TABLE OF CONTENTS Intention, context, emotional intelligence, escalation, and sustainability are words that are typically absent from the operational management techniques of managers around the globe. These words, however, form the foundation of the skills required to manage organizations in today's Knowledge Economy.
Economic systems change in response to fundamental changes in the needs of consumers and society. Thousands of years ago, people's most basic instinct was to have food so they could survive. The Agricultural Revolution forced people into communities, away from nomadic life. Land was cultivated and food was grown. This revolution led to the agricultural sector of the economy dominating economic activity (employment and GDP). This revolution continued for thousands of years until the advent of the Industrial Revolution. This shifted the basis of employment from agriculture to manufacturing. When the information technology and communications revolutions occurred in the early 1970s, a quiet Information Revolution occurred as employment fell in manufacturing and was transferred into the service sector. As Table 2.1 illustrates, the bulk of employment and contribution to gross domestic product, is derived from the services sector.
| Country | Percent of workforce | Percent of GDP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture | Services* | Industry | Agriculture | Services* | |
| Australia | 22 | 5 | 73 | 26 | 3 | 71 |
| United States | 24.5 | 2.6 | 72.9 | 18 | 2 | 80 |
| Singapore | 21.6 | 1 | 77.4 | 28 | 0 | 72 |
| Canada | 21 | 3 | 76 | 31 | 3 | 66 |
| Netherlands | 23 | 2 | 75 | 18 | 4 | 78 |
| Japan | 24 | 7 | 69 | 35 | 2 | 63 |
| Germany |
