Labor Economics
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Without question the BEST Labor Economics text ever!
  • All about Labor Economics
Labor Economics
George J Borjas
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/Irwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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  1. Industrial Organization: Contemporary Theory and Practice (with Economic Applications) Industrial Organization: Contemporary Theory and Practice (with Economic Applications)
  2. Modern Labor Economics: Theory and Public Policy (9th Edition) Modern Labor Economics: Theory and Public Policy (9th Edition)
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ASIN: 0072311983

Book Description

The second edition of this well-received text blends coverage of traditional topics with modern theory and developments into a superb text by one of our top Labor Economists. The author's current experience at the Kennedy School of Government allows him to incorporate new policy examples and a leaner presentation of the theory.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Without question the BEST Labor Economics text ever!.......2002-12-19

This is truly an amazing work, which shows so many models of labor market phenomena at the undergraduate level that an undergraduate's economics education is incomplete without it. This book is essential reading for both undergraduates and policymakers who want to learn labor economics, economics in general, or have a deeper understanding of public policy issues. The best features are its unmatched explanations of human capital models, labor market discrimination models, and labor union models -- which will change the way you think of these issues and give deeper understanding. The book is both concise, deep, a quick and fun read, and makes Nobel-prize winning material accessible to any undergraduate or policy maker.

4 out of 5 stars All about Labor Economics.......2001-07-30

George Borjas in this book deal the basic of de Labor Economics, it's very usefull for the pre-grade student and it's preleminary to introduce in the labor world (academic). It's good but it's necesary to complement with anothers advanced books for a improve vision.
Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Reefer Madness - A Must Read
  • Don't Judge the Book By The Title!
  • What an eye opener
  • Fascinating
  • Putting a magnifying glass up to American society.
Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market
Eric Schlosser
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0618446702

Amazon.com

As much as 10% of the American economy, and perhaps more, is comprised of illegal "underground" enterprises, according to author and Atlantic Monthly correspondent Eric Schlosser. And while this segment is never discussed in the newspaper business pages, Schlosser tackles it with the same in-depth analysis and compulsive readability that made his Fast Food Nation a best seller. Reefer Madness spotlights marijuana, migrant labor, and pornography, three of the most thriving black market industries, and analyzes the often-tenuous place each holds in society as a whole. While each of the three could be the subject of its own book, Schlosser keeps his scope narrow by concentrating on the lives of the participants in the underground economy, especially Mark Young, an Indiana man given a life sentence for participating in a marijuana sale, and Ohio porn magnate Reuben Sturman. At just 21 pages, the treatment of migrant laborers in the California strawberry fields is dealt with more briefly but is just as compelling thanks to the first-person narrative of Schlosser's investigation. In telling these stories, which are both personal and universal, Schlosser deftly explores the manner in which his subjects are treated (and punished) compared to others in more above-ground ventures. Along the way, he asks hard questions as to what that treatment says about America. Schlosser writing is passionately opinionated, but this is no mere opinion piece: his perspective is amply supported by extensive research and clearly reasoned interpretation of data. His direct and forceful writing style makes the impact greater still. After reading Reefer Madness, readers are likely to be shocked, appalled, and flat-out bewildered by what's happening in the cracks and crevices of American business. --John Moe

Book Description

America's black market is much larger than we realize, and it affects us all deeply, whether or not we smoke pot, rent a risqu video, or pay our kids" nannies in cash. In Reefer Madness the best-selling author of Fast Food Nation turns his exacting eye on the underbelly of the American marketplace and its far-reaching influence on our society. Exposing three American mainstays pot, porn, and illegal immigrants Eric Schlosser shows how the black market has burgeoned over the past several decades. He also draws compelling parallels between underground and overground: how tycoons and gangsters rise and fall, how new techonology shapes a market, how government intervention can reinvigorate black markets as well as mainstream ones, and how big business learns and profits from the underground. Reefer Madness is a powerful investigation that illuminates the shadow economy and the culture that casts that shadow.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Reefer Madness - A Must Read.......2007-04-23

Reefer Madness is divided into three chapters. The first is about marijuana, the second is about cheap labor with illegal immigrants and the third is on [....]. The author writes this book based on the United States "black market". He gives somewhat of a biography on these 3 topics, which I feel is helpful for those, like myself, who are not aware of their history.

The first chapter is focused on marijuana. Schlosser provides interviews with many people who have had encounters with marijuana. Living in California, I have found it amazing to hear the penalties for marijuana use in other states. In chapter one for example, a man was arrested for possesion of 1.6 grams of marijuana, enough for a large joint. Living in Michigan, he received 14 months in jail. The second section is focused on cheap labor, or illegal immigrants in Guadalupe, California. Schlosser focuses on harvesting strawberries:the difficulty of it and hard labor that is being underpaid. The third and final section was the longest of the three. It focused on an underground [...] king Reuben Sturman.

I very muched enjoyed reading this book. If you liked Fast Food Nation, than Reefer Madness is a must read.

3 out of 5 stars Don't Judge the Book By The Title!.......2007-04-16

"Reefer Madness", by Eric Schlosser is written in three main sections. There is a section on the underground marijuana trade, the migrant labor trade and the porn industry.

Unlike many reviewers, I think the author made a wonderful point. All three activities are illegal, yet they thrive and produce copious amounts of profits for the people involved. Often that profit is taken at the expense of the workers, and they do not share in this bounty. His theme is that if these activities were legalized, or regulated, they would produce income for the country at little harm to society.

I do think the author made a mistake in incorporating the three subjects together in the same book. While well written, the thread that holds the three together in tenuous, at best, and he would have made a better choice by examining each of the subjects, in more detail, in separate books. That is the reason I gave the book only three stars.

The writing is clear, and the research is unmistakably that of Eric Schlosser. I would recommend the book if you want to learn more abut each of these underground activates or if you are a fan of the author. It is also a good boo to be used to stir up discussion on any of the three subjects, or all three at once.

5 out of 5 stars What an eye opener.......2007-01-10

This book makes some really great points about the underground economy and how much it affects this country.

4 out of 5 stars Fascinating.......2006-11-30

Don't be fooled by the title. This is not some hippie counter culture drug book. It is a beautifully written scholarly examination of the underbelly of the American Society.

The main theme of the book is centered around the underground economy. The author argues, by examining the underground economy of any society, one can see a more accurate and telling picture of the society as a whole. Just as individuals have public and private personas that are often in conflict, so can a society. The book focuses on the American culture and legal system.

It is broken up into three essays: first an examination of the history of marijuana use and the war on drugs; second, an examination of the treatment of migrant workers; finally, an examination of pornography and obscenity laws.

