The Buddhist Hour Radio Broadcast Archives

1.0 An introduction to the need for knowledge assets management

In our organisation, there exists a series of information bundles in dispersed, impermanent forms, such as unprotected documents, unlabelled photographs and jottings from the past visits or events.

These valuable historical resources need to be preserved by turning them into knowledge.

One form of knowledge preservation for the benefit of the present and future generations would be to write the fragmented information into a story of notable events by building accessible archives within our organisation.

Our organisation has an obligation to give Archive Officers education in professional knowledge conservation so they can recognise and appreciate and not destroy items simply because the items exhibit nonconformity with their parochial European cultural knowledge set.

Our organisation has many unprotected documents suitable for elaborating a regional cultural history. To produce useful valuable knowledge in historical work, it would be useful for it to be done while the actors are still living. Then, if the living actors were approached, they may agree to review the knowledge work and make corrections of fact.

Our organisation must shift our Member's demands from managerial training involvement towards convincing them to engender valuable knowledge work.

There is a need in our organisation to seek and develop persons who will become key knowledge assets managers in the Task Units in our organisation.

The key persons in this process will be Archive Officers.

The Archive Officer persons will have deciphered the intellectual problems of knowledge assets management. They will have competencies in the corporate value of knowledge accounting. They will be able to supply top management with knowledge assets audits.

These persons will recognise that challenge lies in the implementation of value solutions, getting knowledge assets management ideas of value of knowledge accepted by Task Units and implementing them properly.

Such Organisational Development (OD) essentials are distinguished from managerial development.

OD is holistic while managerial development is pragmatic.

2.0 Estimating the worth of Organisational Development (OD) for knowledge assets

We lack a model for estimating the potential worth to our organisation until OD (as outlined above) is applied to our known knowledge assets.

This OD will re-establish a foundation for the future growth of our knowledge assets by eliminating under-performing, unprotected, dispersed documents by turning them into useful knowledge products that are new assets.

These new knowledge products can rebuild margins of profit into existing knowledge assets.

It is important for our OD to be supported by orientation includes having each volunteer starting each day with us with a sense of historical purpose about our knowledge assets and ending each day with us with a sense of accomplishment that he or she has preserved or enriched history.

The worth of our OD includes the communities, in which we operate, valuing our citizenship as leaders in knowledge management, because we focus on the creation of historical meaning for most parties.

Our OD displays an overriding commitment to occupational health and safety for our Members at their work stations.

Our organisational development (OD) for knowledge assets management is not a single theory or process. The connecting thread between all the processes of the organisation is their participative nature.

Our OD for knowledge assets must deliver integrity ­ delivery of timely historical information to our listed clients when we say we will deliver.

Our OD for knowledge assets must be capable of jettisoning any clients who undermine establishments we value. The establishments we value are ones that help us broaden our capabilities for writing history to produce marketable knowledge assets.

Archive Officers direct the working personnel in our organisation.

The Archive Officer accepts responsibility for such an OD rationale.

Active membership in our organisation means a willingness to not be too old-fashioned by leaving dispersed information, such as unprotected documents, unattended.

The importance an OD system that is potent enough to force resources to turn into information , information into useful reports, and reports into history has been explained.

We appeal to all Members to skill themselves enough to help deliver the OD changes we need for effective administration of knowledge assets.

3.0 The limitations of practical knowledge

Practical knowledge has limitations that become exposed as more cognitive skills are developed and applied to existing processes.

Practical knowledge, such as timber prices, may change quickly and, soon, it may no longer have relevance to the organisation if we intend to estimate the cost of some new building project using timber material.

However, historical knowledge of timber prices we paid at a given time is relevant if, for example, we wish to compare the ratio of present cost outlays with past cost outlays of building material costs.

This year (1999), re-design of our LAN capacity means it can support a greater quantity of data and information capable of composing new knowledge.

Members must become value conscious.

