Knowledge Worker Wealth Gap Seems Wide -- Study Planned

Confirming an earlier reading of our straw poll, on 3/19, the latest reading suggests that knowledge workers may be falling into a wealth-gap trap: many getting either rich or poor, with fewer doing just okay. This will be explored in a study planned by EraNova Institute (www.eranova.com).

In the straw poll, knowledge workers were asked to rate themselves as currently POOR (not earning enough to pay the bills), MIDDLE (earning enough to get by), or RICH (earning enough to save and splurge).

With 170 people responding, the results as of this writing are --

27.1%: POOR

47.6%: MIDDLE

25.3%: RICH

More than one in four are telling us they're not making enough to live on. This makes me wonder if we're moving toward a rich-poor economy, in knowledge work as well as society as a whole. EraNova's formal study will investigate whether the wealth gap is increasing among the highly educated in the U.S., as it has been among the general population. If it is, then changes of many types will be indicated -- in social policy, education, business management, and career pursuit by individuals.

The prevaling assumption is that higher-level skills will fix our employment problems. If you've been laid off, just upgrade yourself at a community college or grad school. But what if that assumption's wrong? What if, as many high-tech people with PhD's are telling us, there's a wealth gap no matter what your skill level?

A widening knowledge-worker wealth gap, if confirmed by the EraNova study, may be one result of "off-peopling." Now gaining notice in the technical press, off-peopling is simply automation with a name that suggests the human impact. Automation (or off-peopling) affects employment much more strongly than offshoring or outsourcing. While a widening wealth gap has been viewed with alarm by many economists, highly-skilled knowledge workers have been considered relatively immune to the squeeze on the middle class.

The study will be managed by EraNova's research director, Anthony Spina. Holding a PhD in Human & Organizational Systems, Spina is a former research manager for AT&T, and lectures on business and social change. With an advisory panel drawn from universities, corporations, and professional associations, EraNova will also seek collaboration with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The straw poll is still active. CLICK HERE to take it and see the latest tallies.