The threads tying these seemingly disparate subjects are sometimes blatant, sometimes subtle, but always telling. By examining how the American society deals with these issues, one can draw clear corollaries to better understand how we deal with other controversial issues facing our nation including abortion, abuse of government powers, privacy, the war, etc.. It is the examination of the rationality (or lack there of) of our policies regarding these three topics, and the ethics with which those policies are implemented, that we are left with a scathing commentary on the seemingly schizophrenic nature of the American culture and value system.

4 out of 5 stars Putting a magnifying glass up to American society........2006-06-11

What are three of the perpetual hot button issues of 21st century American politics? Commercialized sex, illegal drugs and cheap labor would probably common choices of many citizens. Eric Schlosser examines the magnitude, origins, visibility, commonality and manifestations of these three mainstays of the American scene.

The book is divided into three chapters, each dedicated to one of these hot-button topics. The chapter on commercialized sex examines the history of prostitution, pornography, and the recent spread of nudie bars and topless bars in the USA over the last 100 years plus. Schlosser examines the origins of peep shows, the first girlie magazines pre-Cold War, goes over the founding of Playboy and Penthouse, and the current spread of pornography over the Internet. The chapter on drugs examines the history of marijuana primarily, with some side notes on the meth plague, cocaine, and other drugs to have swept thru the American street scene. The chapter on cheap labor examines migrant and illegal labor including child labor and sweathouse labor. Both industrial and agricultural labor are included. This chapter is a natural extension of Schlosser's first book: Fast Food Nation, in that it covers the practices of slaughterhouses and farms, and extends into factories not related to food.

Overall, a good book and worthy reading. Anyone in high school or above should find this book accessible, and enjoyable.
Has Globalization Gone Too Far?
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Rodrik gets it right
  • good source of hot topic
  • Provides indepth analysis of the issues involved...
  • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS ON THE TOPIC!
Has Globalization Gone Too Far?
Dani Rodrik
Manufacturer: Institute for International Economics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0881322415

Download Description

Globalization is exposing social fissures between those with the education, skills, and mobility to flourish in an unfettered world market-the apparent "winners"-and those without. These apparent "losers" are increasingly anxious about their standards of living and their precarious place in an integrated world economy. The result is severe tension between the market and broad sectors of society, with governments caught in the middle. Compounding the very real problems that need to be addressed by all involved, the kneejerk rhetoric of both sides threatens to crowd out rational debate. From the United States to Europe to Asia, positions are hardening. Author Dani Rodrik brings a clear and reasoned voice to these questions. Has Globalization Gone Too Far? takes an unblinking and objective look at the benefits-and risks-of international economic integration, and criticizes mainstream economists for downplaying its dangers. It also makes a unique and persuasive case that the "winners" have as much at stake from the possible consequences of social instability as the "losers." As Rodrik points out, ". . . social disintegration is not a spectator sport-those on the sidelines also get splashed with mud from the field. Ultimately, the deepening of social fissures can harm all." President Clinton has read the book and it provided the conceptual basis for the trade/IMF portions of the State of the Union message in January 1998.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Rodrik gets it right.......2003-07-28

In his spellbinding account of the economic realities of globalization, Dani Rodrik gets it right. Whether it is his accounting of the increased elasticity in the job market or his discussion of labor as a factor bearing a higher incidence of non-wage costs, today's economy makes Rodrik seem prophetic. It is a book whose time has come, any thinking person should buy this book.

5 out of 5 stars good source of hot topic.......2002-01-08

It seems that over the past few years, the topic of globilization aond free trade have become hot topics because of events like the WTO protests in Seattle, the World Bank protests in DC and Ralph Nader's run for the presidency in 1996 and 2000.

Has globilization gone too far? is a good source for those people trying to find out more about the issue because it shows what happens under globilization both theoritically and in real life. It presents the arguements against free trade and the problems associated it with it like loss of jobs and capital outflows so it is good to understand the oposing view.

4 out of 5 stars Provides indepth analysis of the issues involved..........2000-10-20

This is an excellent book that dwells in to the effects of globalization, related issues and potential solutions. It discusses social issues and policies within the context of globalization. It also dwells in to the issues related to labor standards and income distribution. Rodrik presents good solutions but they are debatable and not easy to implement.

I feel that Rodrik discusses solely from the perspectives of industrialized nations' interests. I would have liked him to explore more from the perspectives of under developed/developing nations'.

5 out of 5 stars ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS ON THE TOPIC!.......2000-04-18

Seldom can one find an economist whose sensitivity to political and social issues coexist in perfect harmony with a technically impecable background. Rodrik is one such rare creature. His book addresses the issue of globalization, defying economic theories and pointing straight to the problem: globalization engenders social instability, that in turn unables financial/economic stability to be sustained. Accoridng to Rodrik, unless attention is given to the "lossers" of this process, protectionism may strike back. Rodrik is successful in showing that globalization is NOT "the end of history", and should not be taken for granted.
The Market and Beyond: Cooperation and Competition in Information Technology in the Japanese System
Average customer rating: Not rated
    The Market and Beyond: Cooperation and Competition in Information Technology in the Japanese System
    Martin Fransman
    Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    Labor PolicyLabor Policy | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0521268036

    Book Description

    Many have described the Japanese competitive success in information technology; very few have explained it. In this book Martin Fransman advances our understanding by developing the concept of the Japanese Innovation System--an arrangement consisting of competing and cooperating private companies, government policy-makers and researchers, and universities. It will be of interest to all teachers, students and policy makers interested in technological competition.
    The 2010 Meltdown: Solving the Impending Jobs Crisis
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Torn by Two Visions of Ourselves
    • Herb Schumann Was Right On Via Lauding This Masterwork
    • Understanding the Future
    • Must read
    • Don't Invite Him To Speak. Just read the book.
    The 2010 Meltdown: Solving the Impending Jobs Crisis
    Edward E. Gordon
    Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    ASIN: 0275984362

    Book Description

    "It's the economy, stupid," is a refrain the United States will never live down, and not without reason. The relentless march of technological development and globalization continues to put pressure on all national economies, providing opportunity for some and marginalization for others. Around the world, nations will need to overcome twin economic shocks: a wave of baby boomers will retire and leave the workforce, while too few young, well-educated people will be available to fill a rising tide of high-skill, technology-related jobs. Ed Gordon marshals vast amounts of data to illustrate how these trends are quickly converging, creating a labor vacuum--with potentially disastrous consequences for economic competitiveness and individual opportunity. In the United States, for example, major studies agree that the majority of the jobs now being created require skills possessed by only 20 percent of the current workforce; meanwhile, a large pool of under-trained workers are seeing their jobs exported to developing countries, automated, or outsourced, while millions of high-paying jobs, in such fields as engineering, computing, and health care are going unfilled. In The 2010 Meltdown, Gordon sounds a wake-up call to business leaders, policymakers, educators, and concerned citizens, employees, and parents--anyone with a stake in our economic future. Beyond the demographic issues, he notes that such cultural factors as Wall Street's obsession with short-term results (which favors cost-cutting over long-term training) and neglect of math and science skills at school are contributing to a fundamental mismatch between labor supply and demand. But the news is not all grim. Gordon highlights innovative initiatives in training, education, and community development in the United States and around the world that can serve as models for positive action, and he outlines a plan for reversing the destructive trends before we reach a crucial crossroad by the year 2010. Ultimately, The 2010 Meltdown is an optimistic book about social change, setting an agenda for reforms in education, policy, and business investment that will promote economic freedom, renewal, and prosperity.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Torn by Two Visions of Ourselves.......2007-10-06

    The 2010 Countdown grabbed my attention from the moment I opened it. It is well researched, data based, and yet exciting to read. Ed Gordon masterfully weaves facts, quotes, and anecdotes that engage readers of all learning styles through a history of the past, the reality of the present, and the hope of the future in dealing with the impending job crisis.

