Knowledge Work and Knowledge Workers

I recently recieved this request from Victoria Ward who I am sure many of you know.

Dear fellow Gurteen Knowledge Community members,

I've a request to make of you. I've taken on an assignment to write a 7,000 word paper for an MBA for the College of Estate Management on knowledge work and knowledge workers. It seems sensible not to plough a lonely furrow here but to reach out and find out what others know, what methods they are using, where they are looking for inspiration, the experiences they have or have witnessed on this subject, the questions they are asking themselves.

So that’s what I'm doing. By way of a quid pro quo, as they say in the Shield, I’ll be letting David have a copy of the final work to distribute to anyone who expresses an interest. And who knows, maybe we can start something, play with a wiki, or whatever.

Here are the subheadings under which the College have asked me to write:

1. What is your experience of the increasing awareness of the rise of the knowledge worker?
2. What are definitions and characteristics of knowledge workers and knowledge intensive firms?
3. How are knowledge and knowledge processes applied in knowledge intensive firms (including new generation collaborative software)?
4. What ways are there to knowledge workers to participate in knowledge processes, including new forms of motivation theory and practice?
5. What retention strategies can be used successfully with knowledge workers?
6. How can knowledge management assist with improved project delivery, including Post Project Evaluation, and continuous improvement
7. How can knowledge management facilitate the sharing of knowledge across a variety for project interfaces, (e.g. stakeholders, participants, disciplines, organizations, project stages)?

With many thanks, and a certain fascination to see what will come of it all.

Victoria Ward

 [email protected]

This looks an exciting and worthwhile little project and I will be helping Victoria myself. If you would like to help also - please contact her directly.