This paper represents the latest in a line of papers and think pieces that the author has prepared on this topic -- for the UK government, the UK Skills and Productivity Board, and the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council -- since 2014. It seeks to explain why trying to bring skills supply into closer alignment with demand for skills…

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimated that approximately 9% of current jobs within OECD member states are threatened with automation and digitalization--all significant successes and advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, and computer science. With such global changes and forecasts, in the labor…

The "National Medium- and Long-Term Educational Reform and Development Guideline (2010-20)" (hereafter abbreviated as the "Guideline") has pointed out that the core mission for the development of China's higher education in the next decade is to improve quality. This development mission was put forward against the background of…

The Financial Crisis of 2008 has forced countries around the globe to reevaluate their monetary and fiscal strategies for stimulating growth within their respective economies. The economic connectivity among countries has been magnified by the recent financial crisis. However, with nations at different stages in their development, the economic…

Over the past four decades, governments in the least developed countries (LDCs--a categorization adopted by the United Nations) have been attempting to improve the skills and knowledge of their public servants by providing local and international training programs. Despite these training activities, however, many LDCs continue to experience acute…

At the present time, the production of science-intensive goods in the world accounts for over 50 strategic technologies (macrotechnologies). The top seven most highly developed economic countries that, according to estimates, possess 50 to 60 macrotechnologies, control four-fifths of that market. It used to be that in terms of the level of…

Although there are have been some studies on National Human Resource Development and HRD practices in certain countries, literature shows that we have just scratched the surface in terms of the number of countries we know about. This exploratory study reviews research associated with HRD policies and practices in Brazil, China, India, Italy,…

In the context of aging populations, governments in Australia and in other Western nations fear that slower growth in the numbers of people of working age (15-64 years) will have a dampening effect on economic growth. They are thus considering how to encourage older workers to remain in the workforce beyond the point at which many currently…

One of the most striking features of the modern world is its changing demographic profile. In almost any policy arena, the issue of demographic change (or ageing) sits alongside globalisation, climate change and the knowledge revolution as areas which are transforming societies, including the ways in which we organise and go about our work…

The rapid growth and modernization of economies in developing countries like Botswana creates new and unmet demands for certain kinds of educated and skilled labour. The expansion of secondary and tertiary school systems has also created a problem of unemployed school leavers. The growth of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs),…

Efforts in Great Britain to change from the historic apprenticeship system and the levy-grant system as manpower training sources to (1) industrial internal training programs and (2) stipends to all British citizens 19 years of age and over for training program participation are reported. Implications for the US are drawn. (AG)

In recent years the Norwegian manpower authorities have recognized the need for reevaluating and reformulating their objectives and functions and the scope of their activities. Problem areas have been identified and steps undertaken to implement recommended solutions. Efforts have been made to improve labor force participation rates, provide labor…

This report made at a Senate-House Joint Economic Committee hearing on the problems of youth unemployment is based on data gathered through academic research and personal visits to several industrialized countries. (WL)

A seminar disseminated and discussed the findings of a study carried out on the problems of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in accessing training and the support strategies applied in the 12 member states of European Community. Input was solicited from experts regarding the priorities of 11 strategies. Organizers used this information to…

Reviews Sweden's national development strategy that strives for full employment. Discusses the implications of job training in internal labor markets for the Rehn-Meidner model of economic stabilization. (SK)