What is “Knowledge-based Economy” ？ Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong recently emphasised that Singapore must strive to excel in this area in order to achieve greater global competitiveness. Using a simple question-and-answer format, the writer explains this new concept and its importance in future economic develomenmt.
Question （Q）： Recently a new concept in global development has emerged： the Knowledge-based Economy （KBE）。
Please explain what is KBE and its trend.
Answer （A）： The KBE represents a strategic new era that human beings are entering. In this new environment of social and economic development, knowledge and information are recognized as being at least as important as physical capital, financial capital and natural resources as a source of economic growth. Indeed, it is estimated that more than 50 percent of Gross Domestic Product （GDP） in the major developed economies is now knowledge-based.
So knowledge is becoming the most important source of growth as well as productivity. Information means competitive advantage, and knowledge leads to progress. The keys to the strong economic and cultural growth of a nation's future are successful generation, acquisition, diffusion, and exploitation of knowledge.
Q： Where did the term “Knowledge-based Economy” come from？ What are those major underlying forces that are helping to shape this emerging economy？
A： As a formal concept, the KBE was first seen by the international society in the document entitled “The Knowledge-based Economy” issued by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development （OECD） in Paris in 1996. OECD is a Paris-based inter-governmental organisation that has 29 member countries presently, including nearly all the developed economies in the world.
The KBE concept results from a fuller recognition by OECD of the new leading role of knowledge, information, and technology in economic growth. And it's also an OECD focal work in the field of science, technology and industry to help identifying “best practices” for the knowledge-based economy.
There are two major forces helping to shape the KBE. First, globalisation. Increasingly, economic activity is undertaken without reference to international borders. On this unprecedented huge platform of time and space, sufficient, accurate, on-time and comprehensive knowledge and information become the determinant of success.
Second, the continuous upgrading of telecommunications and computers. This means the falling cost and rising efficiency in the transmission, retrieval and analysis of information, makes the massive generation and application of knowledge a reality. Knowledge is being used pervasively in the overall economic system.
Q： What are the characteristics of the KBE？
A： First, in the KBE, the ability to generate and use knowledge to innovate is not only a determinant of wealth, it is also the basis of competitive advantage. Individuals, sectors, and industries who are succeessful will be those who innovate, develop new ideas, employ new technology, manufacture new products and deliver new services. The fact that the US has enjoyed high economic growth all these years proves this point： those high-technology and knowledge-based industries such as computers, electronics, telecommunications and aerospace are now the driving forces of the country's economy.
Second, since the trend towards the KBE is irreversible, it also brings with it formidable adjustment challenges with implications for firms, individuals, educational institutions and governments. These adjustment challenges may happen in the aspects of organisational structure, management, employment, investment, training, policies and regulations. The goal is to smoothly transform the current“post-industrial economy” into the future “knowledge-based economy”。
Q： As an individual or organisation, to keep up with the coming KBE, what are the initial steps to take？
A： It needs to be emphasized that KBE is nothing far removed from ordinary people and life. The KBE regards human resources as a key source of development, simply because knowledge is imbedded in people, and human beings are the creators of knowledge. The KBE believes that knowledge and information should not be controlled by the “elite”minority, rather, the future of the world is premised on the knowledge and information-based behaviours of the ordinary people.
Thus the KBE wholeheartedly promotes the human learning spirit and behaviours, favours those workers with higher skills and educational qualifications, and requires continuous upgrading and broadening of skills and knowledge. As for firms and organisations, the KBE is pushing them to change from static productive units into dynamic learning organisations. The mainstream of the corporate culture therefore becomes learning and innovation, allowing new ideas, new knowledge, and new technology as the life blood for full-scale development.
The first promising step towards the KBE can be made if one is able to effectively develop a vision of the future, exploit one's self-potential, stay open-minded, never stop absorbing new knowledge and appy it in the areas of science and technology.
