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The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the practical applications of Information and Knowledge Management to society from the academic team at London Metropolitan University through an introduction to the papers in this special issue.

A narrative which provides a social context to Information and Knowledge Management.

There is a concrete link between the theory and practice of Information and Knowledge Management in delivering an equitable society.

This paper is limited to a descriptive editorial.

Information and Knowledge providers and services are primarily for individuals and organisations in society.

This paper represents an introductory look at the Information Society.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on knowledge management implementation from an organisational culture perspective and analyse the relationship between knowledge and power within this context. It outlines the reasons why knowledge is a power resource, and proposes that, as such, it can only be managed successfully within the framework of an effective and legitimate use of all organisational power resources. The paper looks at the factors that constitute a legitimate use of power in the Western organisational context of the twenty‐first century which in turn engenders the development of trust within employment relationships. The development of trust ensures that knowledge is used to further the achievement of organisational goals. Finally, the paper addresses the ways in which effective knowledge management practice contributes to this desired state, and outlines the role of the knowledge manager in facilitating this.

The method adopted is a literature‐based analysis of the main issues covered. These include: the development of the knowledge society and attendant theories around optimal organisational structures, the relationship between knowledge and power, the development of legitimate authority within organisations, and how this impacts on the creation of trust, and finally the impact which the presence of trust has on knowledge‐sharing behaviours within the organisation.

Pulling together evidence from across a wide range of academic disciplines leads to the conclusion that the successful management of the relationship between access to knowledge and access to power must be framed within an overall organisational context, in which all power resources are seen to be exercised in a legitimate manner. In this context, knowledge is no longer regarded as a personal power resource, but rather as a communal resource which will then be more likely to be shared freely in order to facilitate the joint and mutually beneficial achievement of organisational goals. Underpinning this organisational dynamic is an environment of trust.

The paper provides a summary of the literature around pivotal aspects of the question of the relationship between access to knowledge and the perception of knowledge as a source of power in the organisational context. It pulls together a range of material looking at the needs of the knowledge economy and at issues around the development of legitimate authority and the development of trust in the organisational context. It then relates this back to the successful development of a knowledge‐sharing culture, and outlines the role of the knowledge manager in working with employees at all levels in the organisation in developing an optimal culture for knowledge creation and sharing.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the adoption of a phenomenographic conceptual framework to investigate learning from the perspective of the learner, with the aim of reflecting on the features that this approach shares with information literacy education in general, and with the relational model in particular.

The study offers an analysis of phenomenographic research on learning undertaken by Marton, which is further elaborated by examples of collaborative work by Marton and Booth, as well as by Fazey and Marton. The relationship between understanding and learning, promoted by this perspective, is explored in this paper to illustrate its impact on retention and transfer of the learning process. This is compared with the iterative and independent learning approaches promoted by information literacy education, and specific examples are used to illustrate the pedagogical overlap between phenomenography and information literacy. In addition, the paper examines the relational approach of information literacy promoted by the individual and collective works of Bruce, Lupton, and Edwards to demonstrate how the person‐world relation, advocated by phenomenography, is used to examine the learner‐information relationship promoted by the work of these authors.

The paper reflects on the potential impact that phenomenography and the relational perspectives have on pedagogical practices in Higher Education. In particular, it aims to demonstrate how the relational approach, together with the learn‐how‐to‐learn ethos of information literacy, is fundamental in promoting a framework for lifelong learning that leads to the empowering of the learner through an iterative cycle of reflection and practice, i.e. what phenomenography defines as variation in practice to foster the ownership of learning.

In line with the person‐world relation, the paper explores the relationship between learners and information by outlining its internal/subjective and external/objective dynamics. Claims that the learner's ability to reflect on these dynamics enhances his or her independent learning attitude are explored in the light of current phenomenographic and information literacy research.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the changes in the way information management is taught at the Department of Applied Social Science (DASS) in the context of a fast‐changing world situation. It looks at the way reflective learning is being incorporated in teaching and provides some details of projects and modules which incorporate reflective learning in teaching and learning programmes. Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines the changing global situation to which a university education needs to respond. It then focuses on the information field and gives details of the way in which some new projects and modules are being developed to meet new challenges. Findings – As this is ongoing work, a final analysis is not possible at this stage. External evaluation of the Quality Leaders Project (QLP) will provide further assessment of this approach and responses from employers and students will further inform the direction of this approach. Practical implications – The paper highlights the need for change in the teaching of information management. Changes in curricula and learning practices at universities and direct intervention through pilot projects can offer one solution. The experience gained has the potential of developing a new teaching model with lifelong learning at its core. Originality/value – This paper brings ideas and practices from teaching, learning and management to the information sector. It will be of interest to a number of professions: teaching, management, lifelong learning and information as well as political activists and organisations whose learning needs are largely ignored in the mainstream education systems.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of content management in the context of information architecture.

