Indigenous Knowledge Systems - Research Proposal Example

National Research Foundation (NRF) Department of Science and Technology Republic of South Africa K-S Knowledge Leadership Proposal Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) K-S Indigenous Knowledge Systems Research Proposal Proprietary Information, Highly Confidential and Private, Intended for Recipient/s Only A Knowledge Leadership Methodology A Reciprocal Knowledge-Innovation Leadership System The RealValue Methodology© in the Technology of RealTime© A ‘Strategic Knowledge Innovation Leadership Linkage System’ SKILLS AWARDS™ “The most powerful way to prevail in the knowledge economy is still invisible to many” Hamel and Prahalad (2001) K-S INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS ABSTRACT As humans reach the end of the 5,125-year Mayan Calendar on December 21, 2012, the world is in rapid transformation. One can clearly observe transformations in climate changes, in financial turmoil, and in the evolution of technology as well. The accelerating changes can leave one bewildered and lost, or offer an awakening to true personal, social, political, and economic potential. It is an understanding that the true potential resides in the reciprocity of cosmology, cognition, and consciousness, and the powerful influence of Indigenous Knowledge Systems both locally, and globally, on ability of humans to innovate and advance into the future. Table of Contents K-S INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS ABSTRACT 3 TIME ACCELERATION AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS 4 KEY IKS RESEARCH FOCUS AREAS 5 Research Questions 5 Significant Areas of Exploration 6 Significant Areas of Investigation and Action Research 6 Wisdom of the Ancients 7 THE REALVALUE METHODOLOGY© APPLIED IN THE TECHNOLOGY OF REALTIME© 7 THE REALVALUE KNOWLEDGE MATRIX AND METRICS SYSTEM™ 8 K-S SKILLS™ FOR INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS 9 PIVOTAL KNOWLEDGE-VALUE LINKAGE AND LEVERAGE POINTS 9 SKILLS™: K-S KNOWLEDGE LEADERSHIP RECONNOITRE™ 10 K-S IKS STRATEGIC INTENT AND AGENDA 11 PROPOSED MILESTONES AND PROJECT STRUCTURE 12 TIME ACCELERATION AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS In these changing times, we explore the prophecies and the science surrounding the Mayan Calendar, and the changes already happening and that will soon be upon us. Particularly, the Mayan Calendar is an instrument of cosmic technology, and/or template of personal, collective, and global change and transformation. Collectively, the academic researcher in the proposed project will explore the meaning of this time as one of conscious evolution, psychophysical transformation, and alchemical fulfilment, of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in the local, global, and African context. KEY IKS RESEARCH FOCUS AREAS Understanding of Indigenous Knowledge and Indigenous Knowledge Systems, and the way the principles are at play in daily lives? The effect of Indigenous visionary plants on personal and collective evolution, and on our concomitant ability to innovate and advance our economic endeavours The implications of nanotechnology on our immediate future and a glimpse of the shape of humanity to come Traditional Indigenous Knowledge System Medicines The concept of time acceleration on an experiential level The connection between the fractal layers of time and evolutionary biology. The transformation of consciousness in our era of 2012 The future, where are we headed as a species that is growing into a fully conscious planetary culture, in the African and South African context? The role of DNA in these transformative times of our lives Research Questions What is the link between this extraordinary artifact and the recent changes to the Sun and the Earth’s electromagnetic field, and the link to Indigenous Knowledge Systems, locally, systemically, and across the planet? What lies beyond the threshold for each and all of us? Rather than the sudden change foreseen by thinkers like Terence McKenna and Jose Arguelles, we find ourselves in transition to a new level of consciousness, as we integrate the ancient knowledge of cultures like the Maya, Ancient Egyptian, Australian Aboriginal, South American, and African, and South African Indigenous cultures, and knowledge systems, with that of modern science and technology. How do we use this understanding in the global and locally focused, African, and international context, to thrive during these ever-accelerating cosmic changes? Significant Areas of Exploration We will explore what the period from 2012-2021 signifies within Indigenous Knowledge Systems, and how we can advance in Africa through this period. The origins of the date December 21, 2012 and what the alignments mean for our socioeconomic progress and sustainability, nationally, as well as globally. How the modern Maya view the western interpretation, and their view on the "end date," and the ways to utilize the ongoing cycles. The importance of Indigenous visionary plants for personal and planetary transformation and how their roles have increased nearing 2012. What the looming ‘event horizon’ and "singularity" means for humanity and the clues presented to us in