Knowledge Enterprises, Knowledge Economies, Knowledge Divide and Knowledge Societies: A Conceptual Framework

The terms knowledge, knowledge enterprise and knowledge management have been in vogue for the last decade or so in the context of corporate sector as means for gaining competitive advantage. However, the term knowledge has a variety of interpretations and can mean different things to different people in different contexts. At a macro-level, knowledge economy and knowledge-based economy are widely used terms to signify economies in which the production, distribution and use of knowledge are the main drivers of growth, wealth creation and employment. The social sciences literature refers to knowledge societies as distinct from knowledge economies. Reference is also made in the economic and social science literature, particularly in the documentation generated by international development agencies, on issues such as knowledge divide among people and among nations. A need has been felt to develop a conceptual framework in order to clarify various related concepts mentioned above and show their inter-relationships in a seamless micro- and macro-context. Using this framework, models of knowledge management at country level can be evaluated.