Knowledge workers: social, task and semantic network analysis

Purpose – To move beyond the literature definitions of knowledge work to provide insight into knowledge workers' identity within the organization.Design/methodology/approach – For knowledge workers, the need to identify themselves as part of a collective within their work environment is important due to the fact that they function in an organizational environment where they do not have the benefit of a traditional, formal bureaucratic structure. By using a combination of network analysis and semantic network analysis, it was possible to gain a clearer understanding of who knowledge workers are and how their interaction creates a sense of identity among these workers, even in a flexible organizational environment.Findings – Knowledge workers see themselves somewhat differently from what the literature predicts. They do engage in interaction to fulfill task needs as well as social needs, are well connected beyond their focal workgroup, and their interaction leads to a shared meaning and identity across this...

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