3.21.2024@品川　TKM国際シンポジウム

Meeting Topic: Knowledge Transformation in Digital Economy and Society

Date: March 21, 2024

Time: 1:00- 5:00 PM

Location: Shinagawa campus

Opening: Professor Shirahada first gave a brief introduction to the TKM program at JAIST.

The theme of the event was "TKM: Knowledge Transformation in Digital Economy and Society," aiming to discuss the pivotal role of knowledge management in the context of the digital era. The professor and director of Jaist-Transformative Knowledge Management Research Area introduced TKM study areas ranging from Knowledge Science to Transdisciplinary Sciences, highlighting research areas such as "Creative Society Design," "Transformative Knowledge Management," and "Co-creative Intelligence."The symposium delved into critical aspects of knowledge management, including preservation and delivery, sharing and creation, integration and creating value, and exploration and creative knowledge-selection. The discussions emphasized the role of technology in safeguarding and distributing knowledge and the advancement of AI and sensing technologies in searching knowledge from vast information.

Furthermore, the symposium focused on how knowledge management can foster the viability and sustainability of systems, especially in supporting a circular economy and carbon neutrality. It questioned how knowledge and wisdom dissemination could shape a society where everyone can pursue well-being. The following expert presentations were featured:

13:10 – 13:55

Topic: Advancements in Transformative Service Research: Key Principles and Innovations

Presentor: Porfessor Linda Alkire Texas State University, Associate Professor

Associate Professor Linda's presentation touched on the design and equity of service systems and their role in society. She emphasized the importance of creating just and inclusive service systems and discussed how transformative service research utilizes service design to advance social well-being and innovative entrepreneurship. The talk also covered the role of technology in service delivery, including how emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and blockchain are transforming the service industry. The presentation emphasized the necessity of multidisciplinary approaches to address complex social issues, integrating insights from psychology, sociology, and environmental science into service research.

Further exploring the reality of service exclusion, Associate Professor Linda highlighted how service providers may overlook certain groups and how transformative service initiatives can help overcome these barriers. Her research focuses on linking the service industry with sustainable development goals, particularly with an emphasis on reducing inequality and promoting gender equality.

Her paper "SDG commentary: services that provide opportunity for all humans" materializes these concepts, outlining how services can offer opportunities to everyone within the framework of global sustainable development goals. Moreover, she stressed the future direction of service research, including its relevance to managerial practices and societal impact, and how service science can be applied in educational and corporate settings. She advocates for service research to embrace a broader methodological diversity to tackle complex management and societal issues, explore the impact of global challenges like natural disasters and climate change on service systems, and study on the ethical, privacy, and security implications of data-driven service innovations to ensure equitable and safe service delivery. Through her work, Associate Professor Linda not only advances academic knowledge but also contributes to social transformation on a global scale.

14:10 – 14:55

Topic: Technology management in digital economy

Presentor: Professor: Dilek Cetindamar University of Technology Sydney, Professor

Professor Dilek Cetindamar provided a comprehensive look into the role of Technology Management (TM) in the digital economy. Her keynote addressed the historical evolution of TM, the increasing importance of digital technologies, and the growth projections for the digital economy, including an expected rise in global e-commerce sales to $6.3 trillion by 2024.Digital technologies such as AI, blockchain, and 3D printing are reshaping the landscape, requiring TM to evolve beyond traditional management theories to incorporate digital dynamic capabilities, innovation, and design management. The advent of these technologies is characterized by their general-purpose nature, reprogrammability, data homogenization, ubiquity, layered architecture, and the need for flexible management methods, all contributing to a rapidly growing global data sphere.

She underscored challenges including the market dominance of platform-based companies, social implications of biometric devices, regulatory hurdles, and the need for responsible technology management. These factors demand proactive and informed strategies to ensure effective TM across different jurisdictions and regulatory landscapes.

Furthermore, the digital divide, sustainability, and ethical considerations form part of the broader context in which TM operates. Issues such as privacy, security, and the potential for misuse of technology, including the spread of misinformation, are pivotal concerns.Looking ahead, the discussion points to key topics like AI ethics, sustainable and inclusive development, low-carbon initiatives, and new policy needs in response to technological innovation waves. TM must anticipate these changes, considering the implications for competitive advantage and societal impact, and develop skills in risk and data analytics, team management, and cross-border data governance.

