نویسنده
چکیده
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسنده [English]
The past four years had witnessed some remarkable shifts and changes within the Iranian society. Some consider it as the extension of the government policy for information diversification. While others believe that it has been caused by a pregnant social conditions. What is the common thread is that without the massive investment in telecommunication infrastructure over the past decade, such shifts would have taken longer to be realized. The shifts could be studied from several aspects. But in the interest of a quicker surmise, we would deal only with two aspects, the impact of the telecommunication expansion program and the formation of a thrust towards development of an indigenous knowledge management approach. 1. ICT and Telecom Developments On the eve of the Revolution, there had been 850,000 fixed telephone lins in service in Iran. However, by the end of 1988, it rose to 1,879,682. In 1993 the figure was 3,597,900 lines. The growth remained unabated since. By 1999, there are 8,400,000 telephone lines in service throughout the country. In another words, the number of telephones available per hundred people - teledensity- has increased more than five folds in the past two decades alone to the present figure of 13.34. This ranks Iran fifth among the countries with the highest telephone diffusion rates. This does not take into account the explosion in mobile telephony in this territory. In the late 1980’s there had been no cellular service in Iran. Some Free economic zones operated local cellular services. By the beginning of the year 2000, over half a million mobile phones were in operation, covering more than 230 cities and towns in Iran. Nearly 5000 kilometers of main roads are covered by cellular network. Inter-city microwave channels were expanded to 303,671 channels by the end of 1998. In 1978 the figure had been a mere 17,158 channels. International channel assignments have also increased to 7,937 channels by the end of 1999. This means that some 2450 cities and towns in Iran can have access to international telecommunication networks. The telecommunication diffusion had not been confined to the urban areas only. 24,000 villages at the time of writing of this report have joined the national telecom network. The figure inceases at a monthly average rate of 264 villages. A number of telecom research centers are currently operating in Iran. Their project while encompassing a broad subject area, deal with diversification of telecom services and support. Iranian Telecommunication Research center for instance also provides grants to Iranian universities and researchers on a continued basis. The rise in both the telephone diffusion rate as well as diversification of services, had impacted on the Internet market. While IRAN DATACOMM is responsible for provision of internet connectivity in the territory, there are also some independent operators on the scene as well. By the time this report was being written, there were some 90 ISP’s in Iran. Many of these came into being in the last two years. Some, like IPM and Neda Rayaneh, provide independent access using satellite technology. However many Iranian ISP rely on DATACOMM as their primary backbone provider. This has given rise to a nascent Internet industry. The industry hard-pressed presently due to the shortage of skilled force. Currently the strategic focus of Iranian ITC is on the following areas: 1. Telecom Development: 2. Information and Data Restructuring 3. Infrastructural Development of Datacomm networks 4. Research 5. Deregulation and Privatization 6. Human Resource Development 7. International Presence In addition to what is done as matter of routine by the Iranian Telecom, there had been several developments by other agencies as well. The Ministry of Science , Research and Technology (MSRT), had pushed ahead the project to have Iranian Academic Network (IAN)fully operational and tested before the end of 2000. All universities and research centers have been included in this network. The network standard is tcp/ip and essentially a combination of intranet/extranet. While most of IAN users could access internet, Universities and research centers could modify their existing network as required. The responsibility for maintenance of IAN Backbone is with Iranian Research organization for science and technology (IROST). While IROST has invested on the backbone provided by the Iranian telecom, it has also foreseen a backup service in case of probable failure. In addition to IAN, the Iranian Banking industy is in the process for fully integrated computerization, for which it has developed a separate, secured network. The network is currently managed by Central Bank’s Center for Informatic Services (CIS). 1.1 Broadcasting and Electronic Frontier: Given the fact that because of constitutional constraints, there could not be any private TV Broadcasting companies, but there had been some quantitative developments. