Some Reflections on the State of the Field of Knowledge Organization

The paper examines several aspects of the field of Knowledge Organization, particularly as they relate to the study of phenomenon-based classification. It argues for a better balance among theory, empirical research, and practice. It also calls for greater emphasis on explanation, integration, and the recognition of novelty. The paper stresses that the field should remain focused on improving access to information. Recent critiques of phenomenon-based classification by Hjørland are used to motivate and illustrate the arguments presented.