Final answer:
Companies such as Amazon, Apple, IBM, Lucent Technologies, and SC Johnson show how knowledge-intensive business strategies and knowledge workers lead to industry innovations. These companies have each implemented policies and developed products that disrupted their markets, emphasizing the importance of human capital investment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Firms that have applied knowledge-intensive strategies and employed knowledge workers have often been at the forefront of innovation, creating significant shifts in their industries. Here are five companies that are examples of this trend:
- Amazon: A leader in e-commerce and cloud services, Amazon has harnessed knowledge workers to revolutionize retail through data analytics and logistics.
- Apple: With its cutting-edge product design and software development, Apple has set new standards in consumer electronics and personal computing.
- IBM: Renowned for its pioneering work in IT and for promoting family-friendly policies, such as three years of job-guaranteed leave following childbirth, to attract and retain knowledge workers.
- Lucent Technologies: Offered childbirth leave benefits as part of its strategy to support its employees, reflecting an understanding that their knowledge workers are integral to their success.
- SC Johnson: Known for consumer goods, this company provides concierge services for employees to help balance work and family, recognizing the importance of a supportive work environment.
These companies demonstrate that by investing in human capital and fostering a culture that values innovation, businesses can create disruptive products and services that alter their respective industries for the better. In doing so, many become powerhouses with significant influence over markets and sometimes even governments.