In the present time every business enterprise is looking to leverage their knowledge within infrastructure to get the maximum advantage. Whatever may be the strategy towards the implementation of the knowledge management system, the efforts must be start from the people within the organization. It shows that the importance is on people who are working on the knowledge management, no matter how good the technology used in the systems. In a way the employees are knowledge worker , who is working on the context of the organization and they are using their knowledge and experiences acquired through their life to carry forward with the organization.
The word ‘knowledge worker’ is introduced by Peter Drucker back in 1959 in his book Landmarks of Tomorrow. Knowledge workers are supposed to customize their information to create and to innovate the solution for the business process (Sloman, 2007). Knowledge worker is not concentrating on the training given to him; rather they are concentrated in continuous learning using the experiences and the insight. As per Ian Caddy they are common people who are supposed to carry out their work because of their ability to receive, absorb the proper information and neglect the unwanted information (2007). As a knowledge worker the person involves in a number of different complex processes such as searching, interpreting, connecting the information, manipulating the ideas, engaging in conversation which eventually leads to collaborative learning and developing relations with the others (Lilia Efimova, 2004).
According to Henard, David, McFadyen and Ann there are different knowledge worker roles carried out in an organization and they are acquiring, applying, creating, sharing and leveraging roles (2008). All these are inculcated within the organization context itself. Furthermore, some knowledge workers have got the ability to carry out more than one role within the business context, which boosts the business process. The value of the knowledge worker who performs multiple roles than the others who are supposed to stick to one role is high (Caddy, 2007).
The value given to the knowledge worker is not easy to calculate in the business perspective. Davenport claimed that management, organization, workplace design and IT influence the knowledge based organizations which puts the same effect on the knowledge workers (2002).The buzz of the word knowledge worker is personal for some people, their assumption is different from the organizational context and they believe in self centered autonomous working without any monitoring. From the organizational point of view, the autonomy of the worker is not acceptable. According to Davenport the work place design is also an important catalyst in knowledge based organization (2002). But most of the organizations are not making the most from this work place design.
To bridge this gap Davenport suggested two ideas, they are segmentation and providing individual choice(2002).By giving the power to configure their working environment will motivate the knowledge worker, it gives the feeling of autonomy and self satisfaction to work hard. The freedom to customize their own environment is critical in the case successful knowledge worker (Davenport 2002). Segmentation of the working environment is carried out by the organization to boost the environment of the knowledge worker. Segmentation can be classified as low, moderate and high according to the approach towards the knowledge worker from the perspective of the organization.
As per Efimova the activities of the knowledge workers be classified in three levels and they are individual, ideas and communities (2004).All these three levels are came into action when there is enough conversation and collaboration within the business context. But to involve in a particular conversation, a person must need some kind of awareness or experience within them, so that they can share their insights. The individual comes into action when the person is capable of establishing and maintaining the relationship with the communities or networks (Efimova, 2004). The reason behind the idea is because of the ability to sense, organize and to innovate new solution towards the business success.
In the end the value given by the organization to the knowledge worker must be sufficient enough to satisfy him within their infrastructure. The Knowledge worker enjoys the significant autonomy provided by the organization and they feel free to work within the infrastructure for the organization. Whatever may be the technological advance in the enterprise level, the employees are always the same and organization must give the sufficient value towards them to boost their moral values.
The word ‘knowledge worker’ is introduced by Peter Drucker back in 1959 in his book Landmarks of Tomorrow. Knowledge workers are supposed to customize their information to create and to innovate the solution for the business process (Sloman, 2007). Knowledge worker is not concentrating on the training given to him; rather they are concentrated in continuous learning using the experiences and the insight. As per Ian Caddy they are common people who are supposed to carry out their work because of their ability to receive, absorb the proper information and neglect the unwanted information (2007). As a knowledge worker the person involves in a number of different complex processes such as searching, interpreting, connecting the information, manipulating the ideas, engaging in conversation which eventually leads to collaborative learning and developing relations with the others (Lilia Efimova, 2004).
According to Henard, David, McFadyen and Ann there are different knowledge worker roles carried out in an organization and they are acquiring, applying, creating, sharing and leveraging roles (2008). All these are inculcated within the organization context itself. Furthermore, some knowledge workers have got the ability to carry out more than one role within the business context, which boosts the business process. The value of the knowledge worker who performs multiple roles than the others who are supposed to stick to one role is high (Caddy, 2007).
