Narrowing the Knowledge Gap

“Where is the wisdom… we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?”
T.S. Eliot

Neither wisdom nor knowledge exists in the absence of information and data supporting them. They are built up and accumulated on the basis of other input.

The interdependence and correlation of wisdom, knowledge, information and data may be depicted in a pyramid structure.

 

Knowledge Pyramid

The Knowledge Pyramid, a process of Wisdom, Knowledge, Information and Digital Data

Global IP infrastructure supports the knowledge pyramid.

  • The bottom of the pyramid represents the provision of digital data on which the knowledge pyramid can be built.
  • WIPO assists all countries in digitizing IP documents to create IP data and databases.
  • Once IP databases are created, international technical standards (WIPO Standards) and tools (classifications and databases like PATENTSCOPE) will facilitate information flow between databases.
  • Supporting institutions (such as Innovation Technology Support Centers) will assist innovation stakeholders in extracting knowledge and wisdom from IP information.