Role of knowledge workers in the knowledge economy : some empirical evidence from South Africa

Abstract

This article reports on empirical results of the views of South African knowledge workers on how future changes in the knowledge economy will affect them. Respondents were asked to identify and prioritise trends in the knowledge economy for 2014 and 2019. The results highlight trends such as more sophisticated information or communication technology, growth of mobile business, greater concerns about the confidentiality of personal information, increased national/international competition, harnessing knowledge management and intellectual capital and globalisation of the economy. It concluded that the knowledge economy has created numerous opportunities and challenges for knowledge workers leading to changes in the nature of work.