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, or IRIB, launched a new national news network known as Shabake Khabar. It offers round-the-clock news on every topic. In addition to that, in line with the government stated policy of Dialogue among Civilization, IRIB had launched two international networks that could be received via satellite. One is called Jam-e-Jam offers news in English, Arabic and French. The other known as Sahar airs programs for Iranian expatriate groups in North America, Europe and Asia. Using the existing electronic industrial base, Iranian experts have been able to constantly expand both the national and international coverage of both telecasts and radio broadcasts. Presently the majority of the scheduled programming could be received in all parts of Iran. There are also alternative programming options available through video rental outlets and recording stores. In addition to there had been several attempts to establish private and semi-private news agencies or bureaus. Iranian Student News Agency is a case in point. However, many news bureaus have relied on the new facilities provided by the Internet to launch their services. Neda Rayaneh News Digest Page is a a case in point. However, these attempts are still at their formative stages and still require the market response. 1.2 Manufacturing: Since 1998, Iran had been producing high capacity digital switching centers, ot ITMC/NEAX61. The Iranian Telecommunication Industries produces 1.8 million ports per year for STD, Transit and Local high capacity digital switching centers. It also produces some 500,000 telephone handsets per year in a wide range of applications. It has recently upgraded its manufacturing capacity as well as in-line quality control. The Iranian telecommunication industries plan to diversify its low end products by launching of new product lines in fixed-line, cordless and mobile phones, as well as pagers and ISDN networks. The investment in these critical sectors have been oft cited as the reason for Iranian Telecom’s ability to force and sustain such a pace of unabated expansion and development. Iranian Telecom Development Company on the other hand deals with execution of the physical layer needed for such expansion. These include the laying of communication cables and wirings, design and implementation of access corridors and building items. Iranian Telecom Cable Manufacturing division has increased its output of wires and cables that are required for this expansion. It produces 40,000 kilometers of TPC as well as 20,000 kilometers of wire per year. It also produces 5000 kilometers of fiber optic cable as well as 4000 kilometers of MCM. ITCM represents a 120 million dollars investment by Iranian Telecom in industrial infrastructural support. 1.3 Consumer Electronics: There are several major industrial complexes dealing with consumer electronics, the oldest is Pars Electric Manufacturing, which was established in mid 1960’s. Many of these were set up by private sector investors. However, SA’IRAN, presently provides the most diverse line of consumer electronics. In 1989 SA’IRAN products were for perusal of the military and included precision electronics. But a number of its units were retooled for the civilian market manufacturing TV Sets as well as mobile telephone handsets. It also produces some computer products, including peripherals like wide-screen monitors. There are five manufacturing plants in Iran currently producing a wide range of color and black and white TV sets. There are no wide-screen or digital television manufacturing capabilities as yet. Many of these manufacturers have also set up lines for producing computer monitors. All however have to import the most important part, which is the display tubes, from abroad. There had been several developments in consumer electronics as the foreign investors have set up plants in special economic trade zones. DAEWOO leads these followed by Samsung and Panasonic. 1.4 Computer Industries Iranian computer industries could be termed best, as being paradoxical in nature. With the exception of specialized market niches dominated by brands such as Compaq, Sun and Macintosh, most computers in Iran are assembled. There are a number of computer parts super markets as well as specialized malls where a customer could have his/her computer custom built. In the peripheral areas, such as scanners, printers and monitors there are significant manufacturing capacity. . Iranian Business Machines, for example, produces monitors and printers under license from Japan and Korea. Iran is still a long way from having an affordable internet service. Although affordable is a relative term, but according to one industrial expert, this means provision of 150 hours of 56kbs internet access per month for 10 dollars. Nevertheless, there have been short cuts. In 1997, there was one cyber café in Iran, located in Tehran. At the time of this report, based on just the observation of the advertisements on core newspapers, this figure has reached over 200 nationally. Internet and computer industry training courses have proliferated in the private sector. MSCE-certified courses have been hot items. But there seems to be a brain drain in computer experts, although it is in its formative stages. It is an issue for which a comprehensive solution is yet to be developed. 