The term "knowledge work" was coined by Peter Drucker (1959, 1964, 1973) to describe what was then a new trend, an important segment of the workforce concerned primarily with knowledge and the manipulation of information (rather than people, produce or things)
Charles Savage (1995) describes a knowledge-focus as the third wave of human socio-economic development. The first wave was the Agricultural Age with wealth defined as ownership of land. In the second wave, the Industrial Age, wealth was based on ownership of Capital, i.e. factories. In the Knowledge Age, wealth is based upon the ownership of knowledge and the ability to use that knowledge to create or improve goods and services. Product improvements include cost, durability, suitability, timeliness of delivery, and security.
Retained knowledge provide an organization with knowledge assets, part of the overall value of its intellectual capital. In some cases organizations create patents around their assets, at which point the material becomes restricted intellectual property. In these knowledge-intensive situations, knowledge work plays a direct, vital role in increasing the financial value of a company.
Rapid global expansion of information-based transactions and interactions has dramatically increased demand for a workforce that is capable of performing these activities. Presently, probably a majority of work in North America might conceivably defined as knowledge work.
Knowledge Work Basics | Knowledge Workers | K-Work and Innovation | Frameworks for understanding K-Work | Discussion Points
References
Drucker, Peter F (1959) The Landmarks of Tomorrow. New York: Harper & Row
Drucker, P. F. (1964) Concept of the corporation: Mentor edition. New York: The John Day Company, Inc. page 241 (Epilogue)
Drucker, Peter F (1973) Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices. Harper & Row, New York
Ikujiro Nonaka (1991) “The Knowledge Creating Company”, in Knowledge Management. Harvard Business School Press
Savage, Charles (1996) Fifth Generation Management, 2nd Edition: Dynamic Teaming, Virtual Enter¬prising and Knowledge Networking http://www.amazon.com/Fifth-Generation-Manage-ment-Second-Enterprising/dp/0750697016
Further reading
Barbrook, Richard (2006) The Class of the New (paperback). London: OpenMute. ISBN 0-9550664-7-6.
Davenport, Thomas H. and Laurence Prusak (1998) Working Knowledge. Harvard Business School press. Boston, MA
Drucker, Peter F (1999) Management Challenges of the 21st Century. New York: Harper Business
Leonard, Dorothy (1993) Wellsprings of Knowledge. Harvard Business School Press, Boston MA
Liu, Alan (2004) The Laws of Cool: Knowledge Work and the Culture of Information, University of Chicago Press
Mcgee, James and Lawrence Prusak (1993) Managing information Strategically. John Wiley. New York.
O'Brien, James, and Marakas, George (2010) Management Information Systems, 10th ed. McGraw-Hill. Page 32
Sheridan, William (2008) How to think like a knowledge worker, United Nations Public Administration Network, New York
Tapscott, Don and Anthony D. Williams (2006) Wikinomics. Penguin Group, New York
Thorp, John (1998) Information Paradox. McGraw-Hill Ryerson Publishers, Toronto