed to pay a lot of attention to it for effective organisational KM. This study generated a compendium for the practical application of the SECI model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the essay by Raewyn Connell on the discourse of decoloniality in higher education and Southern theory, which raises critical concerns over the Euro-American university and its influence on post-colonial global-Southern educational settings. Topics include the focus of Connell on the change in the colonial curriculum in post-colonial Afica, the history of knowledge production, and the imposition of foreign governance in higher education system in Africa.

The Living Labs in South Africa (LLiSA) projects in remote rural South African municipalities have exhibited mixed success. Some projects are quite successful in teaching Internet and smart phones use, while others enjoy initial success only to fall into disuse. Knowledge management (KM) for technology, Internet, computer usage, and software tools expertise, requires a transfer of knowledge to local interested individuals. However, KM is typically not an explicitly named aspect of LLiSA projects. Rather, projects cite a need for training and development of skills for maintainability and sustainability but no need for long term KM. This research describes KM characteristics then analyzes information and computer technology for development projects around the world to develop best practices and their KM components. The Siyakhula Living Lab, a LLiSA program, is evaluated for the extent to which KM best practices are applied. Recommendations for KM are developed for planning, training, and project conduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the management of knowledge for conflict resolution and innovation in Africa. After a brief discussion of the research methodology followed, a feedback is provided on the field study conducted from 2006 to 2008 in northern Uganda and Rwanda and at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania, and in the DRC. As a result of the field study, certain principles and practices were identified whereby the challenges facing Africa could be examined. The author found five ‘realms’ in which knowledge management can take place and that traditional knowledge practices, if merged with more modern knowledge management practices, provide a valuable framework for using knowledge management for conflict resolution and innovation in Africa. Best practices that were identified include an intra-connected and collective knowledge production system and the production of tacit knowledge, especially among the new generation or youth. Furthermore, the importance of intellectual capital (in the form of value-driven leadership, competent managers and expert knowledge workers) and the activation of an intervention into the continuous spiral of violent conflict which will ultimately lead to the innovative transformation of African society are discussed. Finally, some recommendations are offered as possible solutions for conflict resolution and innovation in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African indigenous knowledge systems (AIKS) have already claimed their credibility as sources of knowledge which can be applied in the field with tangible results; yet there remains a host of inherent and external challenges in the way of their being embraced as independent, alternative or complementary sources of knowledge. There is an immediate need for the protection of AIKS and for the further development of research methods and techniques. The involvement of local communities as custodians of knowledge and a resourceful reference is equally important. One of the future goals of AIKS is to claim a space of fraternal co-existence with other sources of knowledge. Universities in Africa should create an enabling environment in which all knowledge systems articulate their concepts and claim their space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the authors examine the role played by libraries in the compilation and preservation of the knowledge of indigenous peoples of the Niger river delta region of Nigeria. It is noted that this knowledge has functioned in a number of roles including agriculture, human health and welfare, and natural resources management. A number of topics are addressed including the role of indigenous knowledge in the region, exploration of the effectiveness of knowledge management in the area's libraries, and access to indigenous knowledge.