As part of broader initiatives to support its overarching strategy, Griffith University engaged Glentworth to undertake a study that identifies and quantifies benefits in productivity, efficiency and sustainability through enhanced collaboration approaches, behaviours and tools.

As a former member of the Defence Force, Neil Glentworth has seen more than his fair share of natural and human-created disasters.

In fact, it was probably his experience combined with his expertise in information and knowledge management that allowed him and his team at Glentworth to be such an invaluable resource during and post the Queensland floods.

Here at Glentworth we take a lot of pride in understanding how information collections develop, evolve and emerge. This blog entry is about how we can draw lessons about how to curate our information from everyday life.

Over the years I have collected quite a library. Several thousand books, not all of which I have read. When I moved interstate a couple years ago, I placed my library away. In a rush, I packed up my collection according to efficiency of storage - Fit the most books into the least number of boxes.

Businesses have so far relied on simply using their data effectively to generate information for decision making and growth. This trend, however, is rapidly changing as businesses wake up to the increasing possibilities for growth in a data driven economy.

Glentworth has ranked as one of BRW’s ‘Fast Starters’ for 2012, coming in among some of the most innovative, new Australian businesses.

The award, which is open to the most profitable and fastest growing businesses in Australia, whilst increasing revenue from 2010 to 2011.

Data drives organisation processes – moving through structured and unstructured formats, providing key information for effective process management and enabling valuable business insights to management for improved decision making and business innovation.

Knowledge Management is built on a foundation of IT enabled collaboration systems which capture organisational information. Glentworth demonstrates that the benefits of these systems can only be realised by applying a curatorial approach to information.

In today’s organisations, information is a valued business asset and when exploited effectively it can act as a key differentiator in driving their success.

We argue that information and knowledge are key levers for enhancing productivity and maintaining the competitive edge in the resources sector.  The key drivers for information and knowledge management (IKM) in the resources sector are cost reduction, maintaining licence to operate and connecting skilled workers throughout the business. These enable growth, productivity and optimisation across the value chain, in turn delivering global capability and competitive advantage.