In this article, the authors examine global economic dynamics and assess the challenges they pose for U.S. higher education. Consistent with the views of many others, they contend that higher education can and must play a critical role in preparing an increasingly diverse and highly mobile society for the speed-driven and knowledge-intensive…

Based on current employment trends and potential interactions among them, the author offers his views of organization, technological, management, labor, and education changes that will take place in the next twenty-three years. Among these are increasing service work, more worker mobility, management role changes, continual education, and…

Describes reasons for the recent demise of the full employment goal in today's society. Predicts that the present and future reality of high unemployment will necessitate a change in the curriculum of public schools to include three main categories of "education for unemployment": (1) survival skills; (2) contextual awareness; and (3)…

The current recession in the Czech Republic is driven by aggregate demand, unsustainable growth of wages, weak enforcement of the legal system, non-operational bankruptcy law, and poor corporate governance. The wage dispersion has been growing continuously, and wage setting has become increasingly more responsive to market forces. Education has…

During the years 1989-1997 in Estonia, employment has decreased; unemployment and inactivity have increased. Females have tended to move to inactivity while males have become unemployed. The wage patterns are very flat relative to those in market economies. Estonia has opted for very low levels of unemployment benefits, pensions, and a low minimum…

Most deficiencies of the Hungarian labor market emerge from a combination of the transition crisis and special features of the economy or transition process. The most crucial labor market problem is low employment. Negative impacts are high taxation and social security contributions; reduced investment, job creation, and economic growth; and…

Transition to a market economy in Lithuania has changed the labor market significantly. The employment rate has decreased in all age groups and resulted in increased productivity of labor. Employment in the private sector and self employment have increased considerably. The share of those employed in agriculture has increased. The worst employment…

Romania's adoption of a more gradual approach in restructuring and privatizing the state-owned sector has resulted in industry with an unchanged structure that remains the main cause of social and economic decline. Employment has shown a steady decline. Industrial employment has decreased dramatically. Sectors like transport, hotels, and…

A factual and descriptive analysis of the employment situation in Bulgaria showed that the transition to a market economy has led to a substantial reduction of employment. The economic restructuring begun in 1990 has proved very difficult, and the privatization of the large industrial enterprises faces problems mainly due to insufficient interest…

Technological innovations are giving rise to structural changes in the economy that are in turn creating profound changes in the nature of work and work organizations. Predicted changes are: traditional hierarchical organizations in the workplace will give way to network or weblike forms of organization; customary vertical divisions of labor will…

In the coming decade, three major developments will become important factors for change in vocational education. These are changes in the demographic profile and retirement practices, regional shifts in economic activity and in employment, and renewal of the industrial sector as a key ingredient in economic growth. Because of inflation, greater…

The impact of globalization on vocational education and training (VET) in Australia was examined through a literature review. Special attention was paid to the following topics: the growing export orientation in Australian industry (industrial growth in Australia's economy, growth in Australian exports, "knowledge intensity" in the…

When formulating the platforms and plans for the future of vocational education, educational planners must consider the implications of the significant qualitative, social, and economic changes that are currently taking place in the worlds of business, industry, and labor as well as in the world of education at-large. An examination of current…

Canadians' employment and working patterns were examined by analyzing the 1998 survey called New Approaches to Lifelong Learning and other recent surveys by Statistics Canada. "Work" was defined as comprising household labor, community volunteer activities, and paid employment, and "learning" was defined as comprising informal…

A review of technological, political, social, and economic forces affecting the world of work indicates that in the eighties significant changes can be expected in the following areas: the nature of organizations, the relationship between individuals and organizations, the nature of the work force, the nature of the workplace, and the nature of…