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January 1996

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They may not necessarily remain so, and this is not under our control.

Suddenly, recession on the horizon? (Wednesday, 1/31/96)
Robert Reno writes in Newsday that indications are stronger that an overdue recession may hit this year. Only weeks ago, no one would have thought it. Now, the housing market is getting flat, new applications for unemployment benefits are way up, and there are other suggestions of a slowing economy as well. But, we've been in the second longest expansion since World War II, despite the historic restructuring that continues to be the really big news.

Familiar pattern at McGraw-Hill (Wednesday, 1/31/96)
Reuters reports this morning that earnings are up at McGraw-Hill, but they're about to cut 800 jobs in order to lower costs. Among other things, conventional publishers are faced with growing realities resulting from the almost total collapse of barriers to distribution provided by the Internet. In a radically new media era, publishing should become considerably less capital-intensive, and much of the capital investment of existing publishing companies will become obsolete.

Help in preparing for possible layoff (Wednesday, 1/31/96)
USA Today offers guidance for those whose jobs may be in eventual jeopardy. Prepare while you're still employed. The paper also discusses your options if you're offered early retirement. Here's some of what you should consider.

Apple's plight offers lessons about the new economy (Tuesday, 1/30/96)
Monday's Wall Street Journal contains a brief opinion piece by Adrian Slywotzky and David Morrison that attempts to draw more general conclusions about the realities of the new economy from Apple Computer Corporation's increasingly difficult competitive and financial situation, despite its generally acknowledged technological leadership. "Business design, the way a company configures itself to address customer priorities," is what determines success in the new economy, according to them. Many companies are finding that previously strong positions quickly dissolve as competition comes from unanticipated nontraditional directions.

We believe that most professionals in higher education should read this piece, particularly given that many traditional institutions have already decomposed to a significant extent, while others are beginning to look like the highly conspicuous "red giants" that stars become shortly before going dark. Slywotzky is author of Value Migration, published by Harvard Business School Press.

Women increase entrepreneurial role (Tuesday, 1/30/96)
According to a report released by President Clinton, female-owned businesses are growing faster than others and now employ considerably more people in the U.S. than Fortune 500 companies employ worldwide. Nearly everyone is reporting this story this morning, and here's Reuters' version on the web.

Bloody attack on job seekers (Tuesday, 1/30/96)
Reuters also reports on the killing of 8 persons and the wounding of 23 in South Africa. The African National Congress says it may have come from jealousy over jobs.

Using the Internet for work (Monday, 1/29/96)
The New York Times "Job Market" section this time contains articles on how to use the Internet to research prospective employers, find a job, and sell yourself, including one piece called "Welcome to the brave new world of job seeking."

We're flattered, of course, since "Brave New Work World" has been a trademark of The New Work Corporation for sometime. However, the Bard may or may not be pleased with us all, including Aldous Leonard Huxley. To our knowledge, "brave new world" first appeared in The Tempest, Act 5, Scene 1: "O, wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, That has such people in't!".

Now, that may be ALL the news, except that we've looked into the two new planets discovered orbiting the stars 70 Virginis and 47 Ursa Majoris. They say they've been listening to us for years but are not yet convinced that there is intelligent life on Earth. They also say that they're planning major layoffs.

Opinion piece on unionization in education (Monday, 1/29/96)
Joseph Nocera has an article called "Bust the Teacher's Unions" in the current edition of the Washington Monthly. Why can't people be more direct? In the same issue, Richard Reeves has a piece called "Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!" in which he asks the question: "What do we do if there is not enough work, enough decent-paying work, to go around in a democracy built on the work ethic, where self-esteem is rooted in what you do and how much you make?"

New Hong Kong policy governs foreign workers (Monday, 1/29/96)
Only about a year and a half before Britain returns Hong Kong to China, the Hong Kong government is set to implement the controversial Supplementary Labour Scheme governing foreign workers, according to the Hong Kong Standard. There has been vigorous debate over proposed quotas.

Another perspective on China's new policy (Monday, 1/29/96)
The Economist reports this time on China's new economic information policy affecting foreign press organizations. It seems to "open the door not just to regulation, but to censorship."

Incentives help, but choices still hard (Sunday, 1/28/96)
The Dallas Morning News has an article, widely picked up by other American newspapers, on how persons whose corporate jobs are being eliminated are responding to employer "buyout" programs intended to help facilitate voluntary departures in order to minimize layoffs. Seventy thousand AT&T employees have been offered early retirement. The article reports that American corporations announced nearly 440,000 job cuts during 1995. The Dallas Morning News publishes its opinion page on the web.

New jobs to be added (Sunday, 1/28/96)
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that Boeing plans to add 5,000 jobs during 1996. It's the company's first work force increase in five years following significant reductions. Last year, 12,600 jobs were cut. To our knowledge, the newspaper is not on the web.

Expansion and contraction at the same time (Sunday, 1/28/96)
The Detroit Compact, a program offering scholarships and summer jobs to Detroit public school students, will expand next school year, but many in-school coordinator positions will be eliminated. The Detroit Journal has the story.

Irish unemployment strategy under fire (Sunday, 1/28/96)
Further alienation of youth, discrimination against women, and creation of low-wage economy claimed. Padraig Yeates has the story in The Irish Times

UK business failures decline (Sunday, 1/28/96)
Receiverships reach lowest level since 1989 across the United Kingdom, according to the Times of London on its new web site.

