Archive - Central European Conference on Information and Intelligent Systems, CECIIS - 2012

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Knowledge and skills needed in knowledge economy
PETRA BARIŠIĆ, IVANA MARIĆ, IVANA JURJEVIĆ

Last modified: 2012-09-05

Abstract


The world is changing day by day and becoming determined with technology and knowledge philosophy. Modern organizations are shaped with high communication technology, creating borderless world, connecting people, places and nations worldwide. At the same time management has a new global focus seeking for different concept of leading, controlling, negotiating, solving conflicts, and predicting new trends. Knowledge society has many dimensions and opportunities especially in high developed countries, but also has limits and threats that reexamine development of holistic human potentials and general growth of human dignity and wealth. Organizations are looking for new models and techniques of successful leading in turbulent, unpredictable and high competitive environment.

Knowledge is a complex and multidimensional term and phenomenon. Philosophy of knowledge has been incorporate in organizations and nations, while economy and individuals are significantly determinate with global market. How to manage through innovations and organizational knowledge in global economy with limited resources and extended competition? How to develop unique and specific skills and technologies? How to form efficient learning organization and how to transform strategy into high quality results? These are some frequent questions that global management has to deal with on every day level. Modern organizations are losing their classic borders and becoming more open and virtual through global perspective while create technocratic society. IT helps to design learning organizations, while imperative for learning and constant growth are becoming the essential part of individual and organizational activities. Process of permanent education and improving skills and knowledge becomes the key feature of organization behavior.

In knowledge economy education is the main part of progress and investment in well organized and innovative education system, that is central part of whole economic growth. The paradigm of future work and concept of living is dramatically changing and transforming through development of IT, innovations and knowledge management. Knowledge organizations will be agents of knowledge in 21 century, and new skills and knowledge will be needed at global scene. Education system has to reconsider new trends, new needs and skills for e-generation and conduct the redefinition of educational institutions. Automation, globalization, workplace change, demographic change, personal risk and responsibility are dominant forces that change skill demands these days. Skills that most employers are expecting to become more important in the next 5 years are: critical thinking/problem solving, information technology application, teamwork/collaboration, creativity/innovation, handling diversity. This paper examines the potential of education, and gives new view on role of knowledge and skills needed in future. We can agree with the fact that sustainable knowledge economy is demanding, in the next decade we will find out answers about: What about education for 21 century? What specific kinds of knowledge and skills will be most important in 2020?