    While the book brings forth the start reality of labor shortages now and in the future, Gordon leaves the reader with a variety of solutions to consider. He draws conclusions from data that are not self evident but powerfully enrich his message.

    This is a book that when you finally put it down and reflect, there is a sense of clarity that urges you to take action in your own way to be part of a hopeful future.

    5 out of 5 stars Herb Schumann Was Right On Via Lauding This Masterwork.......2007-09-19

    My coworker Herb Schumann righfully implored me to purchase this book. It is compelling, stark and a call to action. Even in the realm of Human Resources, America has a shortage of professionally trained and experienced people to handle human relations. Our educational system still continues to be incorrecly rooted for an outmoded agrarian society. This is a counterproductive disaster and by the year 2010 it will be catostrophic. Dr. Edward Gordon is renowned in educational and training environments. He is reputed to be an oustanding lecturer on these subjects. This book was magnificent and in light of the monumental subject matter, it is imperative for Dr. Gordon to continue writing, updating and illuminating us in reference to the all-important educational/employment crises.

    5 out of 5 stars Understanding the Future.......2007-06-25

    Ed Gordon focuses on the workforce and the future. In his latest book, The 2010 Meltdown, he clearly outlines the relationship between education and economic development and the future implications across countries and continents. The book is packed with in-depth research and is presented in a crisp, no-nonsense style that is an easy read. There are no clear answers, but the reasoned approach provides food for thought on four-year colleges and the steps that should be taken for employment preparedness tomorrow. This problem is exacerbating despite globalization and a perceived increase in labor supply, and Dr. Gordon proves his understanding of the scope of the situation and potential outcomes we may experience.

    4 out of 5 stars Must read.......2007-05-15

    This book provides the data that proves we are experiencing a skills crisis in America. Our culture promotes the "need" for a college education, yet only 15% of those who finish high school will ever attain a 2 0r 4 year degree. What about the other 85% of our kids? We need to quit drinking the kool aid being distributed by the colleges and pay attention to the Technical schools. Our young people can earn a great living and have skills that are in high demand by getting technical training. This book tells about that need -- and suggests ways to fix it.

    3 out of 5 stars Don't Invite Him To Speak. Just read the book........2007-04-08

    the book itself is good. His timing may be off (2010). He's too late.
    The problem that academics have is that for the most part, they keep their info among other academics. The content of his book needs to be on talk shows and reviewed by people like Oprah, so that its import can be known by the common man (the ones this is about), not just those who go to lectures at universities.
    In person, Doctor Gordon ("Don't call me Ed") yells at his audience to gain attention (poorly done) and "holds court" with an ego that can't be cut by a good knife. The point here is that with his huge ego and poor personal presentation (he wouldn't sign my book prior to the lecture due to not having it purchased at the seminar, i bought it on Amazon)he causes the book's content to get lost in his hubris.
    This is an important book (the content is critical) that will probably never reach beyond academia due to the character of the author.
    All that said. Read it. His researchers did a great job and the content will have you shaking your head.
    Designing and Using Organizational Surveys: A Seven-Step Process (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series)
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Superbly written, very practical, with technical excellence and integrity
    Designing and Using Organizational Surveys: A Seven-Step Process (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series)
    Allan H. Church , and Janine Waclawski
    Manufacturer: Pfeiffer
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    ASIN: 0787956775

    Book Description

    The survey process is a highly complex and situationally dependent one, in need of careful management. If poorly designed and administered, surveys can create disappointment and even disaster. Little has been written so far for those responsible for designing and implementing surveys in organizations. These authors have drawn on their extensive consulting experience to develop a concise, pragmatic, seven-step model covering the entire process, from initiation, to final evaluation, to making the results meaningful to the future of the organization. They pay special attention to the political and human sensitivities concerned and show how to overcome the many potential barriers to a successful outcome.

    Download Description

    Designing and Using Organizational Surveys provides organizational practitioners with a clear and practical working guide to designing and implementing successful organizational surveys. Drawing on their extensive consulting experience, authors Allan H. Church and Janine Waclawski present a concise seven-step model that covers the entire survey process from its conception to evaluation and-perhaps more importantly-to making the results meaningful and achievable for the future of the organization. Their highly pragmatic approach pays special attention to the political and human sensitivities inherent in the process and clearly shows how to overcome the many potential barriers to conducting a successful survey.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Superbly written, very practical, with technical excellence and integrity.......2006-08-10

    Church and Waclawski deliver exactly what practitioners needed - a book on how to bring the critical people together to form a team, discover the deeper purpose for going forward, design a technically excellent and user-friendly survey, analyze and report the data, and build on the findings to promote action in the organization. Each chapter contains some very useful political wisdom along with descriptions of the survey process.

    With a crystal clear style, the authors explain challenging concepts clearly enough for learners and senior practitioners alike. This book stands out as the most important on the topic today.

    In a future edition, I would like to see a special section comparing advanced modeling methods including relative weights analysis. It should make them comprehensible to users who have had some statistics, but aren't stats mayvens.
    Headhunters: Matchmaking in the Labor Market
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Very interesting read, even if repetetive on the main theme
    • For Contingency Recruiters only
    • Best comprehensive headhunting book for headhunters
    • Excellent overview of how headhunters work, but in mind 90's
    • A Must Read For All Headhunters
    Headhunters: Matchmaking in the Labor Market
    William Finlay , and James E. Coverdill
    Manufacturer: ILR Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 0801473799

    Book Description

    Headhunters--third-party agents paid a fee by companies for locating job candidates--perform a unique sales role. The product they sell is people, matching candidates with jobs and companies with candidates. Headhunters affect the professional lives of thousands of employees every day, and their work has a profound, though hidden, effect on the employment picture in the United States. William Finlay and James E. Coverdill draw on interviews with and observations of headhunters and on analysis of headhunting training seminars, lectures, industry newsletters, and a mail survey of headhunting firms. The result is a frank and sometimes unsettling portrait of the aims, attitudes, and tactics of practitioners.

