Worshipping at the shrine of the knowledge-based society? J. Wickham

Résumé du document

The text is extracted from a book which was written by J. Wickham in 2008. This chapter focuses on the knowledge-based society (KBS) in Europe. As the author asserts it, he was tried to understand the relation between knowledge and social structure.
The first part of the text is specifically about the social structure of the KBS. He first explains that it is generally agreed knowledge is often is comparable to power and it affects the occupations in the society. Then, he speaks about three authors' theories in order to show how knowledge influences the social structure. Firstly, according to Bell, our post-industrial societies are characterized by the growing importance of scientific knowledge, and it has an impact on economic growth.

However, Bell remains uncertain about the relationship there are between knowledge and occupation. Finally, Bell also argues that knowledge has been institutionalized and its expansion is now decided at a political level. Then, Wickham states the conception of Reich about knowledge and social structure. In global economies, Reich explains that corporations are not national any more (but global) because their ownership is dispersed. These new societies are also characterized by an expansion of networks and interconnections, but also by more highly skilled individuals.

Extraits

[...] Worshipping at the shrine of the knowledge-based society? J. Wickham The text is extracted from a book which was written by J. Wickham in 2008. This chapter focuses on the knowledge-based society (KBS) in Europe. As the author asserts it, he was tried to understand the relation between knowledge and social structure. The first part of the text is specifically about the social structure of the KBS. He first explains that it is generally agreed knowledge is often is comparable to power and it affects the occupations in the society. [...]

[...] Learning organizations are not spread everywhere in Europe because they comprise mutual trust, states' support and a large autonomy of workers. This seems to be incompatible with the liberal deregulated societies. Indeed, learning organizations are a source of rigidity as well as apprenticeship (developed in Germany and a bit in France) is. Such system is based on a tripartite structure: government, employer's organizations and trade unions. Current processes show the importance of cooperation in terms of vocational system but this remains hard because of large differences among European countries. [...]

[...] For example, liberal countries such as the UK or Ireland on-the-job training system but this obscures the role the government can play through public school. Other countries cannot rely on developed trade unions to generate such vocational educations (e.g. apprenticeship). However, this argument is not always relevant: for instance, apprenticeship is quite developed in France even if trade unions' influence is weak. References Wickham, James (2008) ?Worshipping at the Shrine of the Knowledge Based Society?? in David Jacobson and Harmut Hirsch-Kreinsen (eds.), Innovation in Low Tech Firms and Industries, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar; pp. 267-284. [...]

[...] Then, Wickham states the conception of Reich about knowledge and social structure. In global economies, Reich explains that corporations are not national any more (but global) because their ownership is dispersed. These new societies are also characterized by an expansion of networks and interconnections, but also by more highly skilled individuals. This generates a new social structure which comprises three categories: the routine production workers, the in-person servers and the symbolic analysts. In his opinion, the last ones are the only ones to benefit from this new society because they are able to use the knowledge (not the two other categories which are losing responsibility and knowledge even if they convey information). [...]

[...] This common structure must be a way to encourage the creation of a European identity. In order to improve the third level, the research budget has to be increased and European universities have to be published in international writings. The competition among universities is another aspect of a KBS: in such society, the role of managers becomes essential. J. Wickham then tries to compare it to the American system. This educational system is really unequal and tends to reproduce social inequalities. [...]