A comprehensive synthesis of the best practices for management in the vital and rapidly growing field of sustainable water systems
Handbook of Knowledge Management for Sustainable Water Systems offers an authoritative resource that goes beyond the current literature to provide an interdisciplinary approach to the topic. The text explores the concept of knowledge management as a key asset and a crucial component of organizational strategy as applied to the sustainability of water systems.
Using the knowledge management framework, the authors discuss socio-hydrology sustainable water systems that reflect the present political, economic and technological reality. The book draws on contributors from a number of disciplines including: economic development, financial, systems-networks, IT/IS data/analytics, behavioral, social, water systems, governance systems and related ecosystems. This vital resource:
- Contains a multifaceted approach that draws on a number of disciplines and contains contributions from experts in their various fields
- Offers a coherent approach that discusses the dynamic concept of sustainability drawing on data from people, systems and processes of diverse water systems
- Includes a comprehensive review of the topic and offers a platform for dialog between theory and empirical analysis
- Explores opportunities for multi-constituent synthesis
This book is written for regulators, water utility practitioners, researchers and students interested in the fledgling field of knowledge management and sustainable water systems and those who want to improve the effective and efficient management of a complex water system.
Table of Contents
List of contributors xiii
Series Editor Foreword – Challenges in Water Management xv
Preface xvii
Introduction and a theoretical framework for Knowledge Management for Sustainable Water Systems 1
Meir Russ
Part 1 Organizational and Administrative Aspects of Knowledge Management for Sustainable Water Systems 13
1 Perspectives from a water research institute on Knowledge Management for Sustainable Water Management 15
Janet G. Hering, Lothar Nunnenmacher and Harald von Waldow
Introduction 15
1.1 The setting – Eawag’s funding, scope and mandate 17
1.2 Understanding SWM-related demands for KM at Eawag 18 1.3 Current measures to meet SWM-related demands for KM at Eawag 19
1.3.1 Data management 19
1.3.2 Management of scientific and technical knowledge 22
1.3.3 Management of experiential and practical knowledge 23
1.4 Unresolved issues and challenges in SWM-related KM 24
1.4.1 Information overload and fatigue 25
1.4.2 Open access 25
1.4.3 Quality control and collaborative editing 26
1.4.4 Resource demands 27
1.5 Future directions for SWM-related KM 27
1.6 Concluding comments 28
References 29
2 Information transfer and knowledge sharing by water user associations in China 35
Dajun Shen, Xuedong Yu and Ali Guna
Introduction 35
2.1 Literature review 36
2.2 WUA set-up and operation in China 38
2.3 WUA information transfer and knowledge sharing 39
2.3.1 Basic information 41
2.3.2 Water use management 44
2.3.3 Financial management 45
2.3.4 Infrastructure management 46
2.3.5 Water trade 47
2.4 WUA in Shiyang River basin 48
2.4.1 Water rights allocation 49
2.4.2 Stakeholders of WUA 49
2.4.3 Information transfer and knowledge sharing in water use management 50
2.4.4 Information transfer and knowledge sharing in water tariff management 50
2.4.5 Information transfer and knowledge sharing of water rights trade 52
2.5 Suggestions 55
References 57
3 Knowledge Management Systems for urban water sustainability: Lessons for developing nations 61
Vallari Chandna and Ana Iusco
Introduction 61
3.1 Population trends towards urbanization 62
3.2 Water issues plaguing South Africa 63
3.3 Evaluating South Africa 64
3.4 Sweden – the aspirational model 67
3.5 Urban water sustainability 69
3.6 Knowledge Management Systems (KMSs) 70
3.7 Knowledge Management for urban water sustainability in South Africa 71
3.8 Conclusion 75
References 76
4 A Knowledge Management model for corporate water responsibility 79
Fabien Martinez
Introduction 79
4.1 Corporate water responsibility as a socially oriented process 81
4.2 Insights from Knowledge Management theory 85
4.3 Contribution, limitations and implications 88
4.4 Conclusion 92
References 93
5 How 21st Century Knowledge Management can greatly improve talent management for sustainable water project-teams 99
Stephen Atkins, Lesley Gill, Kay Lion, Marie Schaddelee and Tonny Tonny
Introduction 99
5.1 Talent-requirements or competency modeling as applied to water projects 101
5.1.1 Aspects of modern HR management relevant to staffing project teams 102
5.1.2 Currently available HR-related online technologies in the public domain 108
5.1.3 Practices specific to sustainable water-aid 109
5.2 Empirical glimpse at needed competencies for sustainable water projects via HR big data 110
5.2.1 Fundamentals of statistical dimension-reduction 110
5.2.2 Q-methodology contrasted with traditional R-methodology/questionnaire factor analysis 110
5.2.3 Important big data sources for future water-project required talents 111
5.2.4 Water-project data source for water-related talents specific to the “war on unsafe water” 112
5.2.5 First empirical study of O*Net competencies specific to sustainable water-aid projects 113
5.3 How modern knowledge-management technologies can make competency tests “time-affordable” 116
