Creative Working in the Knowledge Economy

Exploring the new types of job and ways of working in the knowledge economy, and based on empirical research among advertising workers and software developers in Europe, Singapore and Japan, this book examines relationships between knowledge and creativity and new frameworks for learning and working. Offering critical insights into how workers apply their creative knowledge work capacities towards the production of innovative products and services and the fashioning of digital and tangible goods, it will add significantly to the debate around knowledge work and creativity. Of interest to researchers, educators and policy makers in organisational learning, management and HRM.

There is a growing interest in the knowledge economy, and the new types of job and ways of working associated with it. This book analyses how a particular group – creative knowledge workers – carry out their jobs and learn within it. Using empirical research from advertising and software development in Europe, Singapore and Japan, it develops a new conceptual framework to analyse the complexities of creative knowledge work.

Focussing uniquely on the human element of working in the knowledge economy, it explores the real world of how people work in this emerging phenomenon and examines relationships between knowledge and creative dimensions to provide new frameworks for learning and working. It offers critical insights into how these workers apply their creative knowledge work capacities towards the production of innovative products and services, as well as using their creative abilities and knowledge to fashion both digital and tangible goods in the knowledge economy.

Adding significantly to the on-going debate around knowledge work and creativity, this comprehensive examination will be of interest to researchers and educators in organisational learning, management and HRM and to anyone involved in devising ways to develop and support workers in lifelong and flexible creative work practices.