Managing Knowledge Workers: A Struggle in Local Authorities

Abstract

This article is targeted at information and knowledge management students and scholars. It is also targeted at Local Authorities managers and leaders. Knowledge workers are the dominant force in this new knowledge economy. In the agricultural revolution era, the farmer was a key player. In the industrial revolution the capitalists were the key players. In this knowledge economy, the knowledge workers become the new capitalists as knowledge has become the new capital. They are the new capitalists as they own the means of production which is their knowledge. The difference between the new capitalist and the old capitalist is that the old capitalist was much interested in labour whilst the new capitalist is much interested in knowledge. It is knowledge that makes every organisation including Local Authorities achieve sustainable competitive advantage. However, this emergence of knowledge workers has posed some challenges in their management.  This paper sought to highlight how the knowledge workers were managed in the Local Authorities with special reference to City of Harare.  The paper established whether knowledge workers were fully utilized?