Rapid ICT Change and Workplace Knowledge Obsolescence

Abstract:     
The ICT (Information and Communication Technology) revolution is surrounding us everywhere. The workplace is no exception. Learning challenges originating from frequent ICT changes cannot be considered just a generational issue as these technologies possess cognitive characteristics that make learning them a non-trivial effort. Frequent changes witnessed presently add another layer of difficulty with almost constant knowledge obsolescence and knowledge update requirements. Corporate knowledge management initiatives are an essential way to overcome these problems, sometimes as a complement to training, other times even as a substitute. But corporate knowledge management has a great deal to learn from the experiences of online communities, which increasingly organize knowledge in wiki and blog environments, and utilize tags, feeds, aggregators and links to better connect the pieces. In addition to solutions which originate from within companies, governmental policy makers can play a critical role in successful ICT adaptation in the workplace. These policy actions and their success in an environment vary with the political attitude of a regime and the level of influence it chooses to wield; still, such actions can play a key role in helping both employees and employers at this critical time of ICT changes.

Keywords: Workplace, ICT, Knowledge, Obsolescence, Management, Policy

JEL Classifications: D83, K20, O33

Working Paper Series