Each week, our knowledge foundations grow in the local area network (LAN) and more knowledge becomes readily available on screen to Members in our organisation.

4.0 Introduction to our LAN operations

Members come and go to the Centre at different days and at different times.

To communicate information about matching different persons needs and different tasks was difficult.
Verbal messages were not always passed on at changeover times.

Written message slips and diaries were not always filled in.

Lost messages caused confusion. At times, the most simple of tasks to be done, such as, mowing the lawn, were stalled because of poor communication.

Like other organisations, a better system was needed to replace some paper checklists which acted as memos from Member to Member.

Several persons had their partial wish to do lists on different computers.

During 1997-1998, Members of our organisation gained experience in communication over a 12-month trial of PINE e-mail.

We used our Linux mail server running Sendmail, with terminals for client access.

This Local Area Network (LAN) proves to be a most effective way of involving Members in writing things down.

During January 1999, we upgraded our system to a Client/Server networking model, which allowed DOS/Windows based clients to connect to and access the resources of three Linux Unix servers. Two of these servers emulate Netware servers.

We are currently configuring and testing a Linux based WEB server (for intranet use) which will emulate a NT server.

Our present software configuration could accommodate about 500 users, without any significant changes, although some hardware changes would need to be made.

At present, September 1999, we use Eudora Light 3.06 software on a Windows 95 platform. We use a freeware spell checker with Eudora Light.

We have 31 Members with passwords who are permitted to access to e-mail.
Average traffic is 350 messages a week.
Our LAN runs 24 hours per day.
A simple costing has been attempted for annual operating costs of LAN.

We did our LAN costing by glimpsing into five areas.

These are:

1. System running costs ­ The "holding" costs of data running 24 hours a day.
2. Housing costs for the server & terminals ­ the server & terminals floor space.
3. Labour cost component of LAN building & LAN maintenance costs.
4. Costs of upgrading of the LAN equipment.
5. Depreciation costs of LAN equipment.

4.1 Data "holding costs"

We estimate the "holding" costs of data on our LAN as 20 cents per hour. The ATO use this figure to relate to small claims for home office expenses.

This cost is $1700 per year.

4.2 Housing costs

Includes the rental cost of the floor area on which the systems are located.
Cleaning, air conditioning and insurance are included.

Estimated to be $5000 per year.

4.3 Service Costs

The persons who maintain, build and service the LAN are volunteers. We cost their time at $3.50 per hour. This figure is used in matching grants for Government funding. These persons average 20 hours per week in this area.

This cost is $6800 per year.

4.4 Costs of upgrading

Capital outlays on the system boards, screens, cables and software used for the building repair and maintenance the LAN systems have a replacement cost $10 000 per year.

Last year, our upgrade policy meant we replace our 286 and 386 computers with 486 DX and Pentium systems. We changed our client operating system from DOS/Windows 3.1x to Windows 95.

Because we intend to continue our system upgrading equipment, we propose to replace our present equipment well within two years.

4.5 Depreciation costs

We used a serial LAN for the Pine e-mail, which used monochrome screens and a keyboard at the workstations.

The new system uses computers with colour screens. We still use the original Cat.5 cabling for our improved LAN.

Since there is little resale value for 16 monochrome screens, they have been written off at $3200. Some older uninterruptable power supplies worth $800 were replaced with newer units which could communicate with our servers. Other parts of the older system were replaced writing off $1000.

On this basis, last year's depreciation figure for our server and LAN was $5000 per year

4.6 Discussion of LAN Total Estimated Costs for 1998-1999

Adding .1 to .5 = $28 500 (annual cost).

LAN cost (including e-mail) is about $550 per week.

We find this figure tolerable when weighted against the current benefits.

The cost per Member drops the more the system is used. In other words, the system is scalable.

Based on our present estimate of having an active membership of 28 persons who use the system, the cost is about $20 per week per Member.

We are confident that the present e-mail system is robust enough to deal with increased use. We anticipate traffic will triple in next three months.

