A student in my KM class found this 2001 article from Edward Truch of the Henley Management College's KM Research Institute: Managing personal knowledge: The key to tomorrow's employability
Changes in modern working practices, such as increased mobility in the job market, have led employers to look for quick results from their new recruits and have correspondingly meant a loss in job security and increased need for self-sufficiency amongst employees. Information overload is a particular problem, but new tools can help to provide access to essential information and enable more flexible working patterns.
On the other hand, increasingly mobile and flexible employees will examine more carefully prospective employers, and as the 'e-grapevine' circulates information to employees more quickly than ever companies will have to show that they are attractive to these employees. Pivotal to this is proof that they offer a good, open and encouraging working environment.
[Full text is about four pages, but not available for free online. Check with your library. Or buy it through Taylor & Francis.]
I like that the article focuses on employability, rather than on technology. From Truch's perspective, PKM is an obvious outgrowth of the renewed importance of intellectual capital and the changing employment market. I also like that Truch looks at this question of (personal) knowledge management from the perspective of the organization, the executives, and the employees.
And notice Truch's "5 E's of successful km:" Engagement, Empowerment, Entitlement, Enablement, Environment. Nothing to do with technology per se, though enablement implies that there will be systems in place to make KM happen.