Skills for the Knowledge Economy: the reality of the market-place

Abstract

The potential of knowledge management (KM) for library and information professionals was investigated by the UK Library and Information Commission (LIC) funded research project: ‘Underpinning Skills for Knowledge Management: training implications’. This aimed to: gain an understanding of KM and the roles, skills and competencies needed in these environments; assess the implications for the library and information profession; assess the routes available to people wishing to develop KM skills; and examine the need for information literacy throughout KM environments. KM practitioners, representatives from KM environments, and KM experts and groups were consulted using: interviews, a questionnaire survey, case studies, workshops and market testing. Organizations implementing KM initiatives in Europe and North America were identified along with the emerging KM related roles, and the skills and backgrounds of people recruited to undertake them. Concludes that knowledge management is becoming commonplace but seldom in the form of large KM programmes. A small number of identifiable and achievable KM activities are usually introduced, those offering the most business opportunities being selected. The cumulative effect contributes to changing behaviour and attitudes but the term ‘knowledge management’ is used with extreme caution and many activities are not labeled as such.