A formalism, based on an isobaric approach using Feynman diagrammatic
techniques, which includes the nucleonic (spin less than or equal to 5
/2), hyperonic (spin 1/2), and kaonic resonances, is developed. Using
this formalism, a thorough investigation of the following electromagne
tic strangeness processes, for which experimental results lab are avai
lable, is performed: gamma p-->K(+)Lambda, K(+)Sigma(0), K-0 Sigma(+),
for E(gamma)lab less than or equal to 2.1 GeV, ep-->e'K(+)Lambda, e'K
(+)Sigma(0), and K- p-->gamma Lambda, gamma Sigma(0). A reaction mecha
nism, describing well enough the data, is found to include a reasonabl
e number of baryonic resonances among a very large number of potential
candidates. The extracted main kaon-hyperon-nucleon coupling constant
s are in good agreement with values predicted using SU(3) symmetry. Th
e main findings of this model are compared with the results of other r
ecent phenomenological studies. Predictions for the upcoming photoprod
uction polarization and electroproduction observables are presented, a
nd their sensitivity to the phenomenological models ingredients are em
phasized.