Knowledge Workers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Knowledge Workers - Essay Example The Singapore example throws ample light on the situation arising with knowledge workers. Singapore was a manufacturing economy until changes in economy began taking shape in the last decades of the 20th century. Countries such as China, India and Korea emerged with better skills to manage the changes in economy (Judy, Richard W; 2002, p32). "In Singapore, most of its policies and practices are centred towards the incorporation of technology . This implies that majority of their employees receive very little attention. What this does is that employees are not motivated to improve. They do not tap all their potential and end up underperforming" (Smith, Carolyn; 2010). The Singaporean example highlights the need to maintain an open policy to changes so that changes could be incorporated when needed. The mindset even in the management was not conducive to change because of the working culture that prevailed at the critical time (Smith, Carolyn; 2010). Changes did take place, but rather slowly. The government changed the Ministry of Labor to Ministry of Manpower. Once the steps to reforms were introduced at the top level, the rest of the changes happened in due course. Changes in economy happened when the Singaporean government looked to emigrants from Canada, the United States, China, India, Malaysia and other growing economies to make up for the shortage in skilled knowledge workers. "In May 1997, the Committee on Singapore's Competitiveness (CSC) set out to critically assess Singapore's economic competitiveness in the early twenty-first century, taking into consideration global trends and development of existing and emerging competition. The CSC was tasked to identify the problem areas and propose appropriate strategies and policies with a view to maintaining and strengthening Singapore's competitive position" (Judy, Richard W; 2002, p32). The CSC decided to "develop in the next ten years into an advanced and globally competitive knowledge economy, with manufacturing and services as the twin engines of growth. In a knowledge economy, the basis for competitiveness will be the capabilities and intellectual capital to absorb, process and apply knowledge" (Judy, Richard W; 2002, p33). With aging economy and culture, it was not possible for Singapore to transform their economy without importing manpower skilled in intellectual applications. The importance of knowledge workers is currently felt because of the exponential growth of information technology. This growth has left a vacuum and this vacuum can be filled involving knowledge workers (Davenport, Thomas H; 2005). There cannot be any doubt that the knowledge worker occupies a privileged position as worker. Classified as a knowledge worker, he or she is supposed to be knowledgeable in his or her stream and capable of handling a project that come under his or her capabilities. Indeed, the situation is such that