The value given to the knowledge worker is not easy to calculate in the business perspective. Davenport claimed that management, organization, workplace design and IT influence the knowledge based organizations which puts the same effect on the knowledge workers (2002).The buzz of the word knowledge worker is personal for some people, their assumption is different from the organizational context and they believe in self centered autonomous working without any monitoring. From the organizational point of view, the autonomy of the worker is not acceptable. According to Davenport the work place design is also an important catalyst in knowledge based organization (2002). But most of the organizations are not making the most from this work place design.
To bridge this gap Davenport suggested two ideas, they are segmentation and providing individual choice(2002).By giving the power to configure their working environment will motivate the knowledge worker, it gives the feeling of autonomy and self satisfaction to work hard. The freedom to customize their own environment is critical in the case successful knowledge worker (Davenport 2002). Segmentation of the working environment is carried out by the organization to boost the environment of the knowledge worker. Segmentation can be classified as low, moderate and high according to the approach towards the knowledge worker from the perspective of the organization.
As per Efimova the activities of the knowledge workers be classified in three levels and they are individual, ideas and communities (2004).All these three levels are came into action when there is enough conversation and collaboration within the business context. But to involve in a particular conversation, a person must need some kind of awareness or experience within them, so that they can share their insights. The individual comes into action when the person is capable of establishing and maintaining the relationship with the communities or networks (Efimova, 2004). The reason behind the idea is because of the ability to sense, organize and to innovate new solution towards the business success.
In the end the value given by the organization to the knowledge worker must be sufficient enough to satisfy him within their infrastructure. The Knowledge worker enjoys the significant autonomy provided by the organization and they feel free to work within the infrastructure for the organization. Whatever may be the technological advance in the enterprise level, the employees are always the same and organization must give the sufficient value towards them to boost their moral values.
Reference:
- Caddy, I., 2007, Identifying Knowledge Workers: Using Direct Versus Indirect Approaches, Employment Relations Record, Vol. 7, No.2
- Cantrell, S., Davenport, T., Thomas, R., 2002, The mysterious art and science of knowledge-worker performance, MIT Sloan Management Review, Vol 44, No.1
- Efimova, L., 2004, Discovering the iceberg of knowledge work: A weblog case, OKLC, Available: https://doc.telin.nl/dscgi/ds.py/Get/File-34786
- Henard, David, H., McFadyen, M., Ann, 2008, Making knowledge workers more creative, Research Technology Management, Vol 51, Issue 2, Pages: 40(7).
- Sloman, M., 2007, Financial Times.com, London (UK): updated on 12th November 2007, accessed on 27th March 2009.Available:http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1381601501&Fmt=3&clientId=42294&RQT=309&VName=PQD
hi MJ
ReplyDeleteAt one point in your article you have mentioned that knowledge worker are not very bothered about the training.... did you get that from literature or was it your understanding..?
can you shed some more light on that....
I did not find any thing which will help me to identify the difference in ordinary worker and knowledge worker.
ReplyDeletePlz explain
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHey Mj, i agree with the whole knowledge worker thing, i think a knowedge worker is just as involved in the every process in the roganistaion as with every other person in the organsiation. Davenprot from your report suggests that knowledge workers be given some knind of freedom to customeise their own space. i wanted to ask if this goes for every body in the roganisation that is involved in any project because i think, being a part of a project team and brainstormeing with them makes you a knowledge worker, you dont have to wear a badge to do some knowledge management processes.
ReplyDeletein hindsight i even believe, there is one one in any organisation that isnt a knowledge worker, the levels at which they function might be different.
Praveen,
ReplyDeletecute image! is that what you do when you sulk? cross your arms?
This article of yours is very interesting! I have found many things I want to debate!
I want clarity here... you mention "present time - looking to leverage knowledge" and also Peter Drucker of his introduction of knowledge worker. This means that knowledge have always existed but no one never wanted to take the initiative to expose the idea further? do you agree?
Also how is it that the idea of "create and to innovate the solution" work if Ian Caddy says "continous learning using the experiences" - does he even realise that there are those out there in world will do things so continously that they just appear to adapt without changing to learn at all? However, I do agree that a person "involves in a number of different complex processes" hence why Montano (2005) expresses the "multiple perspectives" are required as part of the representations of complex domains especially for large vivid complex organisations.
If organisations do not concentrate on training provided but straight onto continous learning how are they able to determine and measure which stage the workers are at from the beginning. This means they are skipping a step?
I agree to some extent about "giving power to configure their working environment" may encourage self satisfaction - but what about those that may see this as not motivation - instead see it as way to escape the 'work'?
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Montano, B. (2005). Innovations Of Knowledge Management, IRM Press, London.