A Theoretical Approach and Problem Definition to Knowledge Management in the Field of Advanced Nuclear Reactor Development

Preliminary definitions of knowledge, information and data are presented due to a theoretical model of cognition relating to human understanding on the basis of cognitive psychology and artificial intelligence. Due to the definitions, a meaning and role of knowledge management are discussed for explicit, implicit and real-tacit knowledge that are classified from the viewpoint of practice. On the basis of the definitions and consideration on the characteristics in the developmental field of fast breeder reactors (FBRs), preliminary guidelines are obtained as the first step for planning a long-term strategy of the knowledge management in this field. For the FBR development toward the commercialization, that is expected to take long time around 100 years, it is of importance to take note of management for transferring human comprehension to developed technologies from experts to laymen and novices in various special fields as well as in different generations of the related experts such as designers, technicians and engineers. Furthermore, the knowledge management should be planned not only as a developmental tool for the technical experts but also as a communication tool between the experts and the stakeholders such as the public and utilities who are related to acceptance and decision for reactor construction that is expected to be made at intervals of a few ten years over different generations during the term of the development toward the commercialization.