Valuable Contribution
The picture comes to mind of a candle, which has been hidden under a pitcher and even though the candle is burning no one is benefited. It is also true that where an extraordinary amount of knowledge has been collected, little or none of that knowledge is shared. It should be remembered that the cost of research is very high and therefore it simply does not make any valuable contribution to have a secret hoard of information that no one knows about and which is not providing a benefit to anyone. This is exactly why we are committed to see that hard-earned information is made available to whom such information may be valuable.
Effective Communication System
Without doubt knowledge is power, however, without such knowledge there can only be lack and misery. Therefore, it is so important that research results should be recognised for what they are and the results must be made available to researchers and academics who can take that information and use it to the benefit mankind. What we would like to see among researchers is a highly effective communication system which will allow for vital information to be shared quickly and securely with those individuals who could use such information in the most effective way possible. Such communication system will have the benefit that it would help to substantially reduce the cost of research. There will be no need to engage in a research project when most of the information is already available. This allows the researcher to move on to other aspects of that topic without the need to start from scratch. Unfortunately, research in many institutions and organisations is essentially inaccessible because whatever communication systems is in place, they are often dysfunctional because critical information is not shared in a timely manner and sometimes not at all.
Research Collaboration
The Infonomics Society recognises the extraordinary benefits which can be achieved when researchers engage in a process of collaboration where all of the research results are shared equally. This provides the collaboration partners with the opportunity to engage with other individuals outside of the organisation or laboratory and this can be a very effective way to develop very rapidly as a researcher. It has been noted that when researchers share ideas and methods this could allow an individual to become a more effective with their information gathering efforts and the process will also be shortened substantially which has its own range of benefits for researchers in a field of study.
Conclusion
Working in isolation might be a good idea when it is important to keep the information secret but when it comes to an outbreak of disease or virus or an important benefit to science or humanity and other important research endeavours, then the best way to go is research collaboration. For example, the current outbreak of Coronavirus in China. The Chinese government has called on the World Health Organisation (WHO) for help in finding the way forward to minimize the spread and quarantine those who are infected or showing symptoms of the virus. Other countries have also volunteered to collaborate with China in finding the best solution on how to contain the Coronavirus. Research collaboration takes the issue of research and information gathering to a whole new level and therefore it is strongly encouraged by Infonomics Society. We are committed to knowledge sharing.
