Intellectual worker

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Graphic: Rini Templeton
Graphic: Rini Templeton

An "Intellectual worker" (brain worker or knowledge worker) is anyone employed due to their knowledge in a subject manner, rather than their ability to, for example, perform manual labor. It includes those in the information technology fields, such as computer programmers, systems analysts, technical writers and so forth. The term can also refer to people outside of information technology but who nevertheless are hired for their knowledge of some subject, such as lawyers, teachers, and scientists.

The term "knowledge worker" was first used by Peter Drucker in his 1959 book, Landmarks of Tomorrow.

It has also been the focus of various anarchist, communist, and socialist writings. Chomsky describes such an individual as, "[One] whose employment happens to be more with the mind than with the hands." He then notes, "[Those] whose major professional concern is knowledge...[should] have no special opportunit[ies]...to gain any...power [or] prestige..." (Chomsky and Peck, 1987)

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The page was seeded with material from Wikipedia This term is part of the Infoshop Glossary

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