Callaghan Chris William
a PhD, Associate Professor in the School of Economic and Business Sciences , University of the Witwatersrand , Johannesburg , South Africa.
SAHARA J. 2017 Dec;14(1):53-63. doi: 10.1080/17290376.2017.1375426.
Knowledge management as a field is concerned with the management of knowledge, including the management of knowledge in research processes. Knowledge management theory has the potential to support research into problems such as HIV, antibiotic resistance and others, particularly in terms of aspects of scientific research related to the contribution of social science. To date, however, these challenges remain with us, and theoretical contributions that can complement natural science efforts to eradicate these problems are needed. This paper seeks to offer a theoretical contribution grounded in Kuhn's paradigm theory of innovation, and in the argument by Lakatos that scientific research can be fundamentally non-innovative, which suggests that social science aspects of knowledge creation may hold the key to more effective biomedical innovation. Given the consequences of ongoing and emerging global crises, and the failure of knowledge systems of scientific research to solve such problems outright, this paper provides a review of theory and literature arguing for a new paradigm in scientific research, based on the development of global systems to maximise research collaborations. A global systems approach effectively includes social science theory development as an important complement to the natural sciences research process. Arguably, information technology and social media technology have developed to the point at which solutions to knowledge aggregation challenges can enable solutions to knowledge problems on a scale hitherto unimaginable. Expert and non-expert crowdsourced inputs can enable problem-solving through exponentially increasing problem-solving inputs, using the 'crowd,' thereby increasing collaborations dramatically. It is argued that these developments herald a new era of participatory research, or a democratisation of research, which offers new hope for solving global social problems. This paper seeks to contribute to this end, and to the recognition of the important role of social theory in the scientific research process.
知识管理作为一个领域，关注知识的管理，包括研究过程中的知识管理。知识管理理论有潜力支持对诸如艾滋病毒、抗生素耐药性等问题的研究，特别是在与社会科学贡献相关的科学研究方面。然而，迄今为止，这些挑战依然存在，我们需要能够补充自然科学解决这些问题努力的理论贡献。本文旨在基于库恩的创新范式理论以及拉卡托斯关于科学研究可能从根本上缺乏创新性的观点做出理论贡献，这表明知识创造的社会科学方面可能是更有效生物医学创新的关键。鉴于持续和新出现的全球危机的后果，以及科研知识体系未能彻底解决此类问题，本文对理论和文献进行了综述，主张基于全球系统的发展以最大化研究合作，从而形成科学研究的新范式。全球系统方法有效地将社会科学理论发展纳入其中，作为自然科学研究过程的重要补充。可以说，信息技术和社交媒体技术已经发展到这样的程度，即知识聚合挑战的解决方案能够以迄今难以想象的规模解决知识问题。专家和非专家的众包投入可以通过利用“群体”成倍增加解决问题的投入来实现问题解决，从而大幅增加合作。有人认为，这些发展预示着参与式研究的新时代，即研究的民主化，为解决全球社会问题带来了新希望。本文旨在为此做出贡献，并促进认识社会理论在科学研究过程中的重要作用。