（ The writer is a scholar engages in analytical work in a telecommunications company in the United States ）
“知識經(jīng)濟”——未來發(fā)展新動力
什么是“知識經(jīng)濟”？不久前吳作棟總理曾強調(diào)新加坡必須在這個領(lǐng)域力求發(fā)展,以取得環(huán)球競爭優(yōu)勢。為了讓讀者深入了解“知識經(jīng)濟”的含義,作者以問答形式,深入淺出的解釋這個新概念及其重要性。
問：近年來全球發(fā)展出現(xiàn)了一個新概念：“知識經(jīng)濟”,請解釋一下到底什么是“知識經(jīng)濟”,其趨勢如何？
答：“知識經(jīng)濟”代表了人類正在和即將進入的一個全新戰(zhàn)略發(fā)展時代。在這種全新的社會與經(jīng)濟發(fā)展環(huán)境中,知識與資訊躍升到與傳統(tǒng)經(jīng)濟杠桿如人力,財力和物力同等重要,甚至比傳統(tǒng)杠桿更為重要的地位。不少發(fā)達國家目前的國內(nèi)生產(chǎn)總值中知識產(chǎn)品已占了一半以上。知識正成為重要的資本和生產(chǎn)力。資訊就是優(yōu)勢,知識就是發(fā)展。對知識與資訊開發(fā)、獲取、擴散和運用程度的高低將直接決定一個國家民族的整體經(jīng)濟實力和文明發(fā)展水準。
問：“知識經(jīng)濟”這個提法是怎樣起源的？促成“知識經(jīng)濟”出現(xiàn)的主要動因是什么？
答：“知識經(jīng)濟”作為一正式概念在國際范圍內(nèi)被提出,乃源于1996年經(jīng)濟合作與發(fā)展組織（OECD）在法國巴黎發(fā)表的“知識經(jīng)濟宣言”。經(jīng)濟合作與發(fā)展組織是一個政府間跨國機構(gòu),現(xiàn)有29個成員國,幾乎吸收了所有當(dāng)代發(fā)達國家參加。其提出“知識經(jīng)濟”的概念,旨在幫助確認知識、資訊和科技在經(jīng)濟發(fā)展中所起到的嶄新領(lǐng)導(dǎo)作用,并希望為“知識經(jīng)濟”如何取得“佳實踐”做出探索。
“知識經(jīng)濟”的形成主要有兩大推動力：首先是人類經(jīng)濟行為的日益國際化,全球化。在這前所未有的時間與空間發(fā)展平臺上,充分、準確、及時、全面地掌握運用知識和資訊,乃成了爭先取勝的至要前提。
其次是通訊電腦等科技手段突飛猛進式的升級換代,令資訊的傳播,獲取和分析過程都成本大為降低,效率成倍增加,使人類對知識與資訊的大規(guī)模發(fā)掘運用成為可能。知識與資訊正全面滲透到整個經(jīng)濟運作過程中去。
問：那么“知識經(jīng)濟”有什么主要特點呢？
答：“知識經(jīng)濟”目前有兩大特點：創(chuàng)新與挑戰(zhàn)。創(chuàng)新指創(chuàng)造新知識和運用新知識的能力。此種能力不僅決定財富的多少,還可取得競爭優(yōu)勢的基礎(chǔ)。只有那些不斷推出新思維、新技術(shù)、新產(chǎn)品和新服務(wù)的個體、團體或行業(yè),才會在這種經(jīng)濟環(huán)境中取勝。美國近年來的實踐就充分證明了這點：電腦、電子、電訊和航天等高科技、知識密集型產(chǎn)業(yè)已成為美國社會經(jīng)濟文化發(fā)展的龍頭。
其次,“知識經(jīng)濟”的發(fā)展潮流不可逆轉(zhuǎn),也為企業(yè)、個人、教育機構(gòu)和政府部門帶來了全新的挑戰(zhàn),即如何在組織、管理、人員、投資、培訓(xùn)、政策法規(guī)等方面作出戰(zhàn)略性調(diào)整,使現(xiàn)行“后工業(yè)社會經(jīng)濟體制”向未來“知識與資訊經(jīng)濟體制”成功轉(zhuǎn)型。
問：作為具體的個人或團體,如要適應(yīng)“知識經(jīng)濟”的發(fā)展,應(yīng)從何處做起？
答：值得表明的是,“知識經(jīng)濟”絕非什么高深莫測的特殊體系。實際上,“知識經(jīng)濟”把人看作為寶貴的資源,原因非常簡單：一切知識產(chǎn)生于人,人是知識的創(chuàng)造者。
“知識經(jīng)濟”不再相信知識只隸屬于少數(shù)“精英”,而是認為世界明天的希望取決于人類普遍行為與思維的“知識化”和“資訊化”。于是“知識經(jīng)濟”前所未有地鼓勵人的學(xué)習(xí)探索精神與行為,推崇有技能、有素養(yǎng)的勞動者,要求不間斷的知識與技能更新?！爸R經(jīng)濟”促使企業(yè)把自己從一個靜態(tài)生產(chǎn)機構(gòu)變成一個動態(tài)學(xué)習(xí)機構(gòu),企業(yè)文化的主流將是學(xué)習(xí)和創(chuàng)新,讓新思維、新知識和新技術(shù)成為企業(yè)發(fā)展的生命力。
如果能不斷發(fā)展前瞻的眼光,挖掘自身的潛力,保持開放的頭腦,注重新知的習(xí)得,普及科技的運用,你便向“知識經(jīng)濟時代”邁出了可喜的第一步。
（作者為在美國一電訊公司從事分析工作的學(xué)者）
Question （Q）： Recently a new concept in global development has emerged： the Knowledge-based Economy （KBE）。
Please explain what is KBE and its trend.