our personal and collective lives. After 2012, where are we going, what has changed, what is on the horizon for us, and how can we create the best and highest future for ourselves in the African and South African context with this knowledge. Significant Areas of Investigation and Action Research What are the Indigenous Knowledge System Archetypes, and how are they reflected in our world, and the South African and African culture? The "Singularity Archetype” and what the zero point means to us. What will happen as our species crosses the event horizon. Synchronicity, precognition, and the portals of cinema, how our individual experiences are personal, and that of the collective consciousness. The real time emergence of the Noosphere in era 2012, what the effects are on mass consciousness and how to integrate those energies. Wisdom of the Ancients The academic researcher will put efforts to explore and investigate: Wisdom of the ancients, the ages of the zodiac, and the alignment of sacred sites to the stars in Indigenous Knowledge Systems Moving forward into 2013 and beyond and how we can achieve a balanced and sustainable future for the 21st century and the importance of Indigenous plant medicines as catalysts for change The fundamentals of cosmometry and the integration of cosmic, complex, and quantum science, for planetary and personal transformation The significance and implications of the ‘cosmic and galactic alignment theory’, and the scientific basis for the transformation of human consciousness occurring in the 2012 era THE REALVALUE METHODOLOGY© APPLIED IN THE TECHNOLOGY OF REALTIME© RealValue™ is described as an exceptional and unique visionary and value-based knowledge leadership system, and innovation management metrics methodology. A systemic knowledge leadership system that, through its application leads, links, and leverages the ‘real value’ residing in a knowledge context within its unique value community and / or value network structure and environment, both locally and globally, and internally and externally. The RealValue™ internal, local focus is on the management and measurement of knowledge assets, including intellectual property, technology, human capital, indigenous knowledge, community and culture, and individual, and collective leadership competence, capability, and competitiveness. The external context and environment is defined and determined by a range of diverse stakeholders, and channels of supply and distribution, and the competitive landscape, and environmental threats, and by external stakeholders including the formal and informal sector; suppliers, partners, alliances, and service providers. All these internal and external stakeholders make up a society, culture, and/or indigenous knowledge community, and the associated value generating social and economic systems and networks, as well as, the broader environmental, social, economic, and political and regulatory context. RealValue™ is the ‘heart and mind’ of the ‘Strategic Knowledge Innovation Leadership Linkage System’, called SKILLS™ - a knowledge leadership, and innovation strategy matrix, and metrics system. It spans over seven knowledge-solutions, value creating components, and strategic innovation modules, that create the knowledge structure, framework, and milieu for the pragmatic optimal, and strategic application of knowledge systems, in driving and directing knowledge leadership, for optimum results, in the real world competitive, creative, and traditional context. THE REALVALUE KNOWLEDGE MATRIX AND METRICS SYSTEM™ ‘A STRATEGIC KNOWLEGE INNOVATION LEADERSHIP LINKAGE SYSTEM’ SKILLS AWARDS™ Internal / Local Knowledge Context External / Global Knowledge Context Historical Knowledge-Value 1-Internal Knowledge Domain 2-External Knowledge Domain 3-Historical Knowledge Status Critical Knowledge Assets Complementary Knowledge Assets Past-Future Knowledge-Value gap Brand, IP, Relationship, Product, Tech Community, Channels, Suppliers Historical-Current Knowledge Asset Value 4-Knowledge Leadership Platform New Knowledge-Based Value Vectors Knowledge Vision - Knowledge-Value Vectors Defined Define Real Vision, Voice, Value of Community, Stakeholders Define Vision for Indigenous Knowledge Systems 5-Internal Knowledge Linkage Options 6-External Knowledge Linkage Options Internal /Local Knowledge-Value Links External / Global Knowledge-Value Links Internal Local / Stakeholder Value Vectors External Global / Stakeholder Value Vectors Align Community / Stakeholder (CS) Real Vision, Voice, and Value™ Knowledge Production Strategy Formulation: Link (CS) Real Vision, Voice, and Value™ Knowledge Strategy Execution: Leverage and Unleash Real Vision, Voice, and Value™ 7-RealValue™ Indigenous Knowledge Asset Value Score Integrated Internal-External Indigenous Knowledge Asset Value Knowledge Leadership Strategy Valuation / Appraisal: Community / Stakeholder Knowledge Asset Value K-S SKILLS™ FOR INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS The SKILLS AWARDS™ knowledge leadership system is based on essential community and stakeholder ‘knowledge-value links’. The links connect and align the critical and complementary assets of the community and stakeholder value network, encompassing