The knowledge economy is here – but where are the information professionals?

Abstract

Traces the growth in the concept of the knowledge economy as the latest political manifestation of knowledge management in the UK that has largely overtaken the ‘third way’ concept, in terms of its popularity with the current Labour government. The confusing terminology of the subject and its inherent confusion with the information profession is noted with particular reference to the fact that, whilst information professionals are generally now regarded as being information providers, they are often not seen as being knowledge providers and still less as knowledge creators. Details of the current knowledge revolution are presented in the context of theUKsituation and in light of selected models being proposed to describe it. The differences between information management and knowledge management are argued from the viewpoint of: information versus knowledge; the knowledge economy; what people outside the information world think (Charles Leadbeater, Tom Bentley, Stephen Byers, Tony Blair, David Blunkett).