A tenfold increase in traffic is likely to occur within the next year.
The system is shared with the landlord, John D. Hughes.
The objective of increased comfort for Member's use is that administration (CGR) may be able to provide a DAILY BULLETIN of facts of what is needed to promote better use to Member's time .

E-mail distribution of a daily bulletin ( THE BROOKING STREET DAILY?) could account for tripling use of e-mail within the next quarter.
It would force administration of the four task units to do what is urgent and important and involve more persons in task management.

It can mean that everyone knows what everyone else is doing within the organisation.

It can mean less double booking of people and resources.

At present, many priorities are focused by "KEYNOTE OPPORTUNITIES" in the BSB.

The regulation of the four Task Units "current concerns" is well expounded under various BSB headings.

However, new opportunities arise every day and other some other priorities need rescheduling for that day.

In August, Ajaan Dharmadaro's plan to visit us and stay at our Centre has been delayed at times due his need to chant at funerals at the WAT.

Recently, when our Teacher realised we would be short handed on for weekdays of Members who are proficient at preparing suitable food for this Venerable Monk, we arranged for him to stay at his WAT. This was at short notice, a matter of hours before Venerable was due here.

The main reasons for understaffing that week were our Members were needed to build more safety into a new building project to make it safe and there was a Cambodian Elderly citizens Association visit that week.

We needed our Members to prepare the premises to cater for the visitors.

With key Members interstate on business that week, we had insufficient trained staff to meet the Monk's DANA hour.

This shuffling of things around was vital because the Monk was safe staying at the WAT and the builder's valuable know-how was vital to complete the project on time for the planned 3 day Convivium.

We realise it now convenient it is to use as a source of current information. The present updated system is running well under its capacity.

Since it is scalable, when we double present use, the cost per Member halves.

At that stage, this would cost only $10 per week per member.

If we will not encourage Members to form a "chat club" today, because, if we do, use could double overnight for those who like the novelty value and use it.

Then, we run into a morale liability when have valuable space cluttered with trivia and have to tell Members not to use it in this way.

It is better we not to start along that path. For legal reasons, we must not delete messages.

We may need to debate if we should archive older e-mails; if we find parts of the LAN system becomes short of storage space at the some time.
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All generational changes to the LAN system are tested off-line until they are stable enough to go on line.
We do not wish to put at risk our data warehouse of proprietary "hard-to-replicate" information that is our knowledge assets.

The major way we can do this is document our research findings.

Under Australian law, a CGT is any kind of property or a legal or equitable right that is not property (Section 108-5) Knowledge, however valuable, is not property (FC of T ­v- United Aircraft Corporation (1943) (68SLR525)

There is a need to point to specific intellectual property (not general knowledge or skill) which can be disposed of if an asset is to be created.

At present, in 1999, we think we know that 50% of the 2000 files in data warehouse are likely to be; or are about to become, general knowledge or skill within two years.

This access is accelerated because our key research papers are published in BDDR, broadcast over KNOXFM or placed on our Internet site www.bdcu.org.au

What is costing of putting our OD plan in place to manage assets knowledge? Will this out be recouped? Can we show the building of our assets knowledge make a profit? If so, when and how much profit can come from the built asset? Is there a specific OD strategy to recoup the expenditure used for knowledge assets? Will our clients bear the costs? To what extent is our capacity to yield long term profit in supplying good information likely to be discontinued if we follow from the short term tactic of reducing supply the costs of building knowledge assets?

We believe our data warehouse contents are valuable.
Traditionally, assets are thought of as either fixed or variable.

The basis of our organisation is a rapidly growing data warehouse.

The connecting thread between all the data and the processes of OD is of a participative nature. OD is a top-management-supported, long-range effort to improve an organisation's problem solving and renewal processes.

A distinction is made between OD and individual manager development.
OD is holistic while manager development is pragmatic.
OD interventions for change are problem solving on the job.
Managers create mistakes about knowledge when learning by trial and error.