Answer （A）： The KBE represents a strategic new era that human beings are entering. In this new environment of social and economic development, knowledge and information are recognized as being at least as important as physical capital, financial capital and natural resources as a source of economic growth. Indeed, it is estimated that more than 50 percent of Gross Domestic Product （GDP） in the major developed economies is now knowledge-based.
So knowledge is becoming the most important source of growth as well as productivity. Information means competitive advantage, and knowledge leads to progress. The keys to the strong economic and cultural growth of a nation's future are successful generation, acquisition, diffusion, and exploitation of knowledge.
Q： Where did the term “Knowledge-based Economy” come from？ What are those major underlying forces that are helping to shape this emerging economy？
A： As a formal concept, the KBE was first seen by the international society in the document entitled “The Knowledge-based Economy” issued by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development （OECD） in Paris in 1996. OECD is a Paris-based inter-governmental organisation that has 29 member countries presently, including nearly all the developed economies in the world.
The KBE concept results from a fuller recognition by OECD of the new leading role of knowledge, information, and technology in economic growth. And it's also an OECD focal work in the field of science, technology and industry to help identifying “best practices” for the knowledge-based economy.
There are two major forces helping to shape the KBE. First, globalisation. Increasingly, economic activity is undertaken without reference to international borders. On this unprecedented huge platform of time and space, sufficient, accurate, on-time and comprehensive knowledge and information become the determinant of success.
Second, the continuous upgrading of telecommunications and computers. This means the falling cost and rising efficiency in the transmission, retrieval and analysis of information, makes the massive generation and application of knowledge a reality. Knowledge is being used pervasively in the overall economic system.
Q： What are the characteristics of the KBE？
A： First, in the KBE, the ability to generate and use knowledge to innovate is not only a determinant of wealth, it is also the basis of competitive advantage. Individuals, sectors, and industries who are succeessful will be those who innovate, develop new ideas, employ new technology, manufacture new products and deliver new services. The fact that the US has enjoyed high economic growth all these years proves this point： those high-technology and knowledge-based industries such as computers, electronics, telecommunications and aerospace are now the driving forces of the country's economy.
Second, since the trend towards the KBE is irreversible, it also brings with it formidable adjustment challenges with implications for firms, individuals, educational institutions and governments. These adjustment challenges may happen in the aspects of organisational structure, management, employment, investment, training, policies and regulations. The goal is to smoothly transform the current“post-industrial economy” into the future “knowledge-based economy”。
Q： As an individual or organisation, to keep up with the coming KBE, what are the initial steps to take？
A： It needs to be emphasized that KBE is nothing far removed from ordinary people and life. The KBE regards human resources as a key source of development, simply because knowledge is imbedded in people, and human beings are the creators of knowledge. The KBE believes that knowledge and information should not be controlled by the “elite”minority, rather, the future of the world is premised on the knowledge and information-based behaviours of the ordinary people.
Thus the KBE wholeheartedly promotes the human learning spirit and behaviours, favours those workers with higher skills and educational qualifications, and requires continuous upgrading and broadening of skills and knowledge. As for firms and organisations, the KBE is pushing them to change from static productive units into dynamic learning organisations. The mainstream of the corporate culture therefore becomes learning and innovation, allowing new ideas, new knowledge, and new technology as the life blood for full-scale development.
The first promising step towards the KBE can be made if one is able to effectively develop a vision of the future, exploit one's self-potential, stay open-minded, never stop absorbing new knowledge and appy it in the areas of science and technology.
