Public Libraries
asghar zamani; mahtab pouratashi; zohreh Cheraghi; Homa Fazli Yazd
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The present study aimed to analyze the recruitment process and employment challenges of Information Science and Knowledge Studies students in order to provide policy solutions to meet the needs of the higher education system.
Methodology: This research is an applied ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: The present study aimed to analyze the recruitment process and employment challenges of Information Science and Knowledge Studies students in order to provide policy solutions to meet the needs of the higher education system.
Methodology: This research is an applied research and its method is a qualitative method in the interviews section and descriptive-analytical in the documents and statistics section. In order to study the process of attracting students of Information Science and Knowledge Studies, statistical data of the Institute of Research and Planning of Higher Education during the years 2011-12 to 2017-18 were used. In order to collect information from the qualitative department, a purposeful semi-structured interview was conducted with 14 graduate and doctoral students in the field of Information Science and Knowledge Studies. Descriptive analysis method has been used to analyze the data of the statistics section and thematic analysis has been used as a research strategy to analyze the semi-structured interviews section.
Findings: The findings of the research in the statistical review section showed that the highest number of enrollees in the field of Information Science and Knowledge Studies in the doctoral program in the academic year 2016-2017, in the master's degree program in the academic year 2016-2017, and in the undergraduate program in 2011-2012. In terms of gender, in all the years studied, the total number of female enrollees was more than the number of male enrollees. Findings indicated that the highest number of enrollments in the field of Information Science and Knowledge Studies was related to the academic year 2011-2012. Then the enrollment has taken a downward trend in the academic year 2014-2015 with a slight, there has been an increase.
Discussion: To address the employment challenges of graduates in the field of Information Science and Knowledge Studies, three steps should be considered before the student and during the student recruitment process, during the student and post-student. Before attracting and admitting students, it is necessary to pay attention to their basic practical skills and competencies and their motivation and interest in this field. During their student time, it is necessary to find employment courses for students in this field to get acquainted with various jobs related to their expertise should be held and while identifying the needs and skills required by jobs, society and industry by the university and policy-making institutions and their application in university content and topics, carding skills, communication skills, scientific research skills, knowledge and practical skills of students. This field should be strengthened in the university. Also, the titles of dissertations and doctoral dissertations in this field should be selected based on the needs assessment of the labor market and society and the demand-oriented approach.
Knowledge Management
asghar zamani
Abstract
Background and Objectives: In today’s knowledge society, it is vital to use the experiences gained by directors and chancellors of organizations and their experts for success and educate new directors. But unfortunately, in higher education and especially in research centers and institutes, despite ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: In today’s knowledge society, it is vital to use the experiences gained by directors and chancellors of organizations and their experts for success and educate new directors. But unfortunately, in higher education and especially in research centers and institutes, despite the important role of experience, documentation of experiences and the tacit knowledge are neglected for several reasons such as: lack of culture of writing, vagueness of the concept of organizational experience, lack of a proper method for documentation and sharing it, and lack of legal and supportive infrastructure. Accordingly, efforts should be made to extract accumulated knowledge in the minds of Chancellors and deputies of research centers and institutes, by documentation of experiences. So, it will be possible to share knowledge and experience among new Chancellors and deputies. Therefore, the knowledge stored in research centers and institutes become a permanent usable resource. This study aimed to provide a model for establishing and improving of tacit knowledge sharing network in higher education. Methodology: This research was developmental and applied research. In this research, according to the subject and nature of the research, the research method was exploratory mixed method and. Therefore, this research began with a qualitative method and continued with the quantitative method for the generalization of the findings to the statistical population. In qualitative section, interview was used for data gathering. The questions of interview selected through literature review and consultation with some experts. It is notable that the interviews were semi-structured. Participants in qualitative section were experienced experts (Chancellors and deputies of research centers and institutes), theoretical experts (experts in the field of higher education), and experts in the field of experiences documentation. Some participants were experts in two or three fields of expertise. After implementing the interviews, an open coding method was used to analyze the qualitative data. Then, by calculating the reliability and validity, based on the gathered data, a questionnaire was developed. In the next phase, validity and reliability (by calculating Cronbach’s alpha) of questionnaire were confirmed and the questionnaire sent to the statistical population of the study (including all Chancellors and deputies, Heads of Offices of Chancellors and deputies, and Heads of Public Relations in research centers and institutes affiliated by the Ministry of Science and Technology and Research). Also, in quantitative phase, descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyze the collected data. Findings: One objective of study was to establish and improve the tacit knowledge sharing network in higher education. The other objective was to develop a model for documentation of experiences of chancellors and deputies of research centers and institutes in Iran. The findings indicated that four basic steps were involved in the process of establishing a knowledge sharing network and experiences and documenting organizational experiences of research institutes chancellors, which were the main pillar of the model.According to the results, the model had four factors including: documentation policy-making, documentation planning, documentation implementation, and monitoring, control, and sharing. The factors divided to 11 steps and 31 activities. Each activities complete one-step in the process. The model had a circle form to show that there was no stopping point in documenting experiences and at the moment the documentation of the experiences was completed and shared, a new stage of documentation of experiences begin to complete the previous experiences. Discussion: To document experiences in higher education, organizational and extra organizational policies should be reviewed and amended as necessary. Also, the documentation cycle of an experience never ends and is always reviewed and modified. In the issue of documenting experiences and sharing them, we are confronted with two related issues. But both have common prerequisites. The prerequisite for documenting organizational experiences and sharing tacit knowledge and experience in Iranian research institutes and centers includes: academic policy, legal support, organizational climate, academic culture, and individual culture. Research institutes and centers need policy and legal infrastructure to create contexts for documenting experiences and implicit knowledge sharing. Accordingly, efforts should be made to extract accumulated knowledge in the minds of Chancellors and deputies of research centers and institutes, by documentation of experiences. So, it will be possible to share knowledge and experience among new Chancellors and deputies. Therefore, the knowledge stored in research centers and institutes become a permanent usable resource. If Ministry of Science, Research and Technology would like to document organizational experiences, and to avoid trial and error at research institutions, it is suggested that the real will for documentation of experiences be developed in Higher Education Directors. Also, policy and legal and judicial issues in this regard be developed. It is suggested that the issue of documentation of organizational experience be included in the appointment of all chancellors of research institutions. Through the Board of Trustees, the subject of documentation of organizational experiences is cited as mission or vision. Finally, it is suggested to set up supportive and incentive laws (such as financial or spiritual, promotion laws, etc.) to support documentary makers and users of experiences.
