Knowledge Work in Caring for the Elderly - Essay Example

 Knowledge can be defined in many ways. In general, it involves the learning, knowing, and applying of information. The types or categories of information change from one industry to the next and from one organization to another. Gartner (2000) reports that ‘knowledge work is becoming the primary work style in organizations, and knowledge workers the key element in the workforce.’ When terms such as knowledge worker and knowledge management are used, it is often in the context of digital or electronic information. Gartner focuses on the internet and digital information in his explanation of the knowledge environment. However, knowledge work, if viewed in terms of applying what is learned and known, includes nearly every industry, organization, and type of work imaginable.

In services that rely heavily on soft skills, such as financial services, sales, counseling and coaching, mentoring, and teaching, knowledge includes the set of skills acquired by applying specific theories or principles of communication and human interaction. Knowledge in such industries becomes the ability to interact and converse with others in a manner that makes them feel comfortable and is engaging. Careers in health care, social work, and teaching include soft skills, combined with a very specific type of knowledge or subject matter, that allows those working in such fields to apply theory and experience in processes that are life-sustaining or life-changing.

When viewed as an asset, knowledge can help give organizations in nearly any industry a competitive edge. ‘An organization’s competitive edge depends on its ability to solve complex solutions quicker and better than the competition (Vasta, 2008). Though not every organization faces competition, many that had little competition in the past are now revisiting how they advertise or present themselves. At one time, physicians and barristers refrained from advertising, limiting the information in directories to address and phone number. Competition has changed how many professions do business. Knowledge becomes important in knowing how and where to market services. It is instrumental in finding solutions or refining processes that consumers seek out. Even health centers compete with each other in larger cities, for patients who require basic, but necessary care and those who desire elective type procedures such as cosmetic surgery or Botox injections.

Where does Knowledge Come From?
Knowledge can be sought out, through reading, learning, or doing. It can also be acquired through experience. Today knowledge comes from an increasing variety of sources
and media. Printed text, in the form of books and newspapers, provide a historical context in which knowledge can be sought out repeatedly. Teachers and professors are often ‘experts’ in the specific subject matter. Though they still rely on printed text to pass along their knowledge and expertise, they also use electronic media, such as on the internet, to convey ideas and theories they want students to learn. Other forms of knowledge transmission include television and, to a lesser degree today, through radio. Regardless of the type of media used to generate knowledge, it is not always factual and must be continually checked or reviewed for validity.