The method adopted is a review of definitions of information architecture and an analysis of the importance of content and its management within information architecture.

Concludes that reality will not necessarily match the vision of organisations investing in information architecture.

The paper considers practical issues around content and records management.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the application of post‐structuralist theory to understanding hypertext and the World Wide Web, and the challenge posed by digital information technology to the practices of the information profession.

The method adopted is that of a critical study.

The paper argues for the importance of post‐structuralism for an understanding of the implications of digital information for the information management profession.

Focuses on an epistemological gap between the traditional practices of the information profession, and the structure of the World Wide Web.

The purpose of this paper is to present and examine the addition of a “professional artefact” to the course requirements for the BA Honours Professional Practice (BAPP) (Arts) programme at Middlesex University.

This paper takes a case study approach using reflection, indicative theories and consideration of student work to evaluate the introduction of the “professional artefact” into the BAPP (Arts) curriculum. Following pragmatist and phenomenological descriptions of the lived experience as embodied (Dewey et al., 1989; Merleau-Ponty, 2002) and using learning models based on experience in the workplace (Boud and Garrick, 1999), the paper's methodology takes the work-based principle of “experience as knowledge” to examine the impact of the professional artefact on students learning.

The professional artefact has proven to be a useful way for the learners on the course to reflect on the purpose of their own study and the ways in which work-based learning can be incorporated into their practice through embodied “ideas”.

The paper suggests that the inclusion of a professional artefact to the curriculum provides a flexible means for bridging academic and workplace learning. The inclusion of the professional artefact could be recommended as a strategy for other work-based learning programmes.

The added value for professional practice is that the professional artefact provides a flexible and creative means of communication for emerging and establishing workplace professionals.

The Departmental Committee appointed to inquire into the use of preservatives and colouring matters in the preservation and colouring of food, have now issued their report, and the large amount of evidence which is recorded therein will be found to be of the greatest interest to those concerned in striving to obtain a pure and unsophisticated food‐supply. It is of course much to be regretted that the Committee could not see their way to recommend the prohibition of all chemical preservatives in articles of food and drink; but, apart from this want of strength, they have made certain recommendations which, if they become law, will greatly improve the character of certain classes of food. It is satisfactory to note that formaldehyde and its preparations may be absolutely prohibited in foods and drinks; but, on the other hand, it is suggested that salicylic acid may be allowed in certain proportions in food, although in all cases its presence is to be declared. The entire prohibition of preservatives in milk would be a step in the right direction, although it is difficult to see why, in view of this recommendation, boric acid should be allowed to the extent of 0·25 per cent. in cream, more especially as by another recommendation all dietetic preparations intended for the use of invalids or infants are to be entirely free from preservative chemicals; but it will be a severe shock to tho3e traders who are in the habit of using these substances to be informed that they must declare the fact of the admixture by a label attached to the containing vessel. The use of boric acid and borax only is to be permitted in butter and margarine, in proportions not exceeding 0·5 per cent. expressed as boric acid, without notification. It is suggested that the use of salts of copper in the so‐called greening of vegetables should not be allowed, but upon this recommendation the members of the Committee were not unanimous, as in a note attached to the report one member states that he does not agree with the entire exclusion of added copper to food, for the strange reason that certain foods may naturally contain traces of copper. With equal truth it can be said that certain foods may naturally contain traces of arsenic. Is the addition of arsenic therefore to be permitted? The Committee are to be congratulated upon the result of their labours, and when these recommendations become law Great Britain may be regarded as having come a little more into line— although with some apparent reluctance—with those countries who regard the purity of their food‐supplies as a matter of national importance.

In the last four years, since Volume I of this Bibliography first appeared, there has been an explosion of literature in all the main functional areas of business. This wealth of material poses problems for the researcher in management studies — and, of course, for the librarian: uncovering what has been written in any one area is not an easy task. This volume aims to help the librarian and the researcher overcome some of the immediate problems of identification of material. It is an annotated bibliography of management, drawing on the wide variety of literature produced by MCB University Press. Over the last four years, MCB University Press has produced an extensive range of books and serial publications covering most of the established and many of the developing areas of management. This volume, in conjunction with Volume I, provides a guide to all the material published so far.