In summary, Professor Cetindamar’s insights call for a dynamic and integrated approach to TM that is responsive to the unique challenges of the digital era. This involves understanding the multifaceted nature of digital technologies and their expansive role in economic development, society, and the environment. The objective is to ensure that TM can effectively manage these technologies for the betterment of industry and society while aligning with global objectives such as the UN SDGs and addressing the rapid technological changes characteristic of the digital economy.

15:10 – 15:55

Topic:Data development to integrate AI utilization and knowledge management

Presentor: Hideo Umeki Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting, General Manager

Mr. Hideo Umeki, the General Manager at Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting, discussed in his presentation how integrating Generative AI (GenAI) into Knowledge Management (KM) frameworks can address challenges in modern work environments. He mentioned that KM not only facilitates the creation of knowledge but also enhances AI capabilities, especially in terms of grounding, which involves making tacit knowledge explicit and digitizing real-world situations. Furthermore, Mr. Umeki detailed how the SECI model—Socialization, Externalization, Combination, Internalization—works in tandem with GenAI to accelerate the knowledge conversion cycle. This includes combining global knowledge, creating realistic experience environments, promoting team coordination, and contextualizing through transcription. His goal, as he emphasized, is to establish a new work style that maximizes the use of individual skills and traits, not just filling existing job positions, thereby increasing work efficiency and meeting career development needs.

16:00 – 16:30

Topic: Digital knowledge as a strategic asset to create value

Presentor: Javed Amna, Senior Lecturer

In the presentation delivered by Amna Javed lecturer, the emphasis was placed on the strategic importance of managing knowledge resources within digital platform-based businesses, using Careem as a pivotal case study. The focus was on how Careem has utilized both tacit and explicit knowledge to create a robust "Knowledge Resource Database," which has been central to the company's operational effectiveness. The database underpins various key aspects of Careem's operations, including demand forecasting, resource allocation, safety protocols, market intelligence, regulatory compliance, traffic analysis, and training programs—all of which contribute significantly to service customization and real-time updates for users.

Careem's approach to knowledge management involves a knowledge-to-action cycle that enhances its service efficiency. This involves capturing knowledge from various interactions and insights, creating new knowledge through research and collaboration, sharing this knowledge transparently across departments, and utilizing it effectively in decision-making and customer interactions. The strategic approaches highlighted in the presentation include competitive localization—adapting services to align with local regulations and cultural nuances; becoming a learning organization capable of expanding into new markets; engaging in boundary-spanning through strategic partnerships; and creating shared value that considers both profitability and social/environmental responsibility.

The presentation addressed the challenges in managing knowledge assets, particularly the need for security and privacy measures to protect sensitive information and ensure regulatory compliance. It also mentioned cultural barriers that might hinder knowledge sharing within an organization. To overcome these challenges, the presentation suggested that organizations should foster a culture of continuous learning and incentivize knowledge sharing.

The concluding remarks emphasized the need for organizations like Careem to remain agile, continuously learn, and adapt to the ever-evolving digital economy landscape. Leveraging digital knowledge is not just a competitive advantage but is essential for the company's survival and growth. Careem's strategic emphasis on digital knowledge is presented as a comprehensive model for how companies can use this resource to drive innovation and value creation in digital platform economies.

16:30 – 17:00

Topic: A knowledge Graph in Care-giving services

Presentor: Koki Ijuin, Assistant Professor

Assistant Professor Koki Ijuin's presentation summarized a research project on structuring knowledge in caregiving. The backdrop of the project is the loss of expertise due to aging and the retirement of seasoned professionals. To address this, a new method for knowledge structuring was proposed, capable of capturing the multi-dimensional purposes behind actions as well as the procedural knowledge, making it easier for experts to organize and interpret.

The experiment was conducted at the "Wakoen" elderly care facility in Ishikawa Prefecture, covering four areas of care services: meal, bathing, transfer, and toileting assistance. Workshops were utilized to collect and refine knowledge in these domains, with 3-6 caregivers and 2 researchers participating. The workshops led to the documentation of changes in the number of nodes, including additions, deletions, and modifications, highlighting the enhancement of details and optimization of processes within the knowledge structuring efforts.

Overall, Assistant Professor Ijuin's talk illustrated the importance of structured knowledge in caregiving and the effectiveness of collaborative workshops in updating and improving the knowledge system. This approach not only aids in mitigating the loss of expert knowledge but also advances better caregiving practices and service quality. Through structured methods, caregivers can comprehend and carry out essential tasks more comprehensively, ensuring high-quality care persists even after key personnel depart.

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