There has been a great deal of discussion on the knowledge economy, but much of this has been more a matter of rhetoric than serious analysis. This book is a pioneering effort to address this gap, using a range of methods and investigating knowledge-intensive service activities (KISA) in many different sectors.

The expert contributors highlight the changes that are occurring in the labor force and the organization of work, as well as in the competences and combinations of knowledge demanded in contemporary occupations. They provide corporate managers and policymakers with much needed data and analysis regarding the implications of knowledge-intensive service systems and the skills required for innovation within these sectors. By exploring these systems in both traditional and services industries, the editors point to important areas of action for improving business practices and human capital development that are key for business and employment development.

This unique book deploys rich empirical material that will help put KISA onto the map for researchers, policy makers, policy analysts and practitioners across many disciplines and professions including human resources, training and skills development, and procurement. Providing in-depth and theoretically informed studies, whilst drawing on cases from many sectors and countries, this compendium will prove essential for students of business management and human resource management.

Contributors: J. Albors-Garrigos, M. Broch, J.L. Hervas-Oliver, P. Marquez Rodriguez, C. Martinez-Fernandez, L.E. Martinez-Solano, I. Miles, T. Potts, S. Sharpe, T. Weyman, H. Wiig Aslesen