Effects of a knowledge society:
A knowledge society may be defined in two ways. One definition is that knowledge society exists when more than half the gross national product is provided by the knowledge industries. The United States probably will be the world’s first knowledge society, so there is on history from which to predict what will happen, but certain trends were seen rather apparent. We will discuss those which relate to business and education.
(a) A close and active interface between business and education: One effect and perhaps the principal one, is to require a close and active interface between business and education each institution develops new responsibilities to work closely with the other. Since business is committed to fulfilling certain areas of human needs, it requires large numbers of knowledge workers to function effectively.
(b) Lifelong learning: A second effect of the knowledge society is to require the individual to engage in lifelong learning and the university to provide continuing education programs for this lifeboat learning. People need to continue learning in order to keep up with the increase of knowledge their occupations. The employee is in a constant race with job obsolescence.
(c) Improving the quality of motivation: A third effect of the knowledge society is to give business additional responsibilities for improving the quality of its employee motivation. Intellectual work requires a different kind a motivation than manual work.
(d) Offerings new applied-knowledge disciplines: A fourth effect of the knowledge society is to plate additional responsibilities on the university to expand its offerings in the new applied-knowledge disciplines such as engineering education, nursing, business; and computer technology. These disciplines are needed to prepare people to serve social needs within the meaning of the new knowledge occupations.
(e) Increase the confusion sad insecurity: A fifty effect of the knowledge society is to increase the confusion and insecurity of some student. Such a large number of learning and occupational choices are available to students then some of them become distracted and bewildered.
(f) Imposing heavier responsibilities on business: A sixth effect is that the knowledge society has imposed heavier responsibilities on business, education, and youth as well as other institutions and groups to manage change successfully. As knowledge expands, its normal effect is social change. Consider, for example, the effect of only one technological development on one of the groups mentioned. This is the effect of television on youth.
