Tietotyön käytäntöperustaisen viitekehyksen kehittäminen

This research project aims to increase understanding about the nature of knowledge work by studying actual work practices in knowledge work in different kinds of situated work contexts, and developing a new, practice-based framework of knowledge work. Work practice refers here to the way how knowledge workers perform their work in their everyday work context.

In general, knowledge work is characterized primarily by creating and application of knowledge, i.e. processing, manipulating, and producing knowledge outcomes. So far, existing definitions, and frameworks of knowledge work are insufficient. First, they rely mainly on professional occupations, and classifications of them. Second, by focusing on abstract theoretical knowledge they have not recognized the role of different types of knowledge in work, such as tacit and contextual knowledge. In this research project, we use the practice-based approach where actual work practices in different kinds of knowledge work are studied. Based on the findings, a new practice-based framework
of knowledge work is built.

The main result of the research project will be a practice-based framework of knowledge work. The framework will describe the essential nature and characteristics of different kinds of knowledge work, and the essential dimensions that are typical or that separate different kinds of knowledge work. The framework can be used when developing and managing knowledge work in different kinds of knowledge-intensive organizations, and thus, it can increase knowledge workers' and knowledge-intensive organizations' capabilities to continuously learn, develop, and renew themselves.