[7] Work in the Information Society - the Regional Dimension

Work can be classified and measured across a range of categories, the analysis of which will provide a description of the main types and forms of work. Measures could include broad industry types including production, industrial, or service sector to various measures of the occupation structure - paid, volunteer, professional, pay levels, part time or full time, gender splits, public versus private sector etc.

The labour market is generally described in terms of employment and earnings with the aim to maximise levels of both. The labour market operates in relation to supply and demand curves. The supply curve measures the skills level, qualifications and education of the workforce - the regional human capital. This describes the knowledge and skills base of a region. The demand curve is a measure of the jobs on offer - or what the employers are looking for. This could be flexible or part time work or seasonal in the case of agricultural industries. The match, or mismatch of the two will give a picture of the labour market profile for a region.

The knowledge economy is based on innovation and change and thus requires a flexible labour market. The knowledge economy innovates through rapid change in business and organisational structures and consequently, work and the labour market need to be flexible in response, which ultimately, requires people to be adaptable. People now need to shift between jobs and industries, they need to be multi-skilled and adaptable to changing styles of work - team based, partnerships and virtual work. Time frames have shrunk and workers need to be mobile so that they can work abroad and travel more to meet clients face to face. This will require life long learning as a way to move between jobs and sectors, workers will have to become accustomed to the e-economy and learn to work in virtual teams to overcome mobility barriers. Telework, e-mobility, and a mobile work force will help to increase labour productivity.

ICT is benefiting the development of both the supply and demand side of labour market. There has recently been a rise in the number of e-learning and e-training initiatives and technology focused university and college programmes. New styles and patterns of work are also being introduced including e-work, group-ware applications and teleconferencing and satellite office networking. These new forms of work and learning provide more options to both the job seeker and employer.