This is a synopsis of a presentation given at the IQPC conference Managing the Virtual Laboratory , February 1998. This presentation positions the virtual laboratory in the wider context of knowledge management. A very important set of tools is those in the category of collaboration technologies, most notably groupware and the Internet.
Few firms can now afford to go alone with basic research.
All require more interaction and knowledge exchange with experts within and beyond the organization. The Knowledge Agenda Knowledge is a hot topic. Knowledge management initiatives are being created in many organisations. Essentially, the value of firms is increasingly found in their know-how and intellectual capital, including patents. Better sharing of knowledge that already exists within a firm and innovating through better application of knowledge are the two main thrusts of knowledge management.