Introduction: Managing Knowledge in the Twenty-First Century

The twentieth century was a period of great social, economic and political transformation. One of the most significant economic changes related to the growing importance and role of knowledge as a source of value for organizations. These developments have been such that the current century is arguably epitomized by a knowledge-based economy, where knowledge, information and ideas are the main source of economic growth. Due to this and other social and technological changes, such as advances and developments in computer and communication technologies, ongoing globalization, increased deregulation and so on, new patterns of work and business practices are being developed. Meanwhile, we are also dealing with new kinds of workers, with new and different skills and preferences. For example, owing to the rise of artificial intelligence, many traditional jobs, including those of managerial and professional workers, as well as manual workers, if they are not being eliminated, are being transformed into ones that require vastly different knowledge and experience.