（ The writer is a scholar engages in analytical work in a telecommunications company in the United States ）
“知識經(jīng)濟”——未來發(fā)展新動力
什么是“知識經(jīng)濟”？不久前吳作棟總理曾強調(diào)新加坡必須在這個領(lǐng)域力求發(fā)展,以取得環(huán)球競爭優(yōu)勢。為了讓讀者深入了解“知識經(jīng)濟”的含義,作者以問答形式,深入淺出的解釋這個新概念及其重要性。
問：近年來全球發(fā)展出現(xiàn)了一個新概念：“知識經(jīng)濟”,請解釋一下到底什么是“知識經(jīng)濟”,其趨勢如何？
答：“知識經(jīng)濟”代表了人類正在和即將進入的一個全新戰(zhàn)略發(fā)展時代。在這種全新的社會與經(jīng)濟發(fā)展環(huán)境中,知識與資訊躍升到與傳統(tǒng)經(jīng)濟杠桿如人力,財力和物力同等重要,甚至比傳統(tǒng)杠桿更為重要的地位。不少發(fā)達國家目前的國內(nèi)生產(chǎn)總值中知識產(chǎn)品已占了一半以上。知識正成為重要的資本和生產(chǎn)力。資訊就是優(yōu)勢,知識就是發(fā)展。對知識與資訊開發(fā)、獲取、擴散和運用程度的高低將直接決定一個國家民族的整體經(jīng)濟實力和文明發(fā)展水準。
問：“知識經(jīng)濟”這個提法是怎樣起源的？促成“知識經(jīng)濟”出現(xiàn)的主要動因是什么？
答：“知識經(jīng)濟”作為一正式概念在國際范圍內(nèi)被提出,乃源于1996年經(jīng)濟合作與發(fā)展組織（OECD）在法國巴黎發(fā)表的“知識經(jīng)濟宣言”。經(jīng)濟合作與發(fā)展組織是一個政府間跨國機構(gòu),現(xiàn)有29個成員國,幾乎吸收了所有當(dāng)代發(fā)達國家參加。其提出“知識經(jīng)濟”的概念,旨在幫助確認知識、資訊和科技在經(jīng)濟發(fā)展中所起到的嶄新領(lǐng)導(dǎo)作用,并希望為“知識經(jīng)濟”如何取得“佳實踐”做出探索。
“知識經(jīng)濟”的形成主要有兩大推動力：首先是人類經(jīng)濟行為的日益國際化,全球化。在這前所未有的時間與空間發(fā)展平臺上,充分、準確、及時、全面地掌握運用知識和資訊,乃成了爭先取勝的至要前提。
其次是通訊電腦等科技手段突飛猛進式的升級換代,令資訊的傳播,獲取和分析過程都成本大為降低,效率成倍增加,使人類對知識與資訊的大規(guī)模發(fā)掘運用成為可能。知識與資訊正全面滲透到整個經(jīng)濟運作過程中去。
問：那么“知識經(jīng)濟”有什么主要特點呢？
答：“知識經(jīng)濟”目前有兩大特點：創(chuàng)新與挑戰(zhàn)。創(chuàng)新指創(chuàng)造新知識和運用新知識的能力。此種能力不僅決定財富的多少,還可取得競爭優(yōu)勢的基礎(chǔ)。只有那些不斷推出新思維、新技術(shù)、新產(chǎn)品和新服務(wù)的個體、團體或行業(yè),才會在這種經(jīng)濟環(huán)境中取勝。美國近年來的實踐就充分證明了這點：電腦、電子、電訊和航天等高科技、知識密集型產(chǎn)業(yè)已成為美國社會經(jīng)濟文化發(fā)展的龍頭。
其次,“知識經(jīng)濟”的發(fā)展潮流不可逆轉(zhuǎn),也為企業(yè)、個人、教育機構(gòu)和政府部門帶來了全新的挑戰(zhàn),即如何在組織、管理、人員、投資、培訓(xùn)、政策法規(guī)等方面作出戰(zhàn)略性調(diào)整,使現(xiàn)行“后工業(yè)社會經(jīng)濟體制”向未來“知識與資訊經(jīng)濟體制”成功轉(zhuǎn)型。
問：作為具體的個人或團體,如要適應(yīng)“知識經(jīng)濟”的發(fā)展,應(yīng)從何處做起？
答：值得表明的是,“知識經(jīng)濟”絕非什么高深莫測的特殊體系。實際上,“知識經(jīng)濟”把人看作為寶貴的資源,原因非常簡單：一切知識產(chǎn)生于人,人是知識的創(chuàng)造者。
“知識經(jīng)濟”不再相信知識只隸屬于少數(shù)“精英”,而是認為世界明天的希望取決于人類普遍行為與思維的“知識化”和“資訊化”。于是“知識經(jīng)濟”前所未有地鼓勵人的學(xué)習(xí)探索精神與行為,推崇有技能、有素養(yǎng)的勞動者,要求不間斷的知識與技能更新?！爸R經(jīng)濟”促使企業(yè)把自己從一個靜態(tài)生產(chǎn)機構(gòu)變成一個動態(tài)學(xué)習(xí)機構(gòu),企業(yè)文化的主流將是學(xué)習(xí)和創(chuàng)新,讓新思維、新知識和新技術(shù)成為企業(yè)發(fā)展的生命力。
如果能不斷發(fā)展前瞻的眼光,挖掘自身的潛力,保持開放的頭腦,注重新知的習(xí)得,普及科技的運用,你便向“知識經(jīng)濟時代”邁出了可喜的第一步。
（作者為在美國一電訊公司從事分析工作的學(xué)者）