Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This
thesis
seeks
to
contribute
towards
a
much-‐needed
operational
definition
of
the
knowledge
economy
–
a
term
which
is
as
widely
used
as
it
is
misunderstood.
Despite
two
decades
of
academic
contemplation
and
debate,
much
uncertainty
still
surrounds
the
concept
of
a
knowledge
economy,
making
it
exceedingly
difficult
for
researches,
academics
and
policymakers
to
find
a
shared
perspective.
The
problem
extends
beyond
just
semantics
–
often
contained
within
a
certain
definition
are
underlying
assumptions
that
have
the
potential
to
inform
decision-‐making
and
guide
action.
Chapter
One
introduces
the
aims
of
this
thesis,
and
outlines
the
intended
approach.
In
particular,
it
highlights
the
challenges
of
conducting
a
literature
review
based
on
an
extensive
and
highly
varied
set
of
contributions
towards
the
concept
of
the
knowledge
economy.
Chapter
Two
seeks
to
clarify
the
concept
of
the
knowledge
economy
and
how
it
distinguishes
itself
from
the
broader,
more
inclusive
concept
of
the
knowledge
society.
After
drawing
distinctions
between
the
two
concepts,
Chapter
Two
develops
upon
the
knowledge
society
concept’s
more
inclusive
nature,
and
suggests
that
the
extensive
scope
of
the
term
detracts
from
its
usefulness
as
a
guide
for
policymakers
–
in
particular,
in
relation
to
the
somewhat
more
precise
concept
of
the
knowledge
economy.
Chapter
Three
begins
the
focus
on
the
In
order
to
provide
some
conceptual
clarity
in
this
regard,
a
number
of
the
most
prevalent
and/or
enduring
contributions
are
grouped
under
the
four
overarching
categorisations
that
emerged
as
a
result
of
the
discussion
in
this
chapter:
namely,
Propositional
Knowledge,
Prescriptive
Knowledge,
Cultural
Knowledge
and
Understanding.
Chapter
Four
focuses
on
the
next
component
of
the
term
knowledge
economy,
and
places
attention
on
the
economic
aspects
of
knowledge
which
have
emerged
over
the
past
two
decades
as
a
result
of
the
technological
and
academic
shifts
that
have
taken
place
in
this
period.
Chapter
Five
uses
the
foundation
of
understanding
built
up
to
this
point
to
answer
the
question:
what
is
new
about
the
knowledge
economy?
Here,
the
impact
of
ICTs
comes
to
the
fore
in
illustrating
the
way
in
which
these
technologies
have
altered
modern
societies
on
a
deep
and
profound
level.
Secondly,
Chapter
Five
develops
upon
the
way
in
which
knowledge
as
an
economy
commodity
has
caused
widespread
upheaval
in
Industrial
Era
economic
theory.
Here,
the
idea
that
the
tenets
that
governed
the
physical
paradigm
economy
of
industry
and
manufacturing
are
no
longer
relevant
or
valuable
in
the
face
of
a
core
commodity
which
does
not
obey
the
principal
rules
of
physical
paradigm
goods.
Chapter
Six
concludes
the
discussions
that
have
unfolded
in
this
thesis,
and
highlights
how
the
preceding
chapters
all
contribute
towards
achieving
the
initial
aims
of
the
thesis.
On
top
of
this,
it
highlights
the
challenges
uncovered
during
the
course
of
the
thesis
that
will
continue
to
provide
limitations
to
the
achievement
of
a
precise
definition
of
the
concept
of
the
knowledge
economy.
It
is
concluded
that
the
discussions
developed
in
this
thesis
would
achieve
their
goal
in
providing
a
valuable
and
comprehensive
‘working
definition’
of
the
knowledge
economy
for
academics
and
policymakers
seeking
to
find
conceptual
clarity
and
a
platform
of
‘common
ground’
from
which
to
base
their
conversations
and
debates. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die
oogmerk
van
hierdie
tesis
is
om
by
te
dra
tot
die
gangbare
definisie
van
die
kennis
ekonomie
–
’n
term
wat
net
so
wyd
gebruik
word
as
wat
dit
misverstaan
word.
Ten
spyte
van
twee
dekades
van
akademiese
nadenke
en
debatvoering,
is
daar
steeds
onduidelikheid
rondom
die
kennis
ekonomie
as
konsep,
wat
dit
vir
navorsers,
akademici
en
beleidmakers
moeilik
maak
om
’n
algemeen-‐aanvaarde
perspektief
te
bereik.