5.3.1 A resurgence to computer-adaptive testing afforded by 21st century crowd-sourcing 119
5.3.2 Why modern Knowledge Management applied to talent management needs CAT 120
5.4 Limitations 124
5.5 Future research 126
5.6 Conclusion 126
References 129
6 How sustainable innovations win in the fish industry: Theorizing incumbent-entrant dynamics across aquaculture and fisheries 133
Bilgehan Uzunca and Shuk-Ching Li
Introduction 133
6.1 Background 135
6.1.1 Including sustainability in business value 135
6.1.2 Linking sustainable innovations to Incumbent-Entrant Dynamics (IED) 137
6.2 Theorizing incumbent-entrant dynamics in the fish industry 138
6.2.1 Industry setting – the global fish industry 138
6.2.2 The incumbent firms 140
6.2.3 The entrants 141
6.3 Data and methods 142
6.3.1 An analysis of incumbents’ sustainability 142
6.3.2 Sample 145
6.4 Results 146
6.5 Discussion 150
References 152
7 Decrease in federal regulations in the U.S.: Preparing for dirty water, can Knowledge Management help? 157
Breanne Parr
Introduction 157
7.1 The Clean Water Act of 1972 158
7.1.1 Unsafe water 158
7.2 Regulation rollback 159
7.3 CWA offenders 160
7.3.1 Arsenic and other chemicals in West Virginia 161
7.3.2 Chemical spill in West Virginia 161
7.3.3 Lead in Michigan 162
7.3.4 Escherichia coli (E. coli) in Ontario 163
7.3.5 Toxin in Ohio 164
7.3.6 Case summary 165
7.4 Knowledge Management – dirty water 165
7.5 Avoiding non-potable water without federal restrictions 167
7.6 Conclusion 168
References 169
Part 2 Regional Aspects of Knowledge Management for Sustainable Water Systems 173
8 Knowledge Management strategies for drinking water protection in mountain forests 175
Roland Koeck, Eduard Hochbichler and Harald Vacik
Introduction 175
8.1 Knowledge Management basics in forest ecosystems 176
8.2 Identify and generate knowledge about DWPS in forested catchments 177
8.2.1 General outline for knowledge generation 177
8.2.2 General knowledge base – the water protection functionality of forest ecosystems 178
8.3 Application of the knowledge-base 180
8.3.1 The Forest Hydrotope Model – the specific knowledge level 180
8.3.2 Best Practices – the general knowledge level 183
8.4 Decision Support System – specific examples 186
8.5 Knowledge transfer to stakeholders 187
8.5.1 Participative stakeholder workshops and panel discussions 188
8.5.2 Field excursions to representative forest stands 189
8.5.3 Application of Best Practices in a pilot case 189
8.5.4 Handbook “Soil Functions for the Water Sector” 189
8.5.5 Evaluation 190
8.6 Synthesis and lessons learned 190
References 192
9 Knowledge Management, openness and transparency in sustainable water systems: The case of Eau Méditerranée 197
Chris Kimble and Isabelle Bourdon
Introduction 197
9.1 Background/context 198
9.1.1 Big Data 198
9.1.2 The regulation of water in France 199
9.1.3 New Public Management 199
9.1.4 Cross transparency requirements 200
9.2 The case study – Eau Méditerranée 200
9.2.1 Methodology 201
9.2.2 Presentation of the findings from the case study 202
9.2.3 Summary of the case study 205
9.3 An analysis of the case study 206
9.3.1 The traditional approach to Knowledge Management 207
9.3.2 Zuboff’s Information Panopticon/Open Source Model 209
9.3.3 Foucault’s perspective 211
9.4 Lessons to be learned/practical implications 213
9.4.1 Granularity 214
9.4.2 A diversity of viewpoints 214
9.4.3 Closing the loop 215
9.5 Knowledge Management and sustainability 215
References 217
10 Complexity, collective action and water management: The case of Bilbao ria 221
Laura Albareda and Jose Antonio Campos
Introduction 221
10.1 Conceptual analysis 225
10.1.1 Common resources and complexity 225
10.1.2 Commons’ governance and collective action 227
10.1.3 Water management: From control to adaptive water management 229
10.2 Case study: Water management and collective action in the Bilbao estuary 231
10.2.1 The estuary’s natural ecosystem as a pole for economic growth: Industrial development and pollution 232
10.2.2 Collective action: Bilbao-Biscay Water Consortium 235
10.2.3 Water supply, collection and distribution 237
10.2.4 The plan for the integral sanitation and clean-up of the estuary 238
10.2.5 Building new water sanitation integrated infrastructures 241
10.3 Inquiring adaptive water management and Knowledge Management approach 244
10.3.1 Bilbao-Biscay Water Consortium: From control to adaptive water management 244
10.3.2 Bilbao-Biscay Water Consortium: Analysis of innovative adaptive water management case 247
10.4 Conclusions 255
Endnotes 256
References 258
11 Virtual and inter-organizational processes of knowledge creation and Ba for sustainable management of rivers 261
Federico Niccolini, Chiara Bartolacci, Cristina Cristalli and Daniela Isidori
Introduction 261
11.1 Theoretical framework 264
11.2 Methods 267
11.3 Approach 268
11.3.1 The Flumen and BIVEE projects. A safe and sustainable future for a dangerous and neglected river 268
11.3.2 The BLESS+ project and the SECI model applied to develop solutions for the safety and the sustainable management of a river 275
11.4 Conclusion 278
References 282
12 Water metabolism in the socio-economic system 287
Delin Fang and Bin Chen
12.1 Background 287
12.2 Introduction to water metabolism 288
12.3 Review of methodologies for water metabolism 290
12.4 Water metabolism in China and its nexus with other resources 295
12.5 Conclusions 297
References 298
Index 301
