Knowledge worker manifesto: first draft
Here's an idea I've been kicking around for a while. The knowledge worker manifesto:
- Despite short-term ups and downs, there are not enough skilled workers to meet employer demand.
- This applies equally to industries, companies, departments, economic regions and nations.
- It is unlikely to change in the near future, despite economic turmoil.
- Knowledge workers are highly mobile.
- The go out the door each night. If you are an employer, you are lucky if they come back the next morning.
- With limitations, most can work for almost any employer they choose anywhere in the world.
- Many companies and countries welcome knowledge workers with open arms.
- Any form of discrimination will cut your available pool of knowledge workers.
- And many knowledge workers who are not discriminated against, will think twice about working for a bigot.
- Regardless of value judgements about right and wrong, bosses, companies, political leaders and nations that do not treat knowledge workers with respect, are unlikely to keep their services.
- In other words, they can walk.
- And they will walk if pushed.
- Employers; assume other employers are already trying to woo your knowledge workers.
- All other things being equal (and they’re not, but let’s imagine for a moment they are) knowledge workers' skills go to the highest bidder.
- But the bidder need not necessarily offer more cash.
- One of the inequalities is tax. If a nation taxes knowledge workers too highly compared with other countries, it can expect to see a brain drain. In fact many countries are already face this.
- Knowledge workers also need other things governments can supply.
- For example, education. A strong educational system is essential for a knowledge economy. It attracts knowledge workers from elsewhere.
- So does a good telecommunications infrastructure.
- In most countries industry doesn't seem capable of delivering this without a kick up the backside. Politicians: If you want a knowledge economy start kicking.
- Free markets are important.
- But the Asian experience suggests they are not essential.
- Likewise political freedom.
- Business incubators can help get a knowledge-based business culture off the ground.
- A culture of recognising and rewarding intellectual achievement helps.
- America is not the only knowledge economy. It is not the only workable model.
I'll add other points as I think of them. Maybe you can help. Is there something obvious belonging here that I'm missing?
Knowledge workers can work from anywhere at any hour, on individual or team projects.
Virginia McMillan
19 Mar 10 at 5:59 pm
You could add something about the fact that changing country is relatively easy because English is the predominant business language for the internet and computers. I’m not just saying this, I’ve experienced it for myself!
parsley72
19 Mar 10 at 9:21 pm
With respect, I think you miss the point of what a “knowledge economy” might be and, therefore, how a “knowledge worker” might fit in to it.
In a barter economy, items are traded at agreed estimated values – two horses for a milk cow, say, or 1 set of tax returns for 2 hours work in the garden. Doesn’t matter if it’s goods or services.
In a cash economy, the values are more formal, and trade is for cash. There is no credit economy – there has to be cash at some point, as the world financial markets have found out in the last two years.
The key point here is that the type of economy is defined by what makes the trade worthwhile – the item of currency. Whether cows or dollars depends on the market.
In a true “knowledge economy”, the item of value is knowledge. That’s what gets traded. Without an accurate definition of a “knowledge economy”, you can’t formulate a manifesto. What you’re talking about is a set of skilled workers who can manipulate information in order to commoditise it, to the point that someone is prepared to pay for their services. But it’s still part of the cash economy.
When you can talk about what a real knowlege economy looks like, you will start to understand what a knowledge worker is, in my opinion. Your manifesto is a series of warnings to old school employers and call to action for the government. It actually has nothing to do with the workers.
Mark Harris
23 Mar 10 at 9:46 pm
@Mark – I see what you mean. Yes I am thinking very much in terms of the point where knowledge work intersects with the real world because ultimately that’s what matters to individuals.
You can’t eat knowledge. You can buy food (and other stuff) if you convert knowledge work to cash. You can’t do that effectively if employers behave stupidly and get in the way.
Of course, there’s more to being a knowledge worker than money, conditions and respect, but I suspect what you are thinking about sits on a higher plane. I’m not dismissing it, I’m just focused elsewhere at the moment.
Bill Bennett
24 Mar 10 at 6:11 pm
Fair enough. I’m still thinking about this one, really. I just get peeved by loose terminology. Terminology defines the debate.
We talk about knowledge this and knowledge that, but I think we’re still talking about information, rather than knowledge. I am working on an article about this. I’ll let you know when it’s done, but it’s not huge priority at the moment, so don’t turn blue waiting ;-)
Mark Harris
25 Mar 10 at 10:26 pm
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