Contribution and limits of IT-enabled codification and dissemination of traditional knowledge: case of Bamileke people

Authors

Dieudonne Toukam, University of Buea, Buea, CameroonFollow
Samuel Fosso Wamba, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

38315

Publication Details

Toukam, D. & Fosso Wamba, S. (2012). Contribution and limits of IT-enabled codification and dissemination of traditional knowledge: case of Bamileke people. In R. Sprague (Jr) (Eds.), Proceedings of the 45th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (pp. 3688-3698). USA: IEEE.

Abstract

This research paper draws on the relevant extant literature on traditional knowledge codification as well as on a questionnaire-based survey to study the Bamileke knowledge and the potential impact of new information and communication technologies (ITs) on such knowledge and its codification within the Bamileke community, West and North-West Cameroon. The results show that the Bamileke traditional knowledge is rich and diversified, and that greater part of it can be positively influenced by ITs, thereby fostering its dissemination to other civilizations, such as the Western world. Knowledge from secret Bamileke societies and initiatory groups, by contrast, are proved to be impervious to any modern system, including ITs.