knowledge society

| K society | K economy | K work |

References: knowledge society

Topics

[[include:TopicsKSociety]]

Authors

• Bell, Daniel
• Castells, Manuel
• Drucker, Peter
• Duff, Alistair
• Stehr, Nico
• Toffler, Alvin
  

2005-10-02
Ungar, S. (2003). Misplaced metaphor: A critical analysis of the "knowledge society".

p. 333: [...] According to Drucker (1993: 30): "It may be premature (and certainly presumptuous) to call ours a 'knowledge society'; so far, we have only a knowledge economy." [...] we focus on the knowledge economy in terms of the demands for and the use of knowledge by employees in the workplace. This has a direct counterpart with the use of knowledge outside of work in the ostensible knowledge society. The knowledge economy can also be articulated in terms of its contribution to productivity, wealth, power, status, and so on.

p. 336: [...] the knowledge economy, instead of generalizing throughout the rest of society, is producing the opposite effect. Inundated at work, using technologies that allow this workflow to intrude readily into the rest of one's life, and encountering high entry barriers into non-specialty knowledge domain, it should not be surprising if individuals adopt a less complex and more entertainment-oriented attitude to most (non-work) knowledge domains.

p. 336: [...] I employ Webster's (1995: 218) heuristic concept of the "informatization of life" to differentiate the knowledge society from the knowledge economy. The informatization of life holds that the development of specialized occupational knowledges does not constitute a knowledge society. Informatization necessitates a broader diffusion of knowledge, including social processes that foster socially relevant knowledge among an educated public. 

p. 344: In place of the knowledge society, this paper [...] posits a knowledge-aversive culture, [...]. The explosions of specialized knoweldge that underlie the knowledge economy have the paradoxical effect of increasing ignorance outside of these specialty domains. Indeed, the informational demands imposed by occupational specialization not only help foster a broader ignorance, but are engendering sufficient overload that knowledge aversion or avoidance is becoming prevalent even in the workplace. 

-- old-- 

The theoretical roots in favor of the knowledge society point to many directions. 

There are economic roots, arguing in favor of the importance of knowledge to economic value creation. Hayek discusses the importance of knowledge in the economy, Schumpeter argues that innovation is the engine of economic development, and Machlup claim the emergence of a knowledge sector in the economy.

There are sociological roots, like Bell, Drucker, Toffler, Castells. must add social capital here.

• changes in social structure
  
• changing demographics (Drucker)
• changes in social interactions
• networked society (Castells)
• social capital
  
• growing importance of knowledge in society
• information explosion (joho shakai)
• increased relevance of knowledge work (Bell, Porat, Drucker)
• a transformed workforce
• increased relevance of knowledge work (Bell, Porat, Drucker)
• outsourced and part-time employment (Drucker, Castells)

Notes

05.4.23 - Emerging themes

After reviewing the works of Drucker and Bell, I am reminded of Hayek and Schumpeter, and must add readings on innovation. Also, after taking notes on Castells' work, I am reminded of the importance of networks, or social networks, and must add readings on [Social Capital]. So, two more topics to add.

Also, Adler mentions the importance of trust to the knowledge economy. This is related to social capital, I think. Also related to the knowledge economy is the topic of changing industrial structures, from vertical corporations to horizontal supply chains to networks of innovation. Entrepreneurship, venture businesses, alliances and partnerships, etc.

05.4.22 - Starting point