Final answer:
The 'knowledge worker' is an individual who primarily deals with information or knowledge in the workplace, with expertise in specialized areas like technology, finance, or science. This concept, introduced by management scholar Peter Drucker, has become increasingly relevant in the information age, where an economy's strength is driven by the skills and education of its workforce.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to management scholar Peter Drucker, the term "knowledge worker" refers to individuals who work primarily with information or who develop and use knowledge in the workplace. These are people whose main capital is knowledge, and they have specialized skills and expertise in fields like engineering, science, medicine, teaching, finance, and computer programming. Knowledge workers are central to the economy of information societies, where the creation, distribution, and manipulation of information are key economic activities.
In the context of a global economy, nations with the greatest number of knowledge workers, such as engineers, scientists, and doctors, have significant advantages. Enhanced education and technology skills are increasingly necessary as the information age progresses, leading to a demand for high levels of education and people management abilities. These workers contrast sharply with those in traditional industrial societies, where jobs were more likely to involve manual labor and less autonomous decision-makingIn essence, knowledge workers embody human capital—the combination of education, skills, knowledge, and health that contributes to their ability to be productive. Investments in human capital, such as higher education or early childhood nutrition, result in a workforce that is not only more capable but also commands higher earnings. The rapid shift to an information society has transformed the definition of a work ethic to include a heavier emphasis on cognitive skills and decision-making, as well as a pursuit of job satisfaction beyond mere wages.