Corporate executives, blinded by cynicism about the poor payback from the old technologies, are unable to see the opportunities for the new. Still, some important changes are happening in the world of work. The contract between a company and those who perform work is being altered radically, for employee loyalty and job security are no longer acceptable bases for employment. Some people have mistakenly argued that the concept of a job is obsolete, but these new directions do not mean that all knowledge workers will become independent contractors. Rather, they will thrive from the intense collaboration that is provided by an organization.
Organizations can also provide an environment for trust and learning.
At the same time, the concept of supervision and management is changing to team-based structures. Often they have specialized knowledge and skills that cannot be matched or even understood by management. A new challenge to management is first to attract and retain these assets by marketing the organization to them, and second to provide the creative and open communications environment where such workers can effectively apply and enhance their knowledge. One of the most important emerging themes is trust. It is only when workers identify with the goals of the organization and trusts its managers to act in mutual self-interest that effective knowledge work can be performed.