    The payment of fees has shifted from candidates to employers, and recruiters now find people to fit jobs rather than the other way around. Finlay and Coverdill address what they feel is a serious lack of research about the work headhunters do and how they do it. Their book is built around three major questions: What advantages do employers derive from using third-party agents to handle candidate search and recruitment? How are headhunters able to accomplish the double sale ("selling" candidates to employers and employers to candidates)? What criteria do headhunters use for selecting candidates? In the process, Finlay and Coverdill link their findings to larger issues of institutional and historical context, revealing the economic and political reasons clients use headhunters, demonstrating how headhunters manipulate clients and candidates, and assessing the impact of headhunters' actions on hiring decisions.

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Very interesting read, even if repetetive on the main theme.......2007-05-13

    I found the book to be full of useful material. Although sometimes one has climb around the author's ego, this will be one of the books that I re-read every few months.

    3 out of 5 stars For Contingency Recruiters only.......2005-07-24

    Not a bad academic study of the contingency recruiter world. It lays out the basic recruiting process for the low to mid level staffing world.

    5 out of 5 stars Best comprehensive headhunting book for headhunters.......2005-05-13

    I have been working in this field for 25 years, and read most of the major books. Although I am a big fan of Bill Radin, this
    book blew me away. Perhaps it's social science orientation rather than "war stories" that you find in other books of this ilk. True, as another reviewer says it does not have a major web focus, but the web is a tool and more for HR than headhunters. Companies don't pay 5, and occasionally, 6 figure fees for what they can get off of a $500 ad on Careerbuilder or Monster.com. The data doesn't lie. Anyone that wants to start, improve, or reach their peak in this often misunderstood profession should definitely read this book. It's a fairly quick read, but it tells you what you need to do to be a successful headhunter via in depth surveys of successful practitioners.

    4 out of 5 stars Excellent overview of how headhunters work, but in mind 90's.......2002-10-01

    As a novice in the recruiting/headhunting industry doing research for a business plan, I found this book to be very informative. It has input from a lot of real time headhunters, so you get to understand how they work on an industry level and on a day to day basis. However, in spite of vast research the authors have put into this book, most of the research was carried out in mid nineties (although the book was published in 2002) so the word "internet" comes up only twice (or a few times) in the book. One gets an impression that the resume/candidate database is one of the most important assets for a headhunter, but I wonder to what extent that is relevant given that a few resume databases such as monster, careerbuilder, hotjobs (some of these sites are mentioned only once or not at all) will give anyone access to a greater number of resumes' than someone who has been in this business for a long time and relies on the resume's in their own database.
    But, is in any industry, certain things always remain the same, even with the influence of the internet, and this book does a great job of shedding light on how headhunters work in the marketplace.

    5 out of 5 stars A Must Read For All Headhunters.......2002-03-08

    This book is really excellent. The authors have captured the essence of what it is to be a headhunter. Absolutely accurate. A must read for all headhunters, corporate recruiters, employers and employment professionals. This book is filled with perceptive insights, analysis and conclusions that accurately portray how and why headhunters do what they do. Headhunters, as well as people who use headhunters, will benefit greatly from this information. After reading this book you will know more about headhunting than many headhunters themselves.
    The Disposable American: Layoffs and Their Consequences
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • We Are Contractors
    • AMERICAN DISPOSABLE
    • Masterful, Thought-Provoking View of Downsizing
    • Too much sympathy
    • The author's proposals lack full discussion
    The Disposable American: Layoffs and Their Consequences
    Louis Uchitelle
    Manufacturer: Knopf
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    ASIN: 1400041171
    Release Date: 2006-03-28

    Book Description

    The Disposable American is an eye-opening account of layoffs in America—their questionable necessity, their overuse, and their devastating impact on individuals at all income levels. Yet despite all this, they are accelerating.

    The award-winning New York Times economics writer Louis Uchitelle explains how, in the mid-1970s, the first major layoffs, initiated as a limited response to the inroads of foreign competition, spread and multiplied, in time destroying the notion of job security and the dignity of work. We see how the barriers to layoffs tumbled, and how by the late 1990s the acquiescence was all but complete.

    In a compelling narrative, the author traces the rise of job security in the United States to its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, and then the panicky U-turn. He describes the unraveling through the experiences of both executives and workers: three CEOs who ran the Stanley Works, the tool manufacturer, from 1968 through 2003, who gradually became more willing to engage in layoffs; highly skilled aircraft mechanics in Indianapolis discarded as United Airlines shut down a state-of-the-art maintenance facility, damaging the city as well as the workers; a human resources director at Citigroup, declared nonessential despite excellent performance; a banker in Connecticut lucky to find a lower-paying job in a state tourist office.

    Uchitelle makes clear the ways in which layoffs are counterproductive, rarely promoting efficiency or profitability in the long term. He explains how our acquiescence encourages wasteful mergers, outsourcing, the shifting of production abroad, the loss of union protection, and wage stagnation. He argues against our ongoing public policy—inaugurated by Ronald Reagan and embraced by every president since—of subsidizing retraining for jobs that, in fact, do not exist. He breaks new ground in documenting the failure of these policies and in describing the significant psychological damage that the trauma of a layoff invariably inflicts, even on those soon reemployed. It is damage that, multiplied over millions of layoffs, is silently undermining the nation’s mental health.

    While recognizing that in today’s global economy some layoffs must occur, the author passionately argues that government must step in with policies that encourage companies to restrict layoffs and must generate jobs to supplement the present shortfall.There are specific recommendations for achieving these goals and persuasive arguments that workers, business, and the nation will benefit as a result.

    An urgent, essential book that tells for the first time the story of our long and gradual surrender to layoffs—from a writer who has covered the unwinding for nearly twenty years and who now bears witness.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars We Are Contractors.......2007-08-01

    "The Disposable American" appropriately touches on many areas outside of, but directly related to lay-offs: sociology, culture, media, politics, public policy, and the psychological condition of those involved.

    Lay-offs are an important topic but the way it's presented seems too subtly poignant and explicitly tragic. Within the first couple pages of "The Disposable American" author Uchitelle sets the tone with a term for these millions of layed-off American workers: "victim." The word "victim" is used all-over the spectrum in modern-day America and frankly, it gets tiring. So, layed-off workers are victims? Quite a strong term. I wouldn't refer to them as this. (But I do believe working and middle-class blue and white-collar employees are no longer winners in today's society.) And conditions won't be changing for the better in the short and long-term future. Employees need to adapt and psychologically view themselves as contractors. Contractors, is what we were today. And it's not entirely negative. It can be positive. "You....are not your job." Your self-worth should not be associated with your job title nor tenure in today's work-world.

