Statement of Purpose
The Information Research Board (IRB) Inc. is registered with Corporations Canada as a non-profit organization. Part of the registration includes a Statement of Purpose, which broadly defines the mission of IRB. The four elements of the Statement of Purpose are summarized as follows:
1. To promote the development of information and geographic information system (GIS) research expertise in governments, and in non-government organizations including academic institutions, businesses, professional associations, public interest groups, and technical associations.
2. To assist in the implementation of innovative information and geographic information system (GIS) research programs in governments, and in non-government organizations including academic institutions, businesses, professional associations, public interest groups, and technical associations.
3. To provide advice on information and geographic information system (GIS) research needs, trends, opportunities, and futures to governments, and to non-government organizations including academic institutions, businesses, professional associations, public interest groups, technical associations, and the media.
4. To serve as a resource base providing speakers, expert witnesses, seminar leaders, and consultants to governments, and to non-government organizations including academic institutions, businesses, professional associations, public interest groups, technical associations, and the media.
Information Research Board (IRB) Inc. By-Laws
The opening paragraph and By-Law No.1, sections 1 and 2 of the letters patent issued to Information Research Board (IRB) Inc., are sufficient to establish the Board’s standing for website purposes.
“As reported in Canada Gazette – GOVERNMENT NOTICES, dated September 16, 2010, pursuant to the provisions of the Canada Corporations Act letters patent were issued by the Department of Industry to Information Research Board (IRB) Inc. effective 13/07/2010. (http://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2010/2010-09-25/html/notice-avis-eng.html).
By-Law No. 1
A by-law relating generally to the conduct of the affairs of Information Research Board (IRB) Inc. (the “Corporation”).
Be it Enacted as a by-law of the corporation as follows:
1. The name of the organization shall be Information Research Board (IRB) Inc.
2. The Information Research Board (IRB) Inc. is organized exclusively for charitable, scientific and educational purposes, more specifically to: Organize, sponsor, participate in or support programs and projects designed to promote the development of information and geographic information system (GIS) research expertise; Organize, participate in or support projects designed to assist in the implementation of innovative information and geographic information system (GIS) research education and training programs; Organize, sponsor, participate in or support projects which increase the public’s understanding of information and geographic information system (GIS) research needs, opportunities, and futures; Conduct studies relating to the research methods and techniques used in public decision-making, and to disseminate the results of such studies; Develop programs designed to provide a resource base of speakers, experts, seminar leaders, and consultants on information research topics; Do all such other things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects.”
Record of Activity
The Information Research Board (IRB) Inc. was established in 2010.
Until 2018 publications produced under the auspices of or in association with IRB were posted on the website of Wellar Consulting Inc.. This was done for reasons of convenience and efficiency, since use of that site took advantage of an existing capability, and eliminated duplication of effort.
Wellar Consulting Inc. ceased operations in January. 2018, but the website has remained active to support interested parties wishing to access publications of Barry Wellar, Barry Wellar and co-authors, Wellar Consulting Inc., and of the Information Research Board Inc.
In addition, the Wellar Consulting Inc. website contains information about research activities, public services, professional services, public presentations, media contributions, awards received, and other matters which describe the substantive history of the Information Research Board (IRB) Inc.
In early 2019 it became evident that public interest in the investigation into public access to public records is sufficient to warrant creating an Information Research Board (IRB) Inc. component of the wellar.ca website.
IRB Inc. Scope Statement
The scope of Board interests is indicated by the six specified pillars of information research activity, each of which in its own right encompasses a substantive body of material.
However, identifying the six pillars is a first and very general approximation of IRB interests, which are more accurately represented by regarding the six pillars as row and column headings (elements) along the axes of a 6x6 matrix or array, comprised of 36 cells.
In the matrix or array format, each pillar is a cell on the diagonal (1,1; 2,2; 3,3;4,4;5,5;6,6) and, as noted above, each diagonal cell is a substantive research field in its own right.
The scope of IRB Inc. therefore begins with the content of cells on the diagonal, but it is when we get outside the diagonal that we begin to better approximate the potential scope of the six pillars.
That is, the matrix or array format approach better approximates the potential scope associated with the pillars by virtue of recognizing the relationships and interrelationships between and among the pillars beginning with pairwise combinations, and then expanding in accordance with research needs.
And the scope is further elaborated by the IRB interest the three major fields of research activity, that is, theorizing, hypothesizing, and cataloguing, and the production of information-related theories, hypotheses, and catalogues.
For the final comment on scope, Board assignments include projects which may be curiosity-driven or client-driven.
In the curiosity-driven case, IRB identifies the research question, issue, concern, problem, etc., to be investigated.
And, in the client-driven case, IRB undertakes projects at the request of clients such as governments, businesses, institutions, organizations, professional associations, community groups, and individuals.
IRB Inc. Recommended Links
The scope of the Information Research Board (IRB) has regard for many factors and forces, with emphasis on those affecting the development, advancement, uses, and impacts of geographic information science, geographic information technology, and, in combination, geographic information systems science and technology.
As the viewer is doubtless aware, numerous academic, professional, technical, governmental, and other organizations are invested in research, education, training, applications, and other activities in what is popularly referred to as the field of “GIS”.
And, many of these organizations are widely and deservedly recognized for the valuable contributions which their members make to the development, advancement, uses, and impacts of GIS.
From the perspective of IRB, however, with its emphasis on research, and methodologically designed research in particular, there are a relatively few organizations that are contacted on a regular basis in the search for documentation, references, “expert second opinions”, etc., which are likely to substantively affect the research design of IRB productions.
The recommended links identify organizations whose published works provide context for IRB productions, and which also serve as potential sources of information about professional, technical, consulting, and other support which is available to pursue information-related research questions, research problems, research ideas, research issues, research proposals, and research projects. Links will be added to reflect new sources as the IRB research program evolves.