specialist leadership knowledge, networking skills, and relationship-based knowledge, and specialist communication competencies, executed across the knowledge value chain. PIVOTAL KNOWLEDGE-VALUE LINKAGE AND LEVERAGE POINTS The knowledge-value links create the pivotal leverage points within the value chain and network that are essential to knowledge leadership strategy formulation and implementation, and to the success, and sustainability of the indigenous knowledge project. The links and leverage points are conducive and critical to realising the knowledge leadership research deliverables and objectives, within the extensive scope and challenging scale of the project; the pervasive local and international stakeholder, and community knowledge context, of the indigenous knowledge systems research project. SKILLS™: K-S KNOWLEDGE LEADERSHIP RECONNOITRE™ We execute an advanced SKILLS™ *Knowledge Leadership Reconnoitre for NRF: *A systemic and strategic internal-external, local-global knowledge value chain, and/or value network knowledge leadership conversation: in-depth knowledge leadership dialogue, discussion, and conversation, and experiential specialist and/or expert knowledge investigation and inquiry across the knowledge value chain, including the indigenous, academic, and commercial knowledge value chain, with key stakeholders, individuals and communities, about Indigenous Knowledge Systems. The knowledge leadership, and conversational knowledge leadership process is executed to discover critical ‘high value knowledge’ about the ‘Vision, Voice, and Value’ of stakeholders, individuals, and communities, leading to incisive insight, intelligence, and understanding, of the knowledge generating reciprocity, and internal-external, and local-international relationship structures, and most importantly connecting the knowledge-value links of key stakeholders. The aim being to strategically and operationally compare and contrast, and align and link, key internal-external knowledge-value vectors based on specialist and expert opinion, of key role-players, and stakeholder opinions, dominant attitudes, and prevailing perceptions, and pervasive points of view and/or perspectives about the Indigenous Knowledge Systems. K-S IKS STRATEGIC INTENT AND AGENDA “To tap-into the Real Vision, Voice, and Value™ of the key stakeholder, communities, partner networks, and to strategically and reciprocally align, link, and leverage SA’s Real Vision, Voice, and Value™ with that of their partners”! (Michael Taylor MSc, K-S Founder, Principal Investigator) The strategic intent of the knowledge reconnoitre is to detect and attract attention to important stakeholder issues and information, ordinarily not noticed, or simply ignored, or not given due attention, to bridge the knowledge-value gap/s, between past and current, and potential high-value future indigenous knowledge, to create a robust knowledge platform for optimum impact, and knowledge production results. RealValue™ is defined in terms of the real economic benefits and pragmatic application of knowledge, strategies, and competencies, including the internal-external value creating relationships. Extensive, participative stakeholder local and international engagements and the associated knowledge leadership they engender and generate, in terms of high value indigenous knowledge systems opportunity are critical and central to the process. It includes the pervasive knowledge power of the value creating reciprocity, and opportunities, residing in the past, present, and future time-zones, converging at the ‘centre of time’, in RealTime™; at the intersection of monochronic time - horizontal, linear, simple, chronological time, with polychronic time - ‘vertically spiralling-spinning’, non-linear, complex, intuitive time: named as the K-S RealValue Methodology© executed in the ‘Technology of RealTime©’ K-S focuses on the ability to create real value consistently, within the highly complex and competitive 21st century trading environment, i.e. within the intensely competitive, technology-driven, and knowledge economic context, within prevailing uncertain global economic conditions. K-S is centred principally in knowledge or intangible assets, relationship and reputation assets, and people, and technology networks; Internet-based e-commerce, the World Wide Web, knowledge content management, and communication, collaborative supply chains, and communities of practice, and social networks, are all encompassed within RealValue Creation and Capture™. PROPOSED MILESTONES AND PROJECT STRUCTURE The below timeline represents list of tasks that would come under exploration during the proposed study: Task Name Date Date Date Date Date Date Date Date 1 Submission of Research Proposal 1st month 2 Approval of Research Proposal 2nd month 3 Commencement Knowledge Production Process 3rd month 4 Secondary Research (Analysis of Books, Journals, Peer-Reviewed Papers, Pictures) 4-10th month 5 Primary Research (Observations of Best Practices, Interviews, Questionnaires, Visits to Knowledge-production Places) 11-18th month 6 Analysis of Data 19 – 24th month 9 Findings & Conclusions 25 – 27th month 10 Final Submission 28 – 30th month Key: task milestone Read More