Knowledge worker productivity improvement processes, technologies and techniques in defence R&D laboratories:an evaluative study

Abstract

Improving the productivity of knowledge worker is one of the major challenges for the management thinkers, researchers and business leaders in the world. Lot of research is under way to find out the factors which are responsible for improving productivity of knowledge workers. Presently there is no single book or literature which gives at one place, the information on the various processes, technologies and techniques which can improve the productivity of knowledge worker. The information is scattered in many literatures and is available under various headings. An effort has been made here to find out the various processes, technologies and techniques those can improve the productivity of knowledge workers. An effort has also been made to find out the perspectives of the scientists at various levels on - usefulness of various processes, technologies and techniques; use and encouragement given by Labs for acquiring skill in each of these; trainings given by Labs for each of these and relative importance given by each scientist for each of these for improving the productivity of knowledge worker; to find out perspectives of scientists responsible for human resource development HRD activities on HRD infrastructure and effort in the Labs and to find out perspectives of junior level scientists on use of information and communications technologies. Six R and D Laboratories, under Defence Research and Development Organisation, Ministry of Defence, based in Hyderabad have been identified for conducting above study. In addition to study on above parameters, the origin, mission, vision, areas of work, products, facilities, human resource development activities, etc. of these Laboratories have also been studied. Exploratory research has been carried out to identify the various processes, technologies and techniques those can improve the productivity of knowledge workers.