Why is Research into KT Practice Important?
Why is this important?
IKT believes that we need to understand the issues that arise from and underpin these activities and assess their impact, in economic, social, and cultural terms, to help to inform the future shape and direction of KT, as well as supporting relationships and interactions among KT 'actors' and stakeholders, including government and business. Research into KT, innovation and enterprise is ad hoc and apparently disconnected or fragmented across a range of disciplines. We want to change this.
How did it start?
A workshop of KT academics and policymakers held in September 2008 welcomed the role that IKT can play to improve opportunities for KT practitioners, academics and other researchers to get together to network, to share ideas and to interact with each other. 'Research into KT Practice' also aims to lead and participate in new leading-edge research, access potential funding sources, create and manage new dissemination and publication (in its widest sense), help to map KT's research base underpinning and look at future research needs. A series of research themes were identified as the starting point. These include:
- Creation of value: market and social learning; co-production i.e. the dialogue between those looking at the developments of markets and those engaged in technological development.
- Impact and outcomes - social, economic, cultural, and reviewing methodologies incorporating how relevance is assessed.
- Client preparation/KT awareness.
- Organisation of KT - flows to and from industry/business and public research and arts organisations and how these are influenced by intermediaries and government.
- Impact on teaching and research of KT activities
- Cultural dynamics in universities; barriers to the development of KT and incentives
- Organisation/governance of KT and its activities in universities, public sector research and arts organisations including financing.
- QA processes and professionalization.