Managing the Careers of Professional Knowledge Workers (UK PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS Management / Business)

Examining some of the people management issues specific to professional knowledge workers and knowledge-intensive situations, the study highlights how organisations translate human capital into intellectual capital in the form of marketable products and services. This involves not only managing the creation and development of knowledge but also sharing that knowledge both within and between organisations. "The Briefing" draws on data collected from individuals employed in knowledge-intensive organisations, and explores how people management policies and processes contribute to this conversion. Key findings include: knowledge workers have a number of distinct characteristics which make people management issues central to firm performance; to be successful, knowledge-intensive organisations must convert their human capital into products and services that have value in the marketplace; and, knowledge-intensive situations and workers must be managed successfully for the conversion process to be successful. Successful organisations are adept at managing a number of dilemmas arising as a result of conflict between the needs and desires of knowledge workers and the needs and goals of the organisation.