http://www.sajim.co.za/editorial.main.10nr2.asp?print=1


   
  Editorial Vol.10(2) June 2008 

This issue of the Journal contains two important contributions with regard to aspects of 
knowledge development and knowledge sharing. The other two articles cover quite specific 
areas of concern, as they discuss intellectual capital issues within the horseracing industry 
and the protection of children browsing for information via the Web. 

In her article Conceptual framework to align knowledge development aspects of research 
and innovation, Pellissier stresses that innovation and research are two of the main thrusts for 
economic growth. Research is planned, assessed, managed and rewarded, innovation is not. 
However, without acknowledging and aiding the growing importance of innovation for 
growth in a rapidly more chaotic environment, innovation per se is set for failure. The article 
explores the convergence of innovation and research, focusing on the development of a 
conceptual model in terms of the technology framework required for the accomplishment of 
convergence. 

Taking convergence of innovation one step further, Du Plessis and Boshoff in Preferred 
communication methods and technologies for organizational knowledge sharing and 
decision-making argue that the application of technology in the business operations of 
organizations impacts on the organization's internal communication processes and on its 
communication with clients and other role players. The purpose of this article is therefore to 
review various methods and technologies associated with communication in an organization 
and to report on research results concerning employees' preferences regarding specific 
communication methods and technologies.  

Very interesting research results in the field of intellectual capital were gained from the 
South African horseracing industry, as reported in the article Management of intellectual 
capital in the South African horseracing industry (Pienaar and Du Toit). The purpose of this 
research was to determine to what extent intellectual capital is recognized and developed in 
the South African horseracing industry. Two cases were selected for the research, in an effort 
to devise a methodology to establish three categories of intellectual capital, namely human, 
structural and relational capital. In the article, recommendations are made to assist in this 
industry's task of managing and developing intellectual capital. 

An extremely important contribution comes from Singh in Parental protection of children 
online. While children theoretically have 'open access' to just about any subject via the Web's 
search engines, the aim of this study was to determine parents' awareness of the dangers of 
browsing and searching online and if they were doing enough to protect their children online. 
It is evident from the results that some parents took measures to protect their children online 
but some parents were not aware of certain online dangers and as a result did not take 
adequate measures to protect their children within this environment. One of the main 
findings was that the majority of parents and children were not adequately equipped to be 
really Internet safe. This study proposed a number of original recommendations to protect 
our children. 

Pieter van Brakel 
Scientific Editor  

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ISSN 1560-683X

Published by InterWord Communications for Department of Information and Knowledge Management, 
University of Johannesburg