The Influence of the Industrial era Paradigm on Knowledge-Intensive Firms Constructs

Purpose This paper attempts to evaluate how the knowledge-intensive firms construct is influenced by the industrial era mindset. Design/methodology/approach - Through a review of the literature, the paper first analyses the contextual emergence of knowledge-intensive firms (KIFs). It then reflects on their distinguishing characteristics and the subsequent classifications and approaches of so-called knowledge-intensive organisations. Further, this paper investigates three identified biases where the industrial era paradigms have influenced knowledge-intensive firms' constructs: the late acknowledgement of the concept of KIFs, the structural organisation and the role played by technology in determining a firm as knowledge-intensive and, at last, the tension between the organisation and the worker in KIFs. Originality/value - This paper outlines three biases in the existing literature on KIFs that prevent to comprehend fully their specificities as they are embedded in the knowledge age. Finally, it emphasizes the importance of the human factor in knowledge creation. Practical implications - This paper contributes into encouraging scholars and businesses to embrace fully the concept of KIFs within a context of knowledge-based economies.