<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>This paper aims to achieve a comprehensive image of the knowmad worker. Over the past few decades, knowledge workers have been at the center of academic and practical interest in the knowledge management field. Without excluding other management directions, this specific segment developed for a better understanding and sustaining of organizational knowledge dynamics. Recently - associated with unpredictable changes in all aspects of our lives, that have a direct impact on the business market - the knowmad typology gained increasingly more interest in the academic field, being recognized as an emergent group of learners and workers. They are associated with better adapting skills, increased innovation and creativity performances compared to previous knowledge workers and these qualities ensure individual and organizational competitivity in the contemporary society, as this paper will show. While the primary focus of existing knowmad literature is on the education shift towards a competence-based approach, the working coordinates of these workers remain in a secondary position in the existing literature. Through extensive literature review, and by using a data analysis engine, key concepts have been identified and analyzed in a systematic comparison between knowmads and knowledge workers. The first part of this paper is focused on placing the knowmad workforce into the relevant social context. In the second part and third part, the knowledge worker and knowmad typologies are analyzed from skills, roles, and attributes perspective. Findings obtained through this research show that the knowmad workforce represents the unavoidable future worker, which is both a consequence and a solution for a business environment defined by continuous unpredictable changes. In this respect, future research directions should be focused on the management of knowmad workforce.</p>
</abstract>

This paper aims to achieve a comprehensive image of the knowmad worker. Over the past few decades, knowledge workers have been at the center of academic and practical interest in the knowledge management field. Without excluding other management directions, this specific segment developed for a better understanding and sustaining of organizational knowledge dynamics. Recently - associated with unpredictable changes in all aspects of our lives, that have a direct impact on the business market - the knowmad typology gained increasingly more interest in the academic field, being recognized as an emergent group of learners and workers. They are associated with better adapting skills, increased innovation and creativity performances compared to previous knowledge workers and these qualities ensure individual and organizational competitivity in the contemporary society, as this paper will show. While the primary focus of existing knowmad literature is on the education shift towards a competence-based approach, the working coordinates of these workers remain in a secondary position in the existing literature. Through extensive literature review, and by using a data analysis engine, key concepts have been identified and analyzed in a systematic comparison between knowmads and knowledge workers. The first part of this paper is focused on placing the knowmad workforce into the relevant social context. In the second part and third part, the knowledge worker and knowmad typologies are analyzed from skills, roles, and attributes perspective. Findings obtained through this research show that the knowmad workforce represents the unavoidable future worker, which is both a consequence and a solution for a business environment defined by continuous unpredictable changes. In this respect, future research directions should be focused on the management of knowmad workforce.

From knowledge workers to knowmads: skills, roles and attributes – A literature review

National University of Political Studies and Public Administration

Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This paper aims to achieve a comprehensive image of the knowmad worker. Over the past few decades, knowledge workers have been at the center of academic and...

From knowledge workers to knowmads: skills, roles and attributes – A literature review

Published Online: Dec 31, 2021

Page range: 128 - 138

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/picbe-2021-0013

Keywords
knowledge economy, knowledge workers, knowmads, Society 3.0

© 2021 Andra Nicoleta Iliescu, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

From knowledge workers to knowmads: skills, roles and attributes – A literature review

Published Online: Dec 31, 2021

Page range: 128 - 138

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/picbe-2021-0013

Keywordsknowledge economy, knowledge workers, knowmads, Society 3.0

© 2021 Andra Nicoleta Iliescu, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
knowledge economy, knowledge workers, knowmads, Society 3.0