KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY: ORIGIN, CHARACTERISTICS, IMPORTANCE - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

A knowledge society is that society in which the creation, dissemination and use of information and knowledge are the most important factor in production. In such a society, land, volume of work, and physical or financial capital are not as important as knowledge assets; that is to say, the intellectual capital.

In general, the term describes societies that are economically and culturally highly dependent on their potential to create scientific and technological knowledge. In this way, knowledge becomes a special good in the market and a product to market. Therefore, large investments are made in research and development.

In addition, in a knowledge society, investment is made in education and training of people. The objective of this is to accumulate human capital resources to be able to use knowledge more effectively in the development of innovations.

Thus, and relying on data processing technologies, knowledge is used strategically as a factor of economic competition. Important principles in a knowledge society are networking between knowledge producers, effective application, monitoring and evaluation, and learning.

Origin

From primitive societies to industrialized societies

The oldest societies were made up of hunters and gatherers. Around the year 8000 a. C., some groups began to raise domestic animals and cultivate the land using hand tools. With the invention of the plow in Mesopotamia and Egypt, around 3000 BC, horticulture was replaced by agriculture.

In this way, large-scale agricultural production and the development of agrarian societies became possible. During this period, possession of land and livestock were the key resources and the majority of the population was directly involved in food production.

At the beginning of the year 1750, thanks to the appearance of a series of technological innovations, agrarian societies began to be replaced. Machines replaced tools, and steam and electricity supplied labor.

Thus, both productivity and wealth creation in this new industrial society were based on the mechanized manufacture of goods. Physical assets such as metals and factories became the key factors in production. A large majority of the employed population worked in factories and offices.

On the other hand, the proportion of the population dedicated to agriculture declined rapidly. People moved to cities because most of the jobs were there. Therefore, industrial society became highly urbanized.

Post-industrial society and the knowledge society

Since the 1960s, industrial society entered a new stage. Service businesses grew at the expense of those that produced material goods, and clerical workers outnumbered workers employed in factories.

In this way, the evolution towards a post-industrial society began in which the development and use of information was vital. Its processing and transformation then became important sources of productivity and power. Hence, starting in the 1990s, people began to speak of a knowledge society.

Today's jobs require more knowledge and brainpower. Thus, this has become the main strategic resource of society. And those who are interested in its creation and distribution (scientists and professionals of all kinds) have become part of an important social group.

Characteristics of the knowledge society

Dynamic environment

The environment of a knowledge society has the particularity of being dynamic. Its essence is the creation of additional value generated by the creative processing of available information. This development of knowledge translates into a greater or new applicability of the processed information.

Mass creation

On the other hand, another of its characteristics is that the creation of new meaning from existing information and tacit knowledge occurs on a massive scale. As such, it becomes a factor of economic growth and development.

In these types of economies, the service sector is relatively large and growing. In some cases, even the manipulation of information and the creation of knowledge replaces industrial production as the main contributor to GDP.

Reflective awareness

Likewise, knowledge societies are characterized by a reflective awareness of constructive and methodological processes. The pedagogical objectives are established assuming that everyone is in a lifelong learning process. This allows them to process most of the new body of knowledge.

Increased complexity of knowledge

Furthermore, another attribute of these societies is the exponential increase in the complexity of knowledge. With the support of the Internet, the amount of information cannot be covered by individuals alone.

This is accompanied by educational strategies to distinguish the meaning of the information and find a personal attitude towards this complexity.

Importance

The knowledge society has the potential to improve livelihoods and contribute to the social and economic development of communities. Due to this, its importance has been recognized by several international organizations, including UNESCO.

In this way, these types of organizations make efforts to lay the foundations and promote the creation of knowledge societies. Many are convinced that universal access to information is essential for building peace, sustainable economic development and intercultural dialogue.

This view that knowledge can improve the human condition is based on several principles. Some of them are freedom of expression, cultural and linguistic diversity, universal access to both information and knowledge, and quality education for all.

References

1. International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. / s / f). Knowledge Society. Taken from encyclopedia.com.
2. STYLE, University of Brighton. (s / f). Knowledge Society. Taken from style-research.eu.
3. Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations. (2005). Understanding Knowledge Societies. New York:: UNITED NATIONS.
4. United Nations. (2016). Knowledge Societies Policy Handbook. Taken from ar.unesco.org.
5. UNESCO. (s / f). Knowledge societies: The way forward to build a better world. Taken from en.unesco.org.
6. Tubella Casadevall, I. and Vilaseca Requena, J. (Coords.). (2005). Knowledge society. Barcelona: Editorial UOC.