Die
probleem
is
nie
bloot
semanties
van
aard
nie
–
sommige
definisies
behels
onderliggende
aannames
wat
die
potensiaal
het
om
besluitneming
and
handeling
te
beïnvloed.
Hoofstuk
Een
dien
as
inleiding
tot
die
doelstellings
van
hierdie
tesis
en
omskryf
die
benadering
van
die
tesis.
Dit
beklemtoon
spesifiek
die
uitdagings
rondom
die
skryf
van
’n
literatuuroorsig
wat
gebaseer
is
op
‘n
uitgebreide
en
hoogs-‐gevarieerde
stel
bydrae
tot
die
konsep
van
die
kennis
ekonomie.
Hoofstuk
Twee
se
doel
is
om
lig
te
werp
op
die
konsep
van
die
kennis
ekonomie
en
hoe
dit
onderskei
kan
word
van
die
breër,
meer
omvattende
term
van
die
kennis
samelewing.
Nadat
onderskeid
getref
is
tussen
die
twee
konsepte,
ontwikkel
Hoofstuk
Twee
die
kennis
samelewing
se
meer
insluitende
aard,
en
stel
voor
dat
die
uitgebreide
omvang
van
die
term
afbreuk
doen
aan
die
nut
wat
die
term
as
’n
riglyn
vir
beleidmakers
het
–
spesifiek
in
verhouding
tot
die
meer
presiese
konsep
van
die
kennis
ekonomie.
Hoofstuk
Drie
begin
die
fokus
op
die
ekonomiese
komponent
van
die
term
‘kennis
ekonomie’.
Ten
einde
konseptuele
duidelikheid
te
skep,
word
die
mees
algemene
en/of
blywende
bydrae
gegroepeer
onder
vier
kategorieë,
wat
blyk
uit
die
bespreking
in
hierdie
hoofstuk,
naamlik:
Proposisionele
Kennis,
Voorskriftelike
Kennis,
Kulturele
Kennis
en
Begrip.
Hoofstuk
Vier
fokus
op
die
volgende
komponent
van
die
term
kennis
ekonomie
en
rig
die
aandag
op
die
ekonomiese
aspekte
van
kennis,
wat
oor
die
laaste
twee
dekades
na
vore
gekom
het
as
gevolg
van
tegnologiese
en
akademiese
klemverskuiwings
wat
gedurende
hierdie
tydperk
plaasgevind
het.
Hoofstuk
Vyf
gebruik
die
grondslag
van
begrip
wat
tot
dusver
geskep
is,
om
die
vraag
te
beantwoord:
wat
is
nuut
omtrent
die
kennis
ekonomie?
Hier
word
die
impak
van
ICTs
duidelik
deurdat
dit
illustreer
hoe
hierdie
tegnologieë
moderne
samelewings
op
‘n
fundamentele
en
diepgaande
vlak
verander
het.
Tweedens,
ontwikkel
Hoofstuk
Vyf
verder
die
manier
waarop
kennis
as
ekonomiese
kommoditeit
wydverspreide
omwenteling
in
Industriële
Era
ekonomiese
teorie.
Hieruit
word
dit
duidelik
dat
die
beginsels
wat
die
fisiese
paradigma
ekonomie
onderskryf
nie
meer
geldig
is
met
’n
kern
kommoditeit
wat
nie
die
beginsels
van
fisiese
paradigma
goedere
gehoorsaam
nie.
Hoofstuk
Ses
sluit
die
besprekings
wat
in
die
loop
van
die
tesis
ontwikkel
het
af,
en
beklemtoon
hoe
die
voorafgaande
hoofstukke
almal
bydra
tot
die
doelstellings
wat
aanvanklik
in
die
tesis
voorgestel
is.
Verder,
beklemtoon
dit
die
uitdagings
wat
uitgelig
is
in
die
tesis
wat
steeds
beperkings
stel
ten
opsigte
van
die
bepaling
van
’n
presiese
definisie
van
die
kennis
ekonomie.
Die
gevolgtrekking
wat
gemaak
word
is
dat
die
besprekings
wat
ontwikkel
is
tydens
die
tesis
hul
doel
van
’n
waardevolle
en
omvattende
operasionele
definisie
bereik.
Dit
is
van
nut
vir
akedemici
en
beleidmakers
in
terme
van
konseptuele
duidelikheid
en
’n
basis
of
gemeenskaplike
grond
vanwaar
besprekings
en
debat
kan
geskied.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6703 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Nel, Timothy John |
| Contributors | Kinghorn, Johann, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Information Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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