230
J. Schulz et al.
With sustainability research in mind, several authors stress the need for this kind of
research; the current lack of knowledge; and new methods of knowledge management
(e.g. Miller et al. 2014: 244; Kajikawa et al. 2014). For several years, research
efforts have focused more on producing the knowledge required to understand the
challenges. Until now, the ‘quality and validity of knowledge systems in the context
of sustainability research’ have been a major challenge (Cornell et al. 2013) within
knowledge systems (ibid.: 61).
Scientific debates in this context are accompanied by science policy debates and
political discourses. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) document is an
important political statement in this context. Knowledge management is addressed
in three SDG objectives (Goal 4: quality education; Goal 16: peace, justice and
strong institutions; and Goal 17: partnerships for the goals). It is simultaneously
linked to education and lifelong learning. An explicit reference to digitalisation is also
mentioned for the first time in the SDGs. Besides being relevant to many sustainability
goals, digitalisation is explicitly addressed in sub-goal 9c (Industry, Innovation and
Infrastructure): “To substantially improve access to information and communication
technology and to ensure universal and affordable access to the Internet in at least
developed countries by 2020”.
1 The accompanying “Future Earth” research process
is of great importance for the development and implementation of the SDGs. This
global network focuses on the development and dissemination of new knowledge
and the exchange of knowledge (www.futureearth.org). One of the network’s explicit
goals is to support the transformation towards sustainability. The associated research
agenda states that this also requires a new form of knowledge generation across
disciplinary boundaries, together with social partners.
While knowledge is a precondition for action, co-designed processes for the
generation and management of knowledge are considered to be core elements for
sustainable spatial development and land use (Salet 2014). Davoudi (2015) grasps
the knowledge-action relationship in a manner that defines “planning as practice of
knowing”. In this context, knowledge is quite often based on a variety of experiences
in practice, embedded in social networks and organisational structures (Zimmermann 2010: 118). In this way, knowledge production and dissemination is not a
single task to be addressed by several experts, but is accompanied by regional and
local knowledge from a variety of actors.
The processes must be complemented by actors who manage the processes of
knowledge cooperation or learning. This task often involves moderating, comparable
to the tasks of facilitators and, in some cases, mediating actors (cf. Stützer et al.
2013). Moderation implements the “cohesion function”, i.e. guiding group work,
keeping the group together, introducing rules, overseeing, and harmonising group
members, as well as the “locomotion function”, i.e. setting group work in motion,
and ensuring effective and focused working methods (Ziegler 1993). On this basis,
the mediating actor fulfils two functions: those of discussion leader and consultant.
Another concept of facilitated interaction is that of intermediaries, which is close to
the method of moderation. Millar and Choi (2003) define knowledge intermediaries
1 https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/envision2030.html
J. Schulz et al.
With sustainability research in mind, several authors stress the need for this kind of
research; the current lack of knowledge; and new methods of knowledge management
(e.g. Miller et al. 2014: 244; Kajikawa et al. 2014). For several years, research
efforts have focused more on producing the knowledge required to understand the
challenges. Until now, the ‘quality and validity of knowledge systems in the context
of sustainability research’ have been a major challenge (Cornell et al. 2013) within
knowledge systems (ibid.: 61).
Scientific debates in this context are accompanied by science policy debates and
political discourses. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) document is an
important political statement in this context. Knowledge management is addressed
in three SDG objectives (Goal 4: quality education; Goal 16: peace, justice and
strong institutions; and Goal 17: partnerships for the goals). It is simultaneously
linked to education and lifelong learning. An explicit reference to digitalisation is also
mentioned for the first time in the SDGs. Besides being relevant to many sustainability
goals, digitalisation is explicitly addressed in sub-goal 9c (Industry, Innovation and
Infrastructure): “To substantially improve access to information and communication
technology and to ensure universal and affordable access to the Internet in at least
developed countries by 2020”.
1 The accompanying “Future Earth” research process
is of great importance for the development and implementation of the SDGs. This
global network focuses on the development and dissemination of new knowledge
and the exchange of knowledge (www.futureearth.org). One of the network’s explicit
goals is to support the transformation towards sustainability. The associated research
agenda states that this also requires a new form of knowledge generation across
disciplinary boundaries, together with social partners.
While knowledge is a precondition for action, co-designed processes for the
generation and management of knowledge are considered to be core elements for
sustainable spatial development and land use (Salet 2014). Davoudi (2015) grasps
the knowledge-action relationship in a manner that defines “planning as practice of
knowing”. In this context, knowledge is quite often based on a variety of experiences
in practice, embedded in social networks and organisational structures (Zimmermann 2010: 118). In this way, knowledge production and dissemination is not a
single task to be addressed by several experts, but is accompanied by regional and
local knowledge from a variety of actors.
The processes must be complemented by actors who manage the processes of
knowledge cooperation or learning. This task often involves moderating, comparable
to the tasks of facilitators and, in some cases, mediating actors (cf. Stützer et al.
2013). Moderation implements the “cohesion function”, i.e. guiding group work,
keeping the group together, introducing rules, overseeing, and harmonising group
members, as well as the “locomotion function”, i.e. setting group work in motion,
and ensuring effective and focused working methods (Ziegler 1993). On this basis,
the mediating actor fulfils two functions: those of discussion leader and consultant.
Another concept of facilitated interaction is that of intermediaries, which is close to
the method of moderation. Millar and Choi (2003) define knowledge intermediaries
1 https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/envision2030.html