Starting with
KNOWLEDGE
A Lifelong Passion
How it All Began
The Journey Begins
In the late 1990s a group of students met at Queens University Belfast. A shared interest in history, politics and the humanities or social sciences as it was then called led to involvement in student politics, community activism and the fledgling Peace Process. As children of the Troubles we were shaped by the experiences of the past but deternined to seize the opportunities for Peace.
It was an exciting, frightening time as ordinary people mobilised to ensure that the shadow of violence was lifted. Like any group we had different opinions, approaches and preferences which ultimately led to different paths, but we all shared that youthful optimism that we could make a difference.
While we maybe didnt change the world we all did manage to graduate and in fact enjoyed our university experience so much most of us stayed on to see what postgraduate life had in store.
We learned to Appreciate Knowledge.
We learn a lot, in every sense and realised that while we each didnt know everything, between us we could cover a lot of ground. It was here we realised that as a team pooling our various skills and experience we could solve problems better. The subject we studied and the areas we covered provide the knowledge basis on which we still work today.
Law
The foundation law provided allowed for pathways beyond traditional practice or the bar, with the new arenas of Human Rights and Transitional Justice.
Politics
From first year political ideologies to postgraduate studies in political systems, peace processes and party politics the course was set for Public affairs
IT and Web Design
As paper gave way to the computer, the digitalisation of work and communications ensured that IT skills were invaluable to the team.
History
Studying the past with its grounding in research and reasoning mixed well with the current interest in Irish History and particularly the recent conflict.
Communications
The explosion of the internet and digital media gave a new edge to communications and media skills with journalism and press work coming naturally.
Humanities
The Humanities or Social Sciences provided a range of skills in community development, conflict resolution, archeology and heritage related subjects.
A New World
The Peace Process Generation
For those of us who had spent the last three years studying local history, or Irish politics it was an exciting time as history was literally being made every day. Theories on conflict resolution put to the test and often the text book torn up. For some academic life proved too attractive as study lead to teaching, for others political activism led to the big house on the hill, and others saw the newly energised community and voluntary sector as the best place to make a difference.
One Thing In Common
Sharing Knowledge
As twenties turned into thirties the explosion of social networking and digital communications kept us all in touch. Spread across the globe and in a range of sectors from education to politics and business to community activism the points of connection and contact continued.
Often at opposite sides of the debate, or even the planet we realised that the one thing we shared was sharing knowledge. That creative learning and problem solving space which had began in halls of residence and in and out of campus continued online and developed. It helped each of us learn and adapt, using knowledge and solutions from the sectors and situations of others. This analogical reasoning gave us an edge in our own work and research.
The Idea was Born - the Concept was Concieved.
It was our lightbulb moment, that flash of inspiration. Some of us were tired of the corporate life, others fancied a new challenge and we realised that what we had benefitted from for over a decade – the sharing of knowledge and its analogical application to solve problems was something quite new.
A New Beginning
What Exactly Were We?
For those of us who had worked as consultants, or worked with consultants we were sure we did not want to simply become another consultancy firm.
For others they wanted to be involved but not employed or engaged full time. The we solved our first problem – what exactly were we? We realised that we wanted to trade knowledge, just as others sell stocks and shares or investments so we realised we were Knowledge Brokers.
Second problem was – what did we we do? Well the brokerage was the method but the outcome was solutions. We had been involved in providing solutions all our working lives either in the form of advice, or actions like services.
A Name
Where LEXXER Solutions Came from
In our first five years of business we offered a cash prize for anyone who could work out the origin of our name. We had guesses from the arch villain in Batman to some IT connection. It guess it does sound quite futuristic, but sorry to disappoint. The origins lie in a book published almost 400 years ago.
The history geeks, politicos and theologians amongst us won the vote and our title pays homage to one of the most influential but least known books in the world. It was written by a leading cleric, who had a God given mission to challenge authority. He was condemned to death for his troubles and his book was declared so dangerous every copy was to be handed into the authorities to be burnt.
It inspires us because of its unique mix of knowledge drawing together strands of theology, history, science, political thought and marketing to create a radical manifesto for change which far from being burnt into oblivion set the world on fire.
Final clue, its not the Bible but it does draw heavily on it.
A New Comodity
Knowledge Still Changes the World
The Origin of our Company name is the title of a political treatise published in 1644 by a leading Scottish Presbyterian cleric to challenge the concept of the Divine Right of Kings.
It attacked tyranny and absolutism, and provided a sound defence of the rule of law and first fully defined the concept of social contract upon which all parliamentary democracies are founded.
The revolutionary book started how it meant to go on with its very title deemed reasonable. Lex, Rex meaning Law and the prince was in summary a challenge to the status quo that the king was above the law.
The foundation Rutherford developed was secularised and spread by John Locke, whose ideas lit the fire of American Revolution. Lex Rex laid the foundations for not only our Glorious Revolution and the creation of the modern British Constitution but the American Declaration of Independence.
A Heritage of Knowledge
Knowledge Is Power
The power of knowledge to drive change is clear across the globe and throughout history. We hope to harness some of that potential as we focus on the Third Sector and small business.
We have called what we do a ‘solution revolution’ where we act as guide and gate-keeper for a process of managed knowledge transfer. The aim is to help organisations fulfill their true potential and realise their vision.
Our vision is to see Northern Ireland become a leader in the knowledge economy just as it once was in ship building, linen and engineering.
The Vision Behind the Name
The Vision was the ‘Empower Through Knowledge’. Organisations, Communities and Causes are empowered through fulfilling their vision and effecting the change they seek. Our Mission was to provide organisations with what they need to realise their vision.
Strategically this meant using knowledge brokerage to provide advocacy, and consultancy services which would provide a range of solutions to problems which prevent organisations realising their vision or fulfilling their potential.
We sought to focus on the Third Sector, developing the same level of knowledge exchange and benefits between universities, businesses and practitioners as is seen in the public and private sectors. In short we made charity our business.
In the long term we would like to see Northern Ireland become a centre for the new knowledge economy, a solutions sector which would be the equal to its once proud shipbuilding industry. Our vision is for knowledge generation and utilisation to be the new shipyards of the future.