KNOWLEDGE WORKERS IN THE FIELD

KNOWLEDGE WORKERS IN THE FIELD

In what way(s) will you be a knowledge worker in your field (or a field of interest)? 

Rouse (2005) defines a knowledge worker as anyone “who works for a living at the tasks of developing or using knowledge”. This seemingly ambiguous definition proves to highlight just how broad the term ‘knowledge worker’ is. This is not to say that the term is difficult to define but rather that the fields in which knowledge workers exist and are being recruited are endless. Needless to say that as my classmates and I pack up our textbooks and clutch our degrees we will be entering a workforce in which we will need to be a knowledge worker.

“Technology marketers target them. Human resources departments recruit them. Management consultants write and talk about them. And too often, organizations segregate them.”

Rosen (2011) is of course referring to knowledge workers.

Parent of the idea, Peter Drucker, coined the term “knowledge worker” and differentiated knowledge workers from manual workers in his 1969 book ‘The Age of Discontinuity’ (Rosen, 2011).  Drucker insisted that new industries must employ and expand the role of knowledge workers as it is a crucial aspect of an information based economy.

Flash forward to 2012. While need to distinguish knowledge workers from manual workers are out-dated, the role of knowledge workers stands alone as a crucial place in our knowledge economy.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (2004) measured the rise of knowledge works in our society of a knowledge-based economy. Research showed that the number of knowledge workers as “professionals and associate professionals, in particular, have steadily increased” (ABS, 2004).

Wikipedia (2012) includes “software engineers, architects, engineers, scientists and lawyers” as the typical fields known as being knowledge workers. However, when scrolling down the list of knowledge worker attributes it is clear why human resource departments in every field are looking for these same qualities in a graduate like myself.

As I am nearing the end of my degree, the fear of landing a job in my chosen field is steadily increasing. A fear which was only heightened after reading an article by Barbara Ehrenreich (2009) entitled “Welcome to a dying industry, journalism grads”. Ehrenreich (2009) talks of trying to carve out a career in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression and trying to do so within what appears to be a dying industry. In my opinion, journalism is not a dying industry. It is an industry with a changing format. Like every other field, its turning digital. Our economy is now based on information and knowledge and having the attributes and outlook of a knowledge worker will give journalism grads a competitive edge.

When searching for your competitive edge against peers, the advantage of being a knowledge worker is clear. Knowledge workers benefit organizations in a variety of important ways including their ability to analyse data to establish relationships, identifying and understanding trends, making connections, ability to brainstorm, ability to drill down, creating more focus and creating or modifying a strategy among many other roles (Wikipedia, 2012).

Flew (2008) again highlights the importance of “information, technology, and learning in wealth creation and economic competitiveness” in this knowledge economy. In order to be economically competitive I aim to be a knowledge worker in the field of journalism. The below YouTube video (2010) showcases the opportunities young knowledge workers can create for themselves in their chosen field. 

Wikipedia (2012) notes “identifying and understanding trends” as a key role of being a knowledge worker. Evidence of knowledge workers capitalizing on digitalization in the field of journalism can be seen with the rise of news apps. Today, one would be hard pressed to find a student who did not source their news primarily online. I personally source all my news and information through ‘apps’ on my iPad. With employment of knowledge workers and forward thinking, UK news website Mail Online (2012) has capitalized on the news app craze and made their own free Mail Online app for ipads and iphones. 

In addition, the forum of online blogs (like this one) are “blurring lines between mainstream and social media” (City Caucus, 2012) resulting in another example of journalism using knowledge workers to revive the field. The shift and acceptance of blogs as a format for journalist have become increasingly popular in recent years. Peter Horrocks, the new director of BBC, can be viewed as a knowledge worker as in his first two weeks at BBC told journalists to use social media (like twitter or facebook) as a primary source or leave (Journoggers, 2010).

For someone who treats their iPad as another limb, news apps as morning routine and blog articles as a daily ritual, eager to join the knowledge economy is an understatement. Sign me up as a knowledge worker in the ever new and improving field of journalism. 

References:

ABS. (2004). Measures of a knowledge-based economy and society. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from, http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/A46E142F20B029A9CA25719600166DFF?opendocument

App Storm. (2010). Top 20 Informative iphone news apps. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from, http://iphone.appstorm.net/roundups/lifestyle-roundups/top-20-informative-iphone-news-apps/

City Caucus. (2012). Blogs are not the new journalism. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from http://citycaucus.com/2012/06/blogs-not-journalism/

Ehrenreich, B. (2009). Welcome to a dying industry, journalism grads. San Francisco Chronicle. SF Gate. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from, http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/Welcome-to-a-dying-industry-journalism-grads-3230852.php

Flew, T. (2008). New Media: An Introduction. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press.

The Gaurdian. (2012). 9 Top Tips for the journalists of tomorrow. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/media-network/media-network-blog/2012/may/02/journalism-future-top-tips-career

Journoggers. (2010). Journalists that blog. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from http://laurelpapworth.com/bbc-says-use-social-media-or-leave/

Mail Online. (2012) It’s the App you’ve all been waiting for…Try it for FREE! Retrieved October 10, 2012, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/article-1324833/MailOnline-iPhone-app--Download-try-FREE.html

Regisuniversityscis. (2010). Opportunities for Knowledge Workers. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDfogH9G8Ys

Rosen, E. (2011). Every Worker Is A Knowledge Worker. Bloomberg Businessweek: Companies & Industries. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/jan2011/ca20110110_985915.htm

Rouse, M. (2005). Definition Knowledge Worker. Search CRM. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/definition/knowledge-worker

Wikipedia. (2012). Knowledge Worker. Wikipedia. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_worker

T3. (2011). Best news apps video. Retrieved October 10, 2012, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpiOdgzWcbo