The nature of human work has changed fundamentally over the millennia. Knowledge work has become predominant in the United States and other highly developed countries. Changes in work, brought about by the Neolithic, Industrial, and Post-Industrial revolutions, were accompanied by changes in workers themselves (Drucker, 1968; Bell, 1973; Liebowitz and Beckman, 1998; Davenport, 2005). This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in Post-Industrial society. Knowledge workers are vastly different – more engaged, committed, technically savvy, diverse, mobile, autonomous, empowered, and agile – from previous workers. Moreover, knowledge workers are more socially responsible, more likely to have global and systems perspectives, and more people-focused. These workers value knowledge for its own sake and as the source of power and competitive position, and as such tend to be educated and lifetime learners.