    Economic reality + social engineering. This is they way things are because it's expedient for investors and it's *planned* to be that way. 37 states have At-Will employment laws. U.S. labor laws are the worst in the industrialized world.

    One of the many examples in "The Disposable American" is IBM. IBM publicly stated in 1994 that workers who are efficient, loyal, and productive cannot be guaranteed job security at IBM. When thousands were layed-off from IBM they were rehired to work for....IBM....as contractors. The company concluded that workers who fear lay-offs can provide more "adequate" results (page 145). Employees that were retained (not let go) were "shell-shocked" and still afraid of losing their jobs afterward. Even though a Harvard Business School Study specifically concluded the wrong workers were layed-off and the ones retained often weren't (and still aren't today) trained to deal with the new responsibilities and additional workload (page 194).

    Increasing immigration is also welcomed. Immigrants are less likely statistically to complain about conditions or labor codes, and provide employers with a large pool or workers at the low end of the pay scale.

    Uchitelle's personal sob stories of working stiffs having to leave one mundane dead-end job for another is really nothing new. Staying in the same industry is Old School. Dinosaurs. Do Defined Benefit Pension Programs enslave employees and tie them to a company and industry? Are these workers too lazy or stupid to invest on their own for their future? 401Ks for most are a scam: limited investment choices that especially hurt older contributors and hidden fees that significantly eat into returns the longer a worker stays at the same company, and doesn't roll it over into their own IRA that often have lower expense ratios of their choosing. People don't stay in the same industry and/or with the same company for a long time, and those that do risk having to transition into new gigs unexpectedly in their twenties, 30s, 50s, and beyond.

    In this book there are many individual and family stories of personal circumstances. Many personal stories using a person's first name, hometown, and former "career" are elucidated. Then descriptions of the financial and emotional difficulties faced by those who get layed-off/down-sized/riffed are noted. The politically correct corporate euphemism is "Involuntarily separated." <---I like this one.

    The Lay-Off Routine Is Well Refined:

    Airplane mechanics are important. Their work assures planes fly safely. But their jobs can be contracted (outsourced) inside the U.S. When these mechanics were layed-off en masse they were invited to a hotel and given a seminar to be "counseled out." The speaker told them that credit card and mortgage companies gave "special consideration" to layed-off workers. The counselor held up a sample form letter to creditors, for all to see. The layed-off worker can request a reduction in monthly payments for these debts temporarily. They were instructed to ask for the reduction before they get "60 days behind on a debt." And they were also given the book "Who Moved My Cheese."

    Lay-Off expansion and political opportunism of the 1990s:

    In the mid-1990s lay-offs transcended from not only the blue collar industries but to the white collar and professional industries. At this time, more media attention was given not only to the lay-offs themselves but *how* people were being let go. CEOs were going public giving news conferences to publicize lay-offs in the hope that their company stock would go up. Political Translation: too many voters were losing their jobs and the Presidential, Congressional, and State elections were only months away in 1996. Pat Buchanan was very successful in tapping into voter anxiety and angst by his protectionist "save-the-jobs" policies.

    Factual truths from this book:

    1. Lay-offs and lack of job security will continue for several decades or longer.

    2. If a layed-off worker gets more training and education they will maintain or increase their current market value. This is statistically false.

    3. The savings of laying-off workers will help companies and in the long-run workers will be better off.

    The solutions give the layed-off the right to sue, and Uchitelle even advocates taxing people with higher incomes. Like this money will be redirected to the layed-off or pay for retraining, and such? It won't be re-directed, and it should not be. Furthermore, it won't happen and it's not fair.

    The index is large, and there are many book titles author Louis
    Uchitelle cited and noted throughout the book. This book is about us. And it's also about you, even if you think you are safe.

    4 out of 5 stars AMERICAN DISPOSABLE .......2007-05-30

    I have just finished re-reading David Halberstam's The Fifties as part of an attempt to better understand that period as the foundation of many social, political and economic and cultural post-war trends that continue, or have been expanded on, today. The book under review, to its credit, puts forth an analysis that undermines one critical part of the `myth' of the Fifties. That is the proposition that `a rising tide lifts all ships'. Given the tremendous advantage the American capitalist economy had after its World War II victory combined with certain ameliorative changes in corporate and labor culture there was a seeming feeling that things would keep getting better and better. That based, of course, on an assumption that one did not challenge the capitalist basis on which this system was built. Today, after the victory of that unchallenged assumption, the chickens have come home to roost. The classic case for what amounted to class collaboration was the `partnership' between the Walter Reuther-led United Auto Workers and Detroit's Big Three automakers in the immediate post-World War II period. The result was the closest that this country has ever come to a Europeon social-democratic arrangement between business and labor. The recent purchase of one of the Big Three, Chrysler, by a private equity company that will inevitably entail another massive round of layoffs in the already devastated American auto industry was greeted without a peep by the Auto Workers Union. Times have changed, and not for the better.

    Thus, clearly those days of so-called `social contract' derived capitalism, whether illusionary at the time or not, are over and have been for a while. The most compelling data centers on the seemingly never-ending fact that while those who manage the capitalist empire has vastly increased their wealth and position the mass of Americans has either been spinning their wheels or going under. This book is an `up close and personal' look at those who did not make it for one reason or another but mainly because they were caught up in the vise of a dramatic changeover in corporate culture which can be paraphrased bluntly as the `survival of the fittest'. One thing that is clear from all the interviews, unfortunately, is that few working people, and this book is really about working people, have a political clue about what has happened to them and why. Or, moreover, what to do about it. The amount of self-doubt, personal guilt and bafflement expressed in the book shows more clearly than any current theoretical Marxist treatise that I have read why this runaway capitalist system is still in place. Still, if these interviews emphasize that the task to change things may be daunting it nevertheless needs to be done. While the author offers no particular remedy for this growing economic inequality he does perform a service by laying out the problem. It is our task to break the logjam. And given the dominant corporate culture and its ruthless workings the fight will not be pretty.





    5 out of 5 stars Masterful, Thought-Provoking View of Downsizing.......2007-05-07

    Louis Uchitelle has penned a masterful and thought-provoking look at the history of layoffs in the U.S. economy over the past 60 years, including their hidden costs. This book deserves to be read by all who have been laid off, who fear they might be, or who are interested in the future of the American workforce.

    Uchitelle challenges the conventional wisdom that mass layoffs are an effective way to preserve American competitiveness. He provides a survey of how the employment paradigm has changed over the past 60 years-- from a belief that jobs should be preserved and that downsizings should be used as a last resort, to the current belief that periodic layoffs are required to maintain America's competitive posture. Uchitelle's thesis is that most workers do not recover readily from a layoff. Relatively few find employment at their previous salary levels and the layoff typically exacts a debilitating psychological toll. Even worse, America's continued endorsement of global free trade has allowed other nations unfettered entry into the American economy while eliminating American jobs. Uchitelle provides estimates that NAFTA-- sold to the American public as a job creation tool-- has in fact created net American job losses estimated at 450,000- 1,000,000 positions.

