Knowledge Divide - The Knowledge Divide Between Nations

The Knowledge Divide Between Nations

According to UNESCO and the World Bank, knowledge gaps between nations may occur due to the varying degrees by which individual nations incorporate the following elements:

• Human rights and fundamental freedoms: An absence of freedom within a society can diminish or delay the ability of its members to acquire, debate, and transmit knowledge. Vital to the spread of knowledge and information between nations are such freedoms as freedom of expression, an absence of censorship, free circulation of information, and freedom of the press.

• Democracy

• Plurality of knowledge and information: This includes a diverse media and the acceptance of diverse forms of knowledge.

• Quality infrastructure: For instance, a poor electrical grid makes the existence of computer networks or of higher education institutions less attainable.

• Effective communication system: This will affect the dissemination of knowledge or movement of ideas within and between nations.

• Effective education system: Gaps in knowledge between nations can exist when individual countries invest too little in primary school education, which acts as the base for the entire education system. According to UNESCO, in order for a nation to become a knowledge society, primary education must focus on basic literacy and must be universally accessible. However, as others have pointed out, higher education may be equally important for closing knowledge gaps between nations, particularly between newly industrialized nations, such as the Republic of Korea, and more advanced industrial societies. For the former, higher education can play an important role in bridging knowledge gaps, but must benefit more than a small elite portion of the population and must be taught at international standards. The poor development of educational institutions from a society affects the creativity of people belonging to that society.

• Focus on Research and Innovation: As the World Bank suggests, Research & Development within a nation can enable it to follow current developments in global knowledge and also to understand how to adapt external knowledge and technology to meet its needs. In nations with low degrees of R&D, government funding can provide a significant portion of support that can later be taken over by private investment. Closely tied to effective education systems is the need for a nation to allow for academic freedom. Because higher educational institutions are significant contributors to R&D, these institutions must be granted freedom to create and disseminate knowledge. An environment supportive of research and innovation may also help stem the “brain drain” of educated individuals from knowledge-poor nations to knowledge-rich nations.

• Intellectual Property Rights: Closely connected to a focus on research and innovation are national and international Intellectual Property Rights. Within a nation, Intellectual Property Rights can spawn research and innovation by providing economic incentives for investing in new knowledge development. However, as stated by the World Bank, by protecting innovations, intellectual property rights may also inhibit knowledge-sharing and may prevent developing nations from benefitting from knowledge produced in other countries.