Only Humans Need Apply

May 1, 2016

Davenport (President's Distinguished Professor of Information Technology & Management, Babson Coll., MA; Big Data at Work) and Kirby (contributing editor, Harvard Business Review; coauthor, Standing on the Sun) here focus on knowledge workers (though an important chapter looks at the role of managers), defined as those "whose primary tasks involve the manipulation of knowledge and information." The authors claim that new and foreseeable developments in information technology will allow for more decision making--when contingencies are known and there are clear processes--to be handled by computers, and that staff should be preparing for this now if they are to remain employed. Far from pessimistic, Davenport and Kirby claim that data can be used to enhance the value of output by both computers and humans and to foster innovation. They call this "augmentation," which they contrast with the concept of automation, a method that aims to cut costs by eliminating positions. Five different strategies to maintain employability are proposed. Each is distinct and appropriate for various audiences. All are discussed in depth and at some length. Throughout, the authors provide examples that strike a practical note. VERDICT This book will appeal primarily to knowledge workers concerned about their futures in the industry, secondarily to those seeking to enhance their careers, and also to managers.--Shmuel Ben-Gad, Gelman Lib., George Washington Univ., Washington, DC

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