Why do knowledge compilation processes break down so often? Some personal observations

My questions are: why do many students find it so difficult to do literature review? Why are many students not able to conduct theory-driven analysis? Why do students read academic articles so slowly, e.g. 3 weeks to read one academic article in one case I came across? In brief, why do the knowledge compilation processes of so many students break down?

By studying others' work, we are supposed to be able to enrich our cognitive structures (or our knowledge structures) on certain topics; enrichment of our knowledge structures make us intellectually more capable to comprehend problems and other peoples' viewpoints, which can be in the form of a specific methodology and technique. The resuting knowledge structures of us are idiosyncratic and transient. Sometimes, such knowledge structures are more in the form of generalizable theories that are to be shared with others.

I think there are two main reasons for the ineffective knowledge compilation process:
(a). A person does not have the right mindset to perform knowledge compilation; he/she does not enjoy the knowledge compilation process, to start with. There are problems with the motivation of learning.
(b). The external environment is not conducive to knowledge compilation.

On point (a): if the students problem of knowledege compilation is due to lack of time to study and poor English, then, why during holidays, they find entertainment rather than doing self-study in library? Why do many students stop pursuing their academic study once they graduated from their degree programmes? I think the fundamental factor is the mindset of study, not lack of time to study.
On point (b): there is a suggestion that the Internet is destroying our conventional reading habit. Our education system, very often, promotes the idea that gaining a good qualification is a good investment and it treats students as consumers who are understood to be interested to gain a good qualification with ease and speed. Some lecturers are not able to inspire students, but are only interested in making money; some of them are intellectually incapable though they have obtained good academic qualifications themselves.

By taking a closer look at these two reasons, I think we can identify a number of other more fundamental factors that are related to these two main reasons. To tackle the problem of knowledge compilation breakdown, I think we need to pay attention to our mindset on learning and be aware of the unhealthy influences from the external environment, including the misleading messages originated from the existing education system.

My own knowledge compilation process is based on critical systems thinking. This addresses the first factor (called reason (a) here). My Research project, called MPSB research, also works on the role played by the education system by endorsing enlightening management education.

Knowledge compilation is conducted not only for literature review purpose. One of the main outputs of knowledge compilation is to develop enhanced knowledge structures that serve as an effective cognitive filter in problem-solving and in critically evaluating other mangement technologies that are applied in organizations from time to time.


Related readings

1. Ho, J.K.K. (1995) "An Example of the Operation of the MPSB Filter: Research Paper", Systems Research Vol. 12(4), pp. 297-308.
2. Ho, J.K.K. (1996). "MPSB Research Explained", Journal of the Operational Research Society, 47, pp. 843-852.