    Think you're safe by virtue of education, high pay, or length of tenure in the workplace? Uchitelle offers case studies that indicate that layoffs are increasingly affecting all socioeconomic levels, including senior executives and the holders of Ivy League college and graduate degrees. In short, job insecurity is becoming pervasive throughout the U.S. economy.

    Sadly, the reality of job insecurity is generally unacknowledged. Uchitelle reports that the political consensus has retreated to that of the early decades of the 20th century: that employability is the sole responsibility of the employee and that the employer can and should hire and fire at will. Sadly, the unions have acquiesced to this trend and white collar employees have been slow to recognize their vulnerability. As a result, there has been little pressure to address the matter of layoffs through government policy.

    Free market enthusiasts will no doubt believe that Uchitelle's narrative reflects an efficient market response to globalization: goods are being produced where labor costs are cheapest. But the fabric of American society is being torn by growing employment insecurity. Perhaps it is time to re-examine the responsibility of both business and government in creating and maintaining employment and American competitiveness. While I did not agree with many of Uchitelle's policy prescriptions, I fully endorse his conclusion that it is high time to re-address current thinking on this subject.


    3 out of 5 stars Too much sympathy.......2007-02-21

    There is a good section on the history of the workforce industry and decent research, but I didn't care for the author's slant and the solutions chapter. Solutions just weren't realistic, inviting more government regulations and policies which rarely trickle down to the people in the event of a mass layoff. I was waiting for workable solutions for the financially devastated family with the college educated bread-winner in the $45K-$70K/year range. You know, the ones that keep getting caught in the major layoffs every 4-6 years with little pension in their 401K's, while getting heavily taxed for dipping into their own money to make it through the unemployment period, or the ones fending off debt from credit card companies. Don't kid yourself. None of the current government agencies will help this group in any manner. And credit card companies are indifferent to understanding a moment of financial crisis, despite what the author suggests in one scant paragraph. Some raise your interest rates, others will go straight to your credit agency on the first late payment. Most are in the business of making money off the high risk group. The author gave no real solutions for the worker in the event of a layoff.

    The author spent too much time on the emotional sympathy factor, even contriving that one man, who's wife is an attorney making more than the average income, is in the dumps, but doesn't know it. The author and the man's wife are going to help him. Maybe he's perfectly happy being a house daddy with a wife with more earning power? They obviously weren't hurting too badly. They bought a second house while he was unemployed. The author also followed a few workers over the years some of who had a larger income and/or nice retirement packages ($1 mil). I had trouble sympathizing with those folks as well. How about those many folks from American Airlines who had tenure but were forced to leave without their pension packages - a little policy written by American allowed them to not offer it. Right now, some of them too young to retire and too old to ever see that kind of pay again. It's no surprise that the psychology professionals won't publish a paper of the mental health hazards of being laid off. Most of those they deal with can afford to still see a psychiatrist and their "devastation" is more self-inflicted than financial. I just can't agree with the author's emphasis on the sympathy approach.

    Simple solution: Make corporate raiding illegal or make companies accountable to show a detailed report that mass layoffs are in the best interest of all involved. Since when can and does government actually make real workable solutions for those who most need it? Most of the time the paperwork and qualifications are so cumbersome; most people in the college level average income don't even qualify for benefits to supplement during a real hardship; or there are so many loopholes only a few lower end income people qualify.

    Bottom line is that government won't do much to change the situation so it's best to have solutions for the workers. The author didn't address those solutions. He wrote this book mostly for policy makers. Most people are aware of mass corporate take-overs, then the lay-offs, and what it means for job security. We lost faith in corporate security years ago and accept the current trend. What can we do? We need to feed our families. Also, people need to understand that although statistics show that a college education might yield one a better job and better pay, that isn't always the case. I know plenty of college educated people not working in their field and struggling to move up the ladder in another unrelated field of work while paying unforgivable college debts. Being college educated can also make it difficult to find another job when too many of the same are vying for the same position(s). It's become a game of who's the youngest and will take the least amount of money. Again, the average American is on his own. Make the best of it.

    Right now, statistics show there are plenty of jobs, in spite of mass corporate lay offs, so we should be happy, right? Let's see our policymakers, government officials, and CEO's live on those jobs.

    2 out of 5 stars The author's proposals lack full discussion.......2006-11-07

    Anyone who has been laid off or knows someone who has will undoubtedly sympathize with the goals of Louis Uchitelle. In his book "The Disposable American", he succeeds in describing the pain of economic dislocation but unfortunately his discussion of the history of employment security is weak in parts and when he recommends solutions, he ignores some of the obvious trade offs his solutions would entail. Thus anyone looking for real discussion of policy options is going to be disappointed by this book.

    To capture the human side of job loss, Uchitelle follows the paths of a group of laid off workers. Many of his case studies where former airline mechanics employed by United but he also speaks with several dislocated workers from the white-collar world. It is hard not to empathize with the individuals discussed.

    His description of employment security in the United States is a bit selective. According to Uchitelle, the country was an oasis of job security until the 1970s. While he admits that security was not stellar up through the end of the Great Depression, he devotes a fair amount of time to extolling the virtues of the period from the 1930s to the 1970s. It is true that the probability of being laid off from one's job was lower during this period than the three decades since the mid-1970s, however, he glosses over some of complications to the story. Unemployment spiked at various times during this era (most notably in 1958 and 1961 when the seasonally adjusted rate of unemployment was higher than it has been anytime since 1993) and I am sure people in those periods felt a sense of insecurity. One more important complication is labor force participation, it was much lower in the period in Uchitelle extols than it is today (mainly from fewer women in the workforce). Yes, it is true the chance of being laid off is higher today but so is the chance of having a job. Had he tried to measure the percentage of the population who has a secure job (defined by tenure), the picture might not have looked as grim.

    Uchitelle also gets a bit sloppy at times, when discussing the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement he misrepresents job loss figures reported by publication "NAFTA Revisited: Achievements and Challenges". The footnote on page 262 suggests the publication reported a net loss of 425,000 jobs from NAFTA. However, on page 41 of the publication cited, it suggests 525,000 lost jobs (and the authors even question this figure) or 58,000 per year between 1993 and 2002. They also suggest 100,000 were created each year between 1993 and 2003 as result of increased North American trade (although not necessarily attributable to NAFTA). Broader employment numbers also show explosive growth in the number of jobs and declining unemployment. Two points are in order here; whatever the reasons, labor market trends after NAFTA were overwhelmingly positive and secondly, there is no way to verify the figure of 425,000 lost jobs with the source Uchitelle provides.

