Article,
Learning and getting to know: the case of knowledge workers
Human Resource Development International, 3 (3): 343-359 (2000)
Abstract
In this paper it is argued that the terms, knowledge work, knowledge
workers and knowledge-intensive firms point to emerging social structures and
processes in organizations. This focus allows us to analyse organizations in ways
that differ from the notions involving less dynamic forms of organizational
configurations. It is further argued that the emphasis on knowledge in
organizations raises a fundamental question of learning, i.e. how knowledge
workers acquire relevant knowledge. However, the answer to this depends on how
organizational life and work are understood and conceptualized. Three focuses
are suggested: organizations viewed through their use of technology, the division
of labour, and the social interactions in organizations. These three focuses relate
to different understandings of learning, namely learning as cognition, as situated,
and as the reconstruction of experiences. To illustrate both the emphasis on
knowledge and the different perspectives on learning, a case study will be presented.
