{"id":37,"date":"2018-07-02T05:41:56","date_gmt":"2018-07-02T05:41:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lisp1.epgpbooks.inflibnet.ac.in\/?post_type=chapter&p=37"},"modified":"2018-12-04T09:05:31","modified_gmt":"2018-12-04T09:05:31","slug":"what-is-a-knowledge-society","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/ebooks.inflibnet.ac.in\/lisp1\/chapter\/what-is-a-knowledge-society\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Knowledge Society?"},"content":{"raw":"
\"epgp<\/a>\r\n<\/span><\/div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nI. Objectives<\/strong>\r\n

This unit will introduce the notions of information and knowledge societies and examine in some detail their basic traits and characteristics. The principal differences between knowledge societies and pre-knowledge societies are explained and the major issues that need to be addressed in becoming a knowledge society are outlined.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

II. Learning Outcome<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

On completion of this module, you should know what the terms \u2018knowledge society\u2019 and \u2018information society\u2019 connote. You should also have a general idea of the traits and characteristics of knowledge \/ information society. Another important learning outcome expected on completing this module is an understanding of the dominant characteristics of Pre-industrial, industrial and information societies.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

III.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Structure of the Module<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

1.\u00a0 Introduction<\/span><\/p>\r\n

2.\u00a0 Terminology and Definitional Issues<\/span><\/p>\r\n

2.1 Approaches to Information Security<\/span><\/p>\r\n

3.\u00a0 Traits and Characteristics of the Information Society <\/span><\/p>\r\n

3.1 Emerging Patterns of Information Security<\/span><\/p>\r\n

4.\u00a0 \u00a0Some indicators of information security<\/span><\/p>\r\n

5.\u00a0 Issues in the Information Society<\/span><\/p>\r\n

5.1 Information Society: Challenges for India<\/span><\/p>\r\n

6.\u00a0 Summary<\/span><\/p>\r\n

7.\u00a0 References<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

1. Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Knowledge has been at the heart of growth and development since time immemorial. The ability to invent and innovate, and create new knowledge to trigger development of new products, processes and services that help improve the quality of life has been a principal occupation of mankind .The terms \u2018knowledge society\u2019, \u2018knowledge-based economy\u2019, however, are terms that were coined more recently. It is important for proper understanding to make a distinction between knowledge and information. Knowledge empowers its possessors with the capability for action- intellectual or physical. Knowledge is a matter of cognitive capability. Information, on the other hand, takes the shape of structured and formatted data that remain passive and inert until used by those with the knowledge needed to interpret and process them. The term knowledge society was probably first used by Peter Drucker in 1969 (1). It is not a mere coincidence that the idea emerged along with such notions as learning societies, life-long education, etc; the notion of knowledge society is closely related to these. In a broad sense every society has been a knowledge society as every society must have had its knowledge assets. However when the term is used in the present context ,it often refers to a society in which knowledge is a primary factor of economic productivity as contrasted with societies in which capital and labour still rule. There is another significant difference between \u2018knowledge society\u2019 as understood today and the earlier knowledge societies. The focus today is on human rights, inclusivity and participation of all sections of the society. A knowledge society generates shares and applies knowledge for the prosperity and well-being of its people and for overall development.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

A closely related term \u2018Post-industrial society\u2019 was used as early as in 1914, i.e. 100 years ago. It was Daniel Bell who revived its usage in his well known book, The Coming of Post-Industrial Society (2). This term was the most frequently used one before the expression \u201cinformation society\u201d gained overall acceptance; it defined the newly emerged social-economic phenomenon by emphasizing the fact that the old structures of the industrial era were replaced by new ones rather than by focusing on its \u201ccontent\u201d. Information Society is a closely related term and widely used today (3). Although the terms \u2018Information society\u2019 and \u2018Knowledge society\u2019 are often used interchangeably there is a difference that needs to be understood. The idea of \u2018Information society\u2019 as it is understood today, is primarily based on the technological breakthroughs that resulted from the revolution in information and communication technologies (ICT). While the idea of the Internet as a public network and as a platform for universal and equitable access to knowledge resources is at the core of the concept of \u2018Knowledge society\u2019, the\u00a0<\/span>notion has much broader implications as it has social, political, cultural and even ethical dimensions. Plans to ushering in a Knowledge society\u2019 should be based on the clear understanding that even in today\u2019s technology driven society the control of knowledge and access to knowledge can go hand in hand with serious inequality, exclusion and social conflict. Ideally a true knowledge society should integrate all its members and promote new forms of solidarity involving both present and future generations. Nobody should be excluded from knowledge societies, where knowledge is a public good, available to every individual.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Abdul Waheed Khan of the UNESCO Division for Communication and Information says, \u201cInformation society is the building block for knowledge societies. Whereas I see the concept of \u2018information society\u2019 as linked to the idea of \u2018technological innovation\u2019, the concept of \u2018knowledge societies\u2019 includes a dimension of social, cultural, economical, political and institutional transformation, and a more pluralistic and developmental perspective. In my view, the concept of \u2018knowledge societies\u2019 is preferable to that of the \u2018information society\u2019 because it better captures the complexity and dynamism of the changes taking place. (...) the knowledge in question is important not only for economic growth but also for empowering and developing all sectors of society.\u201d (4)<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

2. Terminology and Definitional Issues<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Perhaps a brief discussion on terminology and definitions of knowledge society is relevant. Some argue that Information Society is not an appropriate term as, \u2018to inform\u2019 refers to a unidirectional process intended to alter the state and \/ or behavior of a passive receiver. The suggestion is to employ, instead, the term \u2018information and communication societies\u2019. It is argued that \u2018communication\u2019 places emphasis simultaneously on both reception and dissemination and leads to a social structure. As for the term \u2018knowledge society\u2019, those who uphold it feel that it evokes a more integral vision and an essentially human process. To some, the expression knowledge society denotes a more \u201cprogressive\u201d state than information society. Too some, information society is one of the components of knowledge society, which is not surprising as information is one of the constituent parts of knowledge. There are, though, those who are not very happy with the use of the term; The term \u2018knowledge\u2019 extensively used in today\u2019s corporate sector places emphasis on the economic value and function of knowledge (as, for example, in the notion of \u2018Knowledge Management\u2019, which emphasizes an organization\u2019s or individual\u2019s claim to a piece of knowledge and how to take economic advantage of knowledge of employees of an organization); There is also the feeling that the\u00a0<\/span>emphasis in \u2018Knowledge Management\u2019 is on the type of knowledge that is supposedly objective, scientific, and is amenable for digitization. Such an approach, it is argued that, tends to view knowledge and information as a commodity rather than as public good; this has been severely criticized by the civil society throughout the world which rejects the supremacy of the market over health, culture, environment, and development in general. That resistance is alive and active even today and is fighting for acceptance of exceptions to the rules of international trade and for respect of our common interests to ensure that they are not subordinated to intellectual property and market interests. Interestingly it is the liberalization movement that is fighting for recognition of information and knowledge as a public good; on the other hand , the same movement holds that only a free and open economy can ensure the speedy development and building up of the infrastructure necessary for universal access to information. Another interesting variants \u201cshared knowledge society (ies)\u201d .The emphasis is on the plural form (Societies rather than Society) recognizing the heterogeneity and diversity of human societies.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Z. Karvalics lists the following definitions from among over 50 such definitions:(5)<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n