1. technology and computing

CITO KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SUMMIT – MAY 20-21, 2009
OFFERS KEY RESOURCES FOR MODERN DAY SUCCESS
Despite the headlines, global
recession is not the biggest
news of the day. The real mind
blower continues to be the
dramatic, high speed changes
taking place all around us –
especially in the world of
work – as a result of cutting
edge technological
development. Knowledge
Management, a critically
important tool for survival in
this dynamic high tech world,
will be the focus of this year’s
Regional Summit hosted by
the Central Information
Technology Office (CITO).
To take place at the Jamaica
Pegasus Hotel May 20 – 21,
the Knowledge Management
Summit will be the sixth such
event in CITO’s successful
annual drive to de-mystify
information technology for
corporate and business
leaders, middle managers and
other professionals. CITO,
which continues to play a
leading role in transforming
Jamaica into a knowledgeb a s e d s o c i e t y, i s c o sponsoring the Summit with
leaders in the local
Information Technology
sector.
According to Marie WintMcKenzie, CITO’s CEO
(Acting), “Knowledge
Management is defined as
the discipline within an
organization or a country
which ensures that the
intellectual capacities are
shared, maintained and
institutionalized. It combines
the management of people,
processes and technology,
and features a range of
practices to identify, create,
represent, distribute and
enable adoption of insights
and experiences. These
insights and experiences
make up knowledge, either
embodied in people or
embedded in organizational
processes or practices.”
Mrs. Wint-McKenzie points
out that the theme of the 2009
CITO Summit, “Knowledge
Management, a lifeline in
these challenging times”, has
direct relevance to national
objectives as contained in a
goal of Vision 2030 Jamaica:
“Jamaicans are empowered
to achieve their full potential”.
She adds that the Summit will
focus specifically on Human
Resource Management, Legal
Issues, Record Management
and Information &
C o m m u n i c a t i o n
Technologies, and will feature
presentations and interactive
sessions lead by world leaders
in these fields.
More information on the
CITO
Knowledge
Management Summit is
ava i l a b l e f r o m C I TO :
telephone 968-6801-2 or 9601 0 0 9 ;
e - m a i l :
[email protected]. Thanks
to private sector sponsorship
and partnership with the
Ministry of Mining and
Telecommunications, CITO
has been able to keep the cost
of attendance to an affordable
US$50 per person for the
Conference Day May 21, and
is offering a 10% discount for
groups of four or more persons
from the same organization.
Online registration is available
at www.cito.gov.jm. Closing
date for registration is May 8.
CITO KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SUMMIT LAUNCHED: Dr. Patrick Dallas
(right) Chairman of the Central Information Technology Office (CITO), shares a
happy moment at the February 6 Breakfast Launch of the Sixth Annual Regional
CITO Summit. With him are Marie Wint-McKenzie, CITO CEO (Acting), and Cecil
McCain, Director, Post & Telecommunications, of the Ministry of Mining and
Telecommunications. Attending the Launch at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel were
Summit sponsors and other prominent members of corporate Jamaica. The 2009
CITO Summit takes place at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel May 20-21, and features
the theme “Knowledge Management, a lifeline in these challenging times”.
Why is Knowledge Management Important to Jamaica?
Insights provided by Convergent Technologies Ltd.
Today, companies, governments,
academics and funding
organizations are all talking about
their Knowledge Management
(KM) strategy.
Knowledge
Management has replaced the
Information society – which had
replaced the Industrial society,
which itself had earlier replaced
the Stone Age. Is this concept
just another buzz word, or is it
for real? Why is Knowledge
Management important to
Jamaica, and what strategies do
we need if indeed it is?
D e ve l o p i n g a s u c c e s s f u l
Knowledge Management system
means having a network that can
share skills, experiences,
reflections, memoirs, insights,
development lessons, technical
advice, research findings, case
studies, best practices,
conceptual frameworks,
methodologies, strategies,
techniques, tools, instruments,
actionable recommendations
from workshops, and
publications, among other
valuable assets. All these skills
are vital in enhancing Jamaica’s
ability to compete in the global
marketplace – therefore
Knowledge Management is
critical to our national
development.
Knowledge Management systems
can be implemented in most
sectors
to
enhance
competitiveness. Examples here
include:
• Educational Sector: The
application of a Knowledge
Management system, including
technology
related
infrastructural support, should
improve access to education
and standardize quality across
institutions, for example, the
application of e-learning in
tertiary education and in high
schools.
• Public Service Delivery: The
application of Knowledge
Management should improve
quality of service through, for
instance, knowledge sharing
and performance management
systems.
• Policymaking Process: In this
case, it should improve policy
and programme design and
implementation, through
access to knowledge networks,
communities of practices, best
practices, etc.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR CITO’S
6TH ANNUAL REGIONAL SUMMIT
Sunday May 17
Church Service at St. Andrew Parish
Church to mark World Telecommunication and Information
Society Day. This event was launched
in 2006 to commemorate the
founding of the International
Telecommunications Union. Main
objectives now are raising global
awareness of changes brought about
by the Internet and new technologies,
and helping to reduce the Digital
Divide.
Wed May 20
CEO Breakfast, Summit Exhibition
Opening & Walkthrough
8.00 – 9.30 a.m.,
Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
Wed May 20
Afternoon Sessions:
• Panel Discussion:
“The use of Broadband to drive
Entrepreneurial Activities.”
• Hands-on Technical Training in
Strategic Management and Project
Management.
Thurs May 21
Summit Day
Jamaica Pegasus Hotel Ballroom:
Concurrent Presentations by
international industry leaders in
specialized ICT fields.
• Capacity Building Process:
Here, it should provide access
to best practices, improved
methodologies, strategies and
instruments for intervention.
• Organizations:
At the
organizational level, it should
raise effectiveness and
performance through
continuous learning and
innovation.