Organisations cannot afford to learn by trial and error. The manager cannot be allowed to place his or her knowledge mistakes into an organisation's data warehouse culture.

An individual manager's skills and knowledge can be improved through education programs, job rotation, specialised training courses, conferences, counselling, and reading of books and articles. At the organisational level, team building, training programs, intergroup confrontations and data feedback are effective means appropriate for use after a problem has been diagnosed.

Knowledge assets management is a strategy for developing structures that pre-empt problems which may evolve in an organisation, rather than a measure for problem solving.

Organisations are now proactively creating such positions within their organisations in order to manage knowledge and insight as fundamental to their business, and to add value to clients. The role of the knowledge assets manager could be to improve the delivery and quality of services, based on a broad view.

A knowledge assets manager may be requested to develop and manage processes for the storage, retrieval and flow of explicit and tacit knowledge, to foster a culture of innovation, creativity and knowledge sharing, to design systems to facilitate organisational planning, and to manage and integrate staff from various groups.

5.0 Job specification of Archive Officers

A suitable candidate for a position as Archive Officer must be a change agent.

This means a knowledge assets manager must be good at:

To let these skills become robust and improve our managers, our organisational history must be revisited to find when there was a tendency to shift the strategic orientation away from manager's pure self-interests in the past.

At that time, a manager, since managers write the reports, may not have underplayed in his or her reports that a power change occurrence was an accomplishment in OD terms.

Love of his or her power to a large extent may be seen as a source of self-development by using the assets of the organisation for speculative enterprise.

Managers who say they are unqualified "risk takers" are not what we want.

We want managers who give "no surprise" management because they have the skills to quantize the risk they are considering and make clear the downside of the worst case.

If the manager has no guidelines for enterprise risk as regards potential to lose some of the organisation's wealth or good will, then assets management has failed.

It is as if they had taken your watch and then charged you for telling you the time.

The OD task is a question of involvement of Members.

We aim to raise the awareness of 80% of the Task Unit members to be more inquisitive.

We want Task Unit team Members to be aware as to what level of risk their Task Unit processes are exposing our organisation's assets to the hazard of asset diminution.

We do not wish Members to gamble on our future ­ there is too much to lose.

If so, he or she may incline not to develop others because to do so will imply they would have to share power with others.

Our version of OD has nothing to do with the self-development of managers unless they themselves as an imperative develop towards something different involving others.

6.0 How are we to approach our versions of history?

The Encyclopedia Britannica Vol. 20, p621, viewpoint is:

"Modern historians aim mainly at reconstructing an accurate record of human activities and at achieving a more profound understanding of them.

This conception of their task is quite recent, dating only from the development in the late 18th and 19th centuries of scientific history, cultivated by professional historians.

It springs from an outlook that is very new in human experience: the assumption that the study of history is a natural, inevitable kind of human activity.

Before the late 18th century, historiography did not stand at the Centre of civilisation.

It was never claimed to provide an interpretation of human life.

This was more appropriately the function of religion, of philosophy, even perhaps of poetry and other forms of imaginative literature."

Now, in historical studies, we are in a position to need to come to some sort of overview

Chinese painting has a history of at least four thousand years.

As guidelines in evaluation and appreciation of Chinese painting, Hsieh Ho, at the end of the fifth century A.D. formulated principles of painting.

The six principles are summarised by four characters. In Chinese it reads: " Ch'i yun sheng tung"; Ch'i, breath; yun, agreement; sheng, life; tung, movement.

The first principle "Ch'i yun" is vague in formulation and " cannot be expressed in words". The ancient Chinese Buddhist Monks used painting as part of their practice. It brings about cultivation of disposition, refining of character and humility.

The ancient Chinese Buddhist Monks used painting as part of their practice. It brings about cultivation of disposition, refining of character and humility.

May you develop wholesome qualities.

May you be well and happy.

This script was written and edited by John D. Hughes and Leanne Eames.

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