"Economic competitiveness" is at the top of national, regional and global political and economic agendas. Several countries in all regions of the world have established policies and institutions devoted to economic competitiveness, including in developing and transition countries. This leads to the question of how to define national economic…

Countries everywhere are turning to education in the quest for competitive edge in the global economy. How to attain the high skills needed in new reformed workplaces is a preoccupation that can be observed across developed countries. In this widening discourse of high skills and competitiveness, the U.S. skills production model is being seen as…

E-learning has become a significant aspect of training and education in the worldwide information economy as an attempt to create and facilitate a competent global work force. "Cases on Successful E-Learning Practices in the Developed and Developing World: Methods for the Global Information Economy" provides eclectic accounts of case…

This report distills hundreds of indicators from both domestic and international sources to determine how the United States compares to other countries and to its own past performance in competitiveness. It attempts to establish a baseline of some key education and training indicators that, taken together, show where the nation stands and where it…

This symposium on human resource development (HRD) theory consists of three presentations. "The Real Debate: Who Does HRD Serve?" (Wendy E.A. Ruona) finds three distinctive sets of beliefs about who/what HRD serves, namely that HRD serves individuals, organizations, and multiple stakeholders. "Theorizing HRD" (Jim McGoldrick,…

Human capital--the productive capacity that is embedded in people--is one of the most important contributors to the growth in nations' output and standard of living. Globalisation and technological change have increased the importance of human capital in recent years, to the point that there are now only two options to sustain high profits and…

This study and evaluation of development education initiatives at the higher or postsecondary level in some industrialized countries has been prepared within the context of the education and information programs supported by Action for Development, a United Nations program. An opening chapter gives background on development studies in general, and…

This working paper lays groundwork for a Network for New Approaches to Lifelong Learning study on informal learning by people displaced from the labor market or chronically unemployed, in the context of community organizations. Section 1 examines the context and two particularly significant features--wider changes in the nature of work and related…

The impact of globalization of the world economy on employment throughout the world was examined by determining the causes and effects of the reduction in economic growth that has occurred in most developed and developing countries since 1973. The following were among the factors considered: international inequality; new technologies; effects of…

The countries of the European Community represent a commitment to European economic and political unity as part of a trend toward the globalization of the world's economic life. Economic, social, and political challenges are bound up in economic competitiveness. Countries are examining human resource issues in order to compete for the world…

This publication contains materials from a forum on the changing nature of work (CNW) that brought together researchers and research users to hear how to use findings to improve vocational education and training (VET) in Australia. An overview of the program and biographical information on presenters and panel members follow. The next section…

Recent research has identified trends in the training systems of 13 countries in Africa (Egypt, Mauritius, South Africa); the Arab States (Bahrain, Jordan); Asia (Australia, Fiji, Malaysia); Eastern Europe (Albania, Slovenia); Western Europe (Ireland, Portugal); and the Mediterranean region (Malta). The trends identified are legislation;…

This report examines the human resources development and training dimensions of the gradual, but inexorable, shift towards knowledge-, skill-, and service-based economies and societies, and the stupendous growth of the information and communications technology sectors. Its four chapters explore the following: (1) globalization, technological…

Career development has taken on global significance as individuals prepare for work that increasingly crosses borders. Internationally, individuals and career practitioners helping them are grappling with such issues as development of cultural competencies for cross-cultural work. Issues vary in different sociopolitical contexts. As Eastern Europe…

This document contains the following five papers, all in both English and Korean, from a workshop on on-the-job training held in Korea in 2001: "Issues in Knowledge and Skills Development: Globalization and the Effective Use of New Technologies" (S. Ian Cummings); "The Knowledge Economy and Vocational Training Policy in Korea"…