    Finally, Uchitelle adopts the role of mere advocate when proposing solutions and as such, he does a disservice to the reader. His ideas may be worthy, but policymakers will not adopt them without considering the trade offs involved. If one takes Uchitelle's rhetoric at face value the government could simply mandate better working conditions and more job security and workers collectively would be better off. Many of Uchitelle's ideas are already in practice elsewhere in the world and he ignores a glaring problem in some of those areas, much higher structural unemployment. The lay off arbitration scheme he recommends is already law in continental Europe as is the higher minimum wage. The rate of unemployment in much of Western Europe is much higher than the U.S. rate and the types of laws Uchitelle recommends are often cited as reasons.

    He thinks the minimum wage should be $12 an hour and suggests the proposal would "eliminate low wage work as a form of lay off". He simply ignores the certainty that less labor will be demanded. A fairer presentation might suggest trading fewer job opportunities is worth greater job security for the remaining jobs. Of course, this would require substituting one social ill for another, as those who are chronically unemployed are also subject to emotional strain.

    Some of his ideas are good, such as taking steps to prohibit states and localities from enacting massive tax giveaways to lure employers to their areas. However, he seems to have an almost divine faith in the ability of the government to create full employment by fiat but real world examples of this ability are lacking.

    The New American Workplace
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • An essential book!
    • Informative - But Not for Everyone
    • An important and thoroughly researched book
    • Great service
    • Important yet incomplete study of work in America
    The New American Workplace
    James O'Toole , and Edward E. Lawler
    Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    ASIN: 1403969590
    Release Date: 2006-06-22

    Book Description

    Thirty years ago, the bestselling "letter to the government" Work in America published to national acclaim, including front-page coverage in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. Since then, the workplace has undergone massive changes:-Women's roles in the workplace have gone from secretarial work to CEO-Outsourcing used to be just an idea; today it has dramatically affected the job market-There was a unified workplace--today there are either "Big Losers" or "Big Winners" In this groundbreaking work based on thirty years of research, these hot-button issues and many others are revealed, redefining the state of the workplace today. This is a must-have for every manager and job-holder.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars An essential book!.......2007-08-15

    This is the best business book I have read in a long time. The authors do an excellent job in providing a comprehensive picture of the state of the workplace in the US today. One conclusion the authors draw is that satisfying work is a basic human need that establishes individual identity and self-respect and lends order to life.

    Many important questions will be asked throughout the book. For example, if the United States wishes to continue to be the world's leading economic power, what workplace practices and public policies are required to ensure that it succeeds? The solution to this and other questions must serve both the well-being of employees and the effectiveness of their employing organizations in the belief that doing one without the other is not viable in the long run.

    What follows are notes I took of this essential book:

    Good work satisfies all three of the following fundamental needs (p. 8):
    1. The need for the basic economic resources and security essential to lead good lives.
    2. The need to do meaningful work and the opportunity to grow and develop as a person.
    3. The need for supportive relationships.

    Jobs satisfying the requirements of one, or even two, of the above needs may not satisfy them all. For example, a job may pay well but, at the same time, be dull and unfulfilling. A truly fascinating job may pay poorly, and a well-paying, interesting job may be overseen by an abusive supervisor. All three needs must be satisfied before most people will say they have a good job.

    Research shows that satisfying the needs of Americans for good jobs is important, if not essential, for the prosperity, health and social well-being of the nation. The costs of an insufficient supply of good work include a declining standard of living, a lower quality of life, increased social conflict, and the loss of America's unique standing in the world as the leading economic power.

    Researchers found the following key themes in US companies (p. 14-18):

    1. The US is suffering from insufficient creation of new 'good jobs.'
    2. Workers today face a wider array of choices than ever before, choices concerning what career to pursue, how much and what form of education to obtain, where to work, when to change jobs and careers, and when, or if, to retire.
    3. Today, most companies put the needs of shareholders above the needs of workers.
    4. There in now increased tension between work and family life. Among lower-paid workers, the cause of this tension is that two parents increasingly need to work long hours to make ends meet.
    5. The primary and secondary educational system in the United States is failing to provide the skills millions of workers need to escape minimum-wage and dead-end employment.
    6. In terms of real wages, executives and technically skilled workers have fared spectacularly in recent years, and college graduates, in general, have fared well relative to the rest of the labor force. At the same time, the relative wages of blue-collar workers have lagged significantly behind their better-educated and white-collar peers, and low-skilled workers have fared disastrously relative to other Americans.
    7. Almost all young, educated people today expect to work for multiple employers, to move back and forth between work and education and between work and family responsibilities, and, perhaps, never to retire.
    8. The high and growing costs of health insurance are driving countless business decisions, causing companies and industries to be unprofitable, putting American exporters at competitive disadvantages in world markets, discouraging the creation of jobs and leading to the export of others.
    9. Current workplace practices, such as the use of contingent and part-time workers, preferences for younger over older workers, underfunding of training, growing gaps between the salaries and benefits of executives and average employees, and a 24/7 working environment, appear to be having negative effects on worker turnover, motivation, loyalty and job satisfaction.

    Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, most U.S. manufacturing companies--and many service providers, as well--adopted or experimented with self-managing work teams to cut payroll costs and/or to enrich jobs. In most cases, such efforts led to increased employee motivation and to lower levels of turnover, absenteeism and stress-related illness. When managers give workers authority over their work and then reward them for doing the right thing, they address basic human needs for recognition, control and belonging, needs that are more important determinants of employee morale and performance than are the physical conditions of work. Particularly when people work together--as opposed to being separate cogs in a machine--social bonds are formed that lead to cooperation and a desire to help each other succeed (p. 46-47).

    Recent studies show that the leading causes of absenteeism in the United States today are family-related, and that one out of six people who fail to show up for work offer stress as the reason. Studies show that social support can moderate elevated blood pressure, and that socially supportive workplaces tend to be the healthiest for most workers.

    Since the 1970s, there has been a major increase in employee stock ownership. Employee-owners are more inclined to exhibit positive behavior on the job, to stay with a company as a result of their equity interest, and to pay more attention to its financial performance, all of which are positive behaviors from a company's point of view (p. 119). The plus side of employee-ownership of stock is that it often increases the likelihood that workers can influence how their company operates. On the negative side, their jobs depend on the continuing success of their employing company (p. 120).

    The workplace always has been where people meet, converse, connect, and form friendships. Indeed, relationships at work are the most meaningful ones for most adult Americans outside their families (p. 133).

    All managers and business owners should read this book.

    4 out of 5 stars Informative - But Not for Everyone.......2007-03-29

    In 1974, Louis 'Studs' Terkel interviewed 130 working men and women about the realities of employment in America. His book, entitled "Working," was based on a study authored by O'Toole and Lawler, called "Work in America." This long-awaited follow-up to both popular works chronicles the multitude of workplace changes during the past 30 years. Touching on compensation, training and work/life balance, among others, these authors examine future workplace scenarios for workers and companies.

