This book investigates the historical emergence and impact of the knowledge worker on modern business and society. Dr. James W. Cortada, a noted historian of technology and business, draws upon extensive archival research and economic data to trace the evolution of intellectual labor. The central argument posits that the rise of information-based professions fundamentally reshaped organizational structures, economic productivity, and the very nature of work in the late 20th century.

The subject matter points to a dense, specialist text that would appeal to academics and professionals interested in the history of technology and business. Cortada's established reputation as a historian suggests a rigorously researched and analytical approach. The framing implies a focus on the structural and economic transformations driven by the knowledge worker phenomenon.