The U.S. vs. Fiber Materials, Inc.: A Case Study in Knowledge Failure

Through close examination of the U.S. vs. Fiber Materials, Inc., this paper examines the documentation responsible for the overturning of a guilty verdict in one of the most highly acclaimed export control enforcement cases of the last decade. The jury’s verdict in the case was derived from the organizational memory of the regulating agency. Ultimately, historical records were unearthed which proved the agency’s memory to be egregiously inaccurate, and the defendants, after nearly twenty million dollars in legal fees and eight years in legal limbo, were subsequently acquitted of all charges. This case study highlights the disconnect between traditional record keeping practices and digital information systems. It identifies a knowledge-to-task gap in the policy area of export controls. It suggests a need for further refinement of the contextual qualities and attributes necessary for policy knowledge and reuse. 1 Knowledge Continuum Multilateral implementation of policy is an exercise in coordination and collaboration. It is an information rich endeavor, requiring reciprocal information sharing between countries, government agencies, and individuals. Recent scholarship has suggested that one cause for poor policy coordination is due to poor information sharing.[1] In addition, emerging research in public administration suggests that interorganizational coordination and collaboration of public agencies requires a common knowledge base which must reside within a “sociotechnical system.”[2] Information and knowledge are not mutually exclusive categories however. The specific environment in which workers produce information imposes meaning on information, thus increasing its knowledge value. Information has a trajectory, which is derived from the manner in which it is used and the specific context within which it is generated. This information-to-task alignment is imperative for knowledgable decision-making. On the continuum to knowledge, information moves further along as more and more situational context is impressed upon it. But what salient attributes or qualities of a given context facilitate the metamorphosis of information into knowledge? What attributes are necessary in the context of multilateral policy efforts? Might these attributes change over time or remain static? These questions add insight into the development of robust knowledge systems, knowledge systems that may facilitate future policy efforts.