    It's an academic yet fairly comprehensive approach to a subject that every businesswoman should understand. So, while not for everyone, I found this book to be extremely informative.

    5 out of 5 stars An important and thoroughly researched book.......2007-01-13

    In 1972-73, a survey was conducted to examine working conditions throughout the United States. THE NEW AMERICAN WORKPLACE brings that survey to the 21st century, examining all aspects of work and the American worker in today's global economy. In many industries, we were the international leader in the 1970s and 1980s, whereas now there is serious competition from many European and Asian countries.

    In the era of human capital, employee involvement, along with self-managing work teams, employee stock ownership, high worker-satisfaction levels and job enrichment are concepts that now drive many American businesses. "Americans today feel that they have more freedom and opportunities to learn on the job, and to do more meaningful work than they did in the 1970's." The work Americans do now tends to be more "enriched, challenging, and controlled by employees."

    Broken into five parts --- the introduction, Changes in the American Workplace, Consequences for the American Worker, Choices and Future Directions, and Conclusions --- THE NEW AMERICAN WORKPLACE examines the cultural, economic and global attitudes in America's work environment today.

    Employee benefit costs have risen to a staggering 42% of payroll costs. The costs of jobs held by employees versus contract workers, independent contractors, outsourced and temporary workers must be a factor in the cost of a company's product or service. New employment contracts and performance-based compensation with the growth-in-knowledge work equals skill-based pay. Careers, work/life balance, employment-based legislation (such as the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993), workplace health and safety, and stress are examined in detail, as well as job and life satisfaction.

    Performance pressures sometimes lead to ethical dilemmas at work. "Given the changes in the nature of organizations, work, and reward systems...it is hardly surprising that Americans feel they have to work harder and faster." Union membership fell to 12% in the American workforce, as team environments and total quality initiatives gave workers more freedom, autonomy and voice in the work they do. "If unions improve their products and more effectively address the real concerns of workers in the future, they might be able to regain some of their lost membership and the strength of their voice, but to do so they will need to rethink their positions and roles relating to such issues as education and training the individualization of work relationships, and, especially, cooperation, with regards to improving business performance."

    Other areas of concern include worker training as it relates to transferable skills, the lack of equity between large corporation CEOs and their minimum-wage workers, average executive compensation versus the performance and profit of the company, a sense of community in the workplace, the movement to understand and communicate ethics in the workplace, the economic impact of employee behavior on organizational performance, and public policy.

    This is an extremely thorough sociological study of the American worker within the construct of the American workplace and the pressures to excel globally, balanced against the American economy. I urge anyone with a managerial role in business today not only to read this important book but to live its message.

    --- Reviewed by Marge Fletcher

    5 out of 5 stars Great service.......2006-10-30

    The product was all I expected it would be. I am very satisfied with this product.
    Thanks

    4 out of 5 stars Important yet incomplete study of work in America.......2006-10-09

    "The new American workplace" is a broad, comprehensive view of work and business in American. It is an update of a 1974 book with a similar focus, with commissioned papers and large databases contributing to the text. Topics and chapters include careers, health and safety, performance pressure, compensation, training and development and public policy. Such scope will almost automatically include some generalities that don't always apply and even some errors. As to the latter, on p. 165, the authors claim that Continental "was able to acquire U.S. Airways." I think not. As to the former, the authors claim that only low-cost suppliers "are predicated on a basic tenet of capitalist economics: the consumer is king." (p. 174). I do believe either point: "The customer is king" is not a basic tenet of capitalism and other firms, especially globally competitive firms believe in this concept and succeed globally by treating customers as kings. In fact, this phrase is relatively old and foreign; firms have been treating customers well for years. They tend to survive and to thrive in a competitive, global economy.

    O'Toole and Lawler generate eleven broad characterizations (listed in full in another review) of the American workplace over the last twenty-five years and categorize firms in one of three clusters: Low-cost (LC), global competitors (GC) or high involvement (HI). The eleven themes (pp. 15-18) include the widely popular yet controversial loss of good jobs complaint ("insufficient creation of new `good jobs'"), work and family life tensions (not really that new), social stratification based on education (unsurprising, given the booming knowledge economy), reduced employee commitment (a two-way street if there ever was one), shortcomings in the healthcare system (without acknowledging the incredible advances in healthcare and longevity), and underutilized human capital (the reader needs to refer back to the point of social stratification based on education).

    The authors clearly prefer the HIs and almost show disdain for the LCs. They cite Wal-mart employee complaints and contradictions, e.g., "I like Wal-mart...they need to fix it." (p. 174). And Wal-mart is showing signs of age and even weaknesses in their low-cost strategy, as stores such as Kohl's, Target, and Costco offer consumers more of what they really want from a store. They demonstrate that an LC like Southwest can focus on the customer yet also be committed to high-involvement policies and employees (p. 175). They recognize the need for personal responsibility for exercise and weight control (p. 178) yet they make this a corporate responsibility, e.g., "All companies can and should make an effort to educate workers about their responsibilities..." Their chapter on Public Policy (Chapter 16), which includes Education (pp. 186-194) ignores this exercise and weight admonition other than to endorse pre-natal care. They prescribe universal pre-school and small schools but ignore the power and potential of school choice. They lament the decline in state's shares of state college and university funding (p. 199), while ignoring that most of the increases in college costs have little to do with education, that financial aid continues to rise faster than tuition, and state schools sit on billions of dollars of untapped endowments while they increase tuition and enrollments at a rate that almost defies the laws of economics.

    In the end, too much credit is given to broad educational initiatives rather than a close examination of enduring drivers of a country's or company's sustainable comparative advantage. Education is important and powerful but it is not the entire solution. There are important cultural, social and political issues that underscore and undermine education, issues such as demographics, ("illegal") immigration, and the burgeoning gambling and pornography industries. This is an important yet incomplete book.
    The Economics of Labor Markets (with Economic Applications and InfoTrac  Printed Access Card)
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      The Economics of Labor Markets (with Economic Applications and InfoTrac Printed Access Card)
      Bruce Kaufman , and Julie L. Hotchkiss
      Manufacturer: South-Western College Pub
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

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      ASIN: 0324288794

      Book Description

      The best textbook for the in-depth study of labor market theories, THE ECONOMICS OF LABOR MARKETS helps you understand the background of the field as you explore its latest developments. Using built-in study aids and empirical research, the authors provide you an understandable introduction to labor economics. With sections on "In the News" and the most up-to-date data available, this version shows you how labor markets move the world. And after reading the industry-leading chapter reviews you'll be one step closer to success in the course.

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