Knowledge Management
asghar zamani
Abstract
Background and Objectives: In today’s knowledge society, it is vital to use the experiences gained by directors and chancellors of organizations and their experts for Succession and educating new directors. But unfortunately, in higher education and especially in research centers and institutes, ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: In today’s knowledge society, it is vital to use the experiences gained by directors and chancellors of organizations and their experts for Succession and educating new directors. But unfortunately, in higher education and especially in research centers and institutes, despite the important role of experience, it is neglected to document experiences and the tacit knowledge inherent in experiences for several reasons such as: lack of culture of writing, vagueness of the concept of organizational experience, lack of a proper method for documentation and sharing it, and lack of legal and supportive infrastructure. Accordingly, efforts should be made to extract accumulated knowledge in the minds of Chancellors and deputies of research centers and institutes, by documentation of experiences, so it will be possible to share knowledge and experience among new Chancellors and deputies. Therefore, the knowledge stored in research centers and institutes become a permanent usable resource. Based on this, the study by examining the status of organizational experiences documentation of Chancellors and deputies of research centers and institutes, develop a model for this important issue.The purpose of this study was to identify the status of documenting the organizational experiences of research institutes and centers, using mixed-method. Methodology: This research is developmental and applied research. In this research, according to the subject and nature of the research, the research method was mixed method and exploratory. In qualitative section, interview was used for data gathering. The questions of interview selected through literature review and consultation with some experts. It is notable that the interviews were semi-structured. Participants in qualitative section were experienced experts (Chancellors and deputies of research centers and institutes), theoretical experts (experts in the field of higher education), and experts in the field of experiences documentation. Some participants were experts in two or three fields of expertise. After implementing the interviews, an open coding method was used to analyze the qualitative data. Then, by calculating the reliability and validity, based on the gathered data, a questionnaire was developed. In the next phase, validity and reliability (by calculating Cronbach’s alpha) of questionnaire were confirmed and the questionnaire sent to the statistical population of the study (including all Chancellors and deputies, Heads of Offices of Chancellors and deputies, and Heads of Public Relations in research centers and institutes affiliated by the Ministry of Science and Technology and Research). Also, in quantitative phase, descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyze the collected data. Findings: The results indicated that men had more positive attitude toward documenting their experiences than women, and the attitude of those with more than 10 years of service experience was better than those with less than 10 years of service. The existing status of research institutes was also negative in terms of documenting the experience in the true sense, but documenting approvals and consultations based on experiences in council meetings was partly done. Concerning the sharing of tacit knowledge and experiences is also the central focus of the individual factors of the members of research institutes to share organizational knowledge and experience with colleagues. Internal and external factors play a supporting role in the sharing of tacit knowledge and experience, and faculty member is the ultimate decision-maker in tacit knowledge sharing based on his or her own knowledge abilities and individual and personality factors. Discussion: According to the results, if Ministry of Science, Research and Technology would like to document organizational experiences, and to avoid trial and error at research institutions, it is suggested that the real will for documentation of experiences be developed in Higher Education Directors. Also, policy and legal and judicial issues in this regard be developed. The issue be emphasized at the summit of heads of universities and research institutes. The Ministry of Science send an announcement and call for documentation of organizational and management documentation; however, due to the issues such as university autonomy and academic features, it cannot be treated in a cohesive manner. Also, it is suggested that the Ministry of Science establish the necessity for policy and supportive, legal and legal infrastructure, and, if necessary, requests it from the three branches of the powers and takes the necessary approvals. It is suggested that the issue of documentation of organizational experience be included in the appointment of all chancellors of research institutions. Through the Board of Trustees, the subject of documentation of organizational experiences be cited as mission or vision. Finally, it is suggested to set up supportive and incentive laws (such as financial or spiritual, promotion laws, etc.) to support documentary makers and users of experiences.