2 Knowledge Management: A tiered structure is beginning to form within the Iranian Information Industry. While many government agencies and private enterprises are busy with computerization of their business process as well as developing purpose built databases, a small sector of the industry is shifting towards knowledge management. IRANDOC for instance had been heavily investing in this area. If the current projected pace of progress is maintained, IRANDOC would be the first Iranian government service whose data generation process would has become truly paperless by the end of 2001. A schematic representation of knowledge management is as follows. As it can be seen, it is a dual use process. Within the Academic terms, university researchers, academics and experts produce raw information materials in form of proceedings, publications, articles and even bench scale products. These are collected and their data elements extracted. Information contained thereof are analyzed, even recursively, in order to derive statistically significant trends or new information synthesis. The information analysis would in turn contribute to the adoption of academic approach, statement of problem as well as corporate approach. Altogether these provide a continued basis for knowledge management. However against a corporate background, the approach to knowledge management is somewhat different. In this context, the raw data is analyzed. The trend here is to arrive at an internal report that could be used by corporate policy makers and decision makers. In essence these two processes share a degree of symmetry. There could be multiple points of tangencies that could be used for corporate /academic crossovers in knowledge management. For instance Irandoc Nationwide Library Membership scheme as well as its academic information support services could be adapted to address the issues of knowledge management within a corporate environment. Depending on the business process involved, the skill and knowledge developed within the academe could be tailored to the need of a corporation. The result interface would mean that an academic service point such as Irandoc would be also required to have the wherewithal to provide business intelligence as well. An information service, should be capable of serving and catering to the information needs of its clients, whether academic or corporate. However, the client should be made aware that from being a net-user of information, it should also contribute to the information collection effort. 3) FUTURE PLANNING: The future strategic issues that need to be addressed in the 2001-2008 period are as follows: 1. Human resource development: a) Reliance on the existing human resource b) Recruitment of new human resource complying with the strategic requisites c) Contracting independent consultants 2 Financial Resources: a) Increased and diversified Public budget allocations b) Increase in Revenues c) Cost effectiveness and streamlining 3 Administrative support optimization: a) Boosting productivity in administrative support 4 Information Research: a) Reduction of factors pre-empting research b) Boosting of factors contributing to research progress c) Setting out the sense and direction of research priorities 5 Information acquisition and preservation: a) Incorporation of Information technology in data collection, acquisition, storage and preservation b) Digitization of existing non-machine readable materials c) Formation of a number of national thematic document repositories, each specialized in collection, maintenance and preservation in specific fields. 6 Information Cataloging a) Application of IT in information cataloging b) Cataloging based on Information Analysis 7 Information Dissemination and Analysis Application of IT in information dissemination Establishment of information dissemination and analysis points 8 Information Technology Development Integration of IT in Libraries and information centers Information Technology Research Infrastructure of Information Technology Supporting Software of IIT 9 Promotion of scientific contribution by Iran and Iranians Presenting the scientific status of Iranian researchers and experts Multi-lingual dissemination of information Multi-lingual information cataloging 10 Development and Expansion of Resource Sharing Coordination of resource sharing among academic libraries and information centers Promotion of factors advancing resource sharing 11 Information Needs Assessment Information need assessment and analysis of the same with respect to research, academic and business sectors Promotion and incorporation of embedded need assessment routines within scientific and academic organizations Promulgation of Needs Assessment routines within corporate sector 12 Education Development and establishment of specialized and graduate courses in information sciences in institutes of higher learnings Provision of continued education for managers of libraries and information centers Provision of specialized information literacy program for researchers and students 13 Multi-level Scientific exchange and communication Direct scientific exchange Indirect scientific exchange 14 National Scientific and Technical Information Systems Defining and implementation of information architecture within MSRT. 15 Information standardization Determination of national information standards Support of standardization initiatives and schemes 16 Dealing with Duplicate or Redundant Efforts Prevention of redundant activities and duplication of efforts Inter-agency and Intra-agency coordination Mission re-examination of different information agencies
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