Thesis (MScEng (Industrial Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Engineering Science
at Stellenbosch University / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Innovation capability is undoubtedly an essential attribute for organizations that wish to survive and
grow in a modern economy. Innovation is however widely misunderstood and subsequently
mismanaged. Common misconceptions include that innovation only consists of a single moment of
inspiration, and that it is therefore dependent on a single person or department within the
organization. In reality the Innovation Process has a distinct life cycle and involves a wide array of roleplayers.
Effective innovation management is reliant on efficient cooperation between these role-players. This
cooperation however extends beyond collaborative organizational structure, bilateral agreements and
partnership contracts. Role-players in the Innovation Process form a Knowledge Supply Chain and
should be connected in a way that promotes knowledge exchange between them.
Several modern approaches to Knowledge Management are available, but few grasp the complexity
of Innovation. A wide variety of knowledge sources and formats exist within a set of parties like those
involved in Innovation. The preferred Knowledge Management strategy to accompany the Innovation
Process should therefore take a holistic view on knowledge while embracing its dynamic nature.
Knowledge Networks provide exactly this approach by encompassing a number of people and
resources and the relationships between them. These actors within the network are allowed to
capture, transfer and create knowledge for the purpose of creating value. This Knowledge Network is
supported by a Knowledge Network Architecture consisting of a combination of organizational and
information system tools.
On an organizational front, the Knowledge Network Architecture is customized to reach across
organizational boundaries, thereby creating the collaborative environment that is needed to support
the Innovation Process. By allowing actors from different organizations to join the network, an
Integrated Knowledge Network is formed.
The Information and Communication Technology element of a Knowledge Network Architecture that
suits the needs of the Innovation Process features an online Information System. This Information
System employs a network model in its approach to the handling of content and supports all the
knowledge transfer and creation processes within the Knowledge Network.
Although such an Information System provides a single point of entry to the network’s knowledge
base, it may be configured to allow access to individuals from multiple organizations. This functionality
links it to the requirements of an Integrated Knowledge Network, thereby combining the elements of
the Knowledge Network Architecture to form a solution framework instead of remaining modular
tools. Fully supporting the Innovation Process within an Information System Architecture does however
involve more than simply connecting role-players and facilitating knowledge management between
them. Successful Innovation Management requires an understanding of the full Innovation Life Cycle,
and ensuring that a comprehensive roadmap is followed to guide innovation projects that develop
within the Integrated Knowledge Network. The required Information System should therefore facilitate
an Integrated Knowledge Network, while providing support for the full life cycle of innovation projects
that develop within the network.
This study develops an architecture specification that functionally describes the aforementioned
Information System. Using this architecture specification as a guideline, the Information System is
subsequently designed and developed with the use of an online content management toolset and a
showcase of the system’s functionality is provided. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Innoveringsvermoë is ‘n kritiese eienskap vir organisasies wat poog om in ‘n moderne ekonomie te
oorleef en te groei. Innovasie word egter gereeld misverstaan en gevolglik wanbestuur. Algemene
wanopvattings sluit in dat Innovasie slegs ‘n oomblik van inspirasie behels en daarom slegs van
individue of ‘n enkele departement binne die organisasie afhang. In realiteit word die Innovasieproses
deur ‘n definitiewe lewenssikuls gekenmerk en neem ‘n wye verskeidenheid rolspelers daaraan deel.
Effektiewe Innovasiebestuur maak tot ‘n groot mate op doeltreffende samewerking tussen
bogenoemde rolspelers staat. Hierdie samewerking strek egter verder as kollaboratiewe
organisasiestrukture, bilaterale ooreenkomste en gevestigde vennootskappe. Rolspelers in die
Innovasieproses vorm ‘n Kennisvoorsieningsketting en moet verbind word op ‘n wyse wat die uitruil
van kennis tussen hulle bevorder.
Daar is verskeie moderne benaderings tot Kennisbestuur, maar weinig van hierdie strategieë spreek
die volle kompleksiteit van Innovasie aan. ‘n Wye verskeidenheid kennisbronne en –formate bestaan
tussen ‘n groep rolspelers soos dié wat in die Innovasieproses betrokke is. Die ideale
Kennisbestuurstrategie om die Innovasieproses te vergesel moet daarom ‘n holistiese uitkyk op
kennis bied en terselfdertyd die dinamiese aard daarvan in ag neem.
Kennisnetwerke bied dié benadering deur ‘n aantal persone en hulpbronne, asook die verhoudinge
tussen hulle, te omsluit. Hierdie spelers in die netwerk word toegelaat om kennis onderling vas te
vang, oor te dra en te skep met die doel om waarde te genereer. Laasgenoemde Kennisnetwerk
word ondersteun deur ‘n Kennisnetwerkargitektuur wat uit ‘n kombinasie van organisatoriese en
inligtingstelselgereedskap bestaan.
Op die organisatoriese front word die Kennisnetwerkargitektuur pasgemaak om oor
organisasiegrense te strek. Die kollaboratiewe omgewing wat benodig word om die Innovasieproses
te ondersteun, word hierdeur geskep. Deur spelers vanuit verskillende organisasies toe te laat om by
die netwerk aan te sluit, word ‘n Geïntegreerde Kennisnetwerk gevorm.
Die Inligting- en Kommunikasietegnologie onderafdeling van ‘n Kennisnetwerkargitektuur wat die
Innovasieproses pas, sluit onder andere ‘n aanlyn Inligtingstelsel in. Hierdie Inligtingstelsel gebruik ‘n
netwerkmodel in sy benadering tot inhoudsbestuur en behoort verder alle kennisoordrag en –
skeppingsprosesse binne die Kennisnetwerk te ondersteun.
Hoewel so ‘n Inligtingstelsel die ‘n enkele toegangspunt tot die netwerk se kennispoel bied, kan dit
opgestel word om toegang aan indiwidue vanuit verskillende organisasies te verleen. Hierdie
funksionaliteit koppel dit dus aan die behoeftes van ‘n Geïntegreerde Kennisnetwerk en verenig die verskillende onderafdelings van die Kennisnetwerkargitektuur. Die Kennisnetwerkargitektuur vorm
gevolglik ‘n oplossingsraamwerk, eerder as ‘n modulêre gereedskapstel.
Om die Innovasieproses volledig binne ‘n Inligtingstelsel te ondersteun verg egter meer as om die
onderskeie rolspelers te verbind en kennisbestuur tussen hulle te fasiliteer. Suksesvolle
Innovasiebestuur verg begrip vir die volle Innovasielewenssiklus en die gebruik van ‘n omvattende
padkaart om innovasieprojekte (wat binne die Geïntegreerge Kennisnetwerk ontwikkel) te lei. Die
verlangde Inligtingstelsel fasiliteer dus ‘n Geïntegreerde Kennisnetwerk en ondersteun terselfdertyd die
volle lewenssiklus van innovasieprojekte wat uit die netwerk spruit.
Hierdie studie ontwikkel ‘n argitektuurspesifikasie wat die bogenoemde Inligtingstelsel op ‘n
funksionele vlak beskryf. Met hierdie argitektuurspesifikasie as riglyn, word die Inligtingstelsel met
behulp van ‘n aanlyn inhoudsbestuurgereedskapstel ontwerp en ontwikkel. Ten slotte word die stelse se funksionaliteit gedemonstreer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4033 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Gous, Henno |
| Contributors | Schutte, C. S. L., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 40 p. : ill. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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