Dear GKD participants,
In my own work I differentiate between data, information and knowledge
.... a simplified framework that helps me understand what I am doing.
In my view there is an enormous amount of data in the modern world .....
and the successful have figured out how to use this mass of data to
create information that is useful and can be part of good decision
making processes. The Wal-Mart success with data-mining is a classic
story in this field. But all data are not good data. And disorganized
good data are as useless as bad data.
The analysis of data, the analysis of facts results in information
that can be used in a practical manner.
Knowledge is -- in my simplified view -- the cumulative store of
information. It can be studied to throw new light on intractable
problems.
The Gateway Project has the potential to make a major contribution to
the value of the global pool of data, information and knowledge.
However, it will fail, in my view, unless some very careful work is
done to ensure that the data, information and knowledge is
appropriately organized.
A library works because librarians toil to ensure that the books are
correctly classified and the books are put in the right place. Books do
not get delivered in a dump truck ...... but are very carefully put into
the system.
An accounting system works because the numbers are put in accounts
following a carefully thought out system of coding. Modern management
accounting and computerized corporate information systems are enormously
powerful, but they function with already well organized data and a
framework of critical principles that are widely understood (though
maybe not widely enough!).
The Gateway Project should eventually make it possible for important
data about development to be used for objective analysis by policy
makers and researchers. Modern technology allows a lot of data to be
stored very cheaply and analyzed very efficiently ....... the critical
step is to ensure that the data is sensibly organized in a logical and
principled manner as soon as possible in the process.
Three priority areas for timely organized data are -- in my view:
* government budget and accounting information at the executive summary
level
* key national accounts statistics [main elements from the UNSNA]
* an expanded version of development cooperation report (DCR) data
Time series of these datasets, together with current information about
these datasets and projections will go a long way in setting the stage
for an objective development performance measurement and benchmarking
framework.
Thank you
Peter Burgess
______________
T. Peter Burgess
President and CEO
AfriFund Management Limited
1173A Second Avenue #221
New York NY 10021
Tel 212 772 6918 Fax 707 371 7805
website: www.afrifund.com or www.profitinafrica.com
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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