The Centre for Professional Service Firm Management at the University of Alberta is hosting the Knowledge and Professional Organizations conference on September 23–25, 1999 in Edmonton, Alberta.

There is increasing interest in the role of knowledge in professional organizations. This intensive, small-scale conference will examine the role of professional service firms in the production, transmission and management of knowledge and innovation. The two basic themes of the conference are how knowledge is developed and disseminated within organizations of professionals (such as accountants, architects, engineers, lawyers and management consultants) and how these groups act to spread ideas into and across organizations more generally.

One manifestation of the interest in professional firms and associations is the increasing talk of "knowledge workers," "smart organizations" and "knowledge networks." Another is an increased interest in managing professionals, capitalizing on innovation and learning through networks. Studies of the Post-Industrial, Network or Information Society are now focusing on these developments in a global context, their relation to managing in uncertain, ambiguous and complex conditions, and the understanding of features relating to specific sectors and industries. Themes related to professional service organizations include:

• commodification of professional knowledge and the construction of expertise in professional communities;
• transfer (and translation) of knowledge between professional firms, associations and other sectors;
• the role of intermediaries, such as academics, professional associations and management consultants, in producing, legitimating and disseminating knowledge;
• transfer of knowledge within loosely coupled professional firms;
• deskilling and reskilling of professional work (including the gendered division of labor);
• interprofessional competition over markets and expertise;
• creation and legitimation of new knowledges;
• the impact of alternative governance structures (corporate/partnership; private/public sector) on the management of knowledge;
• managing professionals in global professional service firms;
• the management of tacit knowledge.

This list is not exhaustive and these themes could all be examined within a wide range of professional service organizations. Those interested in submitting a paper and/or attending the conference should contact one of:

David Cooper
(David.Cooper@ualberta.ca)

RoystonGreenwood
(Royston.Greenwood@ualberta.ca)

Bob Hinings
(chinings@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca).

Limited funding is available for those selected to present a paper. Eric Abrahamson, Steve Barley, Mark Dirsmith and Andrew Pettigrew have agreed to present papers. To be considered for funding, a 2–3 page abstract should be submitted by March 30, 1999 to The Centre for Professional Service Firm Management, Faculty of Business, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2R6. Complete papers will be required by August 15.

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