Unisys continues to shrink (Saturday, 1/27/96)
The once mighty company whose previous name was almost synonymous with "computer" is reducing operations for the third time in a single year; this time, eliminating more than a fifth of its entire work force. Nearly 8,000 jobs will be lost in this round alone. During the past decade, Unisys has increasingly fallen victim to the tremendous decline in the large mainframe computer's role in the current stage of the information revolution. They lost nearly ten times as much last quarter as Apple. The company intends to concentrate more on consulting and service.

More on the L.A. sweatshop (Saturday, 1/27/96)
Last summer, 68 Thai immigrants were found working as slaves in a suburban Los Angeles sweatshop. In October, a $100 million lawsuit was filed on behalf of the workers, seeking $10,000 for each worker for each day spent in the sweatshop, as well as $7 million in back pay and overtime. Defendants included 14 manufacturers, many individuals, and one retailer, Mervyn's, owned by Dayton-Hudson Corporation. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports this morning that Dayton-Hudson denies all charges and has filed to have the suit dismissed, claiming that Mervyn's knew nothing about the sweatshop conditions.

Effect of business travel on families examined (Saturday, 1/27/96)
Reuters has a story today on what they call "travel-broken families".

Help offered on starting a business (Friday, 1/26/96)
One way or the other, most persons are finding themselves having to share in the risk and uncertainty of the new economy with fewer layers of "protection" separating themselves from the often brutal marketplace. Many persons have become "entrepreneurs" against their will during recent years, while others are hoping that their own businesses will be an attractive alternative to the increasingly precarious job market. However, it is a treacherous, turbulent sea out there, and independent business people need all the help they can get. One source is the Managing Your Business page on CNN's financial web site. This time, you'll find an article on the high cost of using contingent workers, as well as an article to help you sort through the tremendous number of books offering advice.

Another source of assistance and information is the Small and Home-Based Business Links site on the web. Also, don't overlook The Wall Street Journal's "Work Week" section by Rochelle Sharp and Asra Nomani published regularly on the Journal's front page, as well as Hal Lancaster's "Managing Your Career" on front of the Marketplace section. These aren't on the web, though, so you'll have to buy the paper. Seventy-five cents per copy; less expensive by subscription, but you may need to build on an extra room to house the accumulation.

Shortage of college-educated workers predicted (Thursday, 1/25/96)
According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, a consortium of Minnesota private colleges will release a report today predicting that the rising cost of college will leave employers with a shortage of college-educated workers over the next twenty years. The economic benefits of higher education are emphasized. Our own view is quite different from interpretations typically coming out of existing institutions which appear to rest on multiple assumptions (and data) from the old economy that will become increasing untenable in the new. We feel that a fundamental transformation of higher education is needed, that much of existing structure could be dispensed with, and, in fact, will tend to wither away during the years ahead, to be replaced with alternatives largely under the direction of different people.

Hating your job less (Thursday, 1/25/96)
Harvey "Swimming with the Sharks" Mackay discusses the large number of people who don't like their work in his column today. It's harder to simply walk away from an unpleasant job in today's economy, he says, so try to find something about it that you like. A change in attitude may make things better. Mackay's column is syndicated throughout North America by United Press Syndicate.

More unrest in France (Thursday, 1/25/96)
The New York Times reports that as the French government tries to cope with a $50 billion debt accumulated by the health care system during the 1990's, nationwide worker demonstrations are planned to protest government policies. Disruptive strikes occurred only one month ago.

Initial unemployment claims rise (Thursday, 1/25/96)
The U.S. Department of Labor reports that new unemployment claims reached the highest level last week since mid-July. Reuters has the story. Also, Reuters today has a story on a three-year study indicating that people with disabilities like to stay on the job and do not typically exaggerate their impairments in order to obtain benefits.

President proposes economic initiatives (Wednesday, 1/24/96)
In his State of the Union address last night, President Clinton emphasized the need for strengthening economic security for Americans. In particular, he proposed an increase in the minimum wage, replacement of 70 job training programs with a voucher system, $1,000 merit scholarships for the top 5 percent of high school graduates, expansion of the Pell Grant program, and the making of up to $10,000 a year of college tuition tax deductible. Here's the complete text of the President's speech.

Too many doctors? (Wednesday, 1/24/96)
For many years, demand for physicians seemed to exceed supply, and this may help account for the post-War economic status of American doctors, compared to those in most times and places during modern history. However, recent studies have concluded that the population of physicians has been growing more rapidly than the American population generally, and this will result in market saturation in the near future. This week, an Institute of Medicine report has concurred with the general finding, and recommends a reduction in the number of medical residencies. Other panels have recommended more drastic measures to reduce the number of physicians, as well as pharmacists and nurses, even though demand for primary care physicians is likely to remain somewhat stronger than for specialists. Average income for American physicians will probably drop back toward the pack as many other occupations require a similar level of technical expertise. The American legal profession and many academic fields are experiencing a similar glut, and this has reduced incomes and employment opportunities for many advanced degree holders.

New York Times hits the web (Wednesday, 1/24/96)
To our knowledge, there are more than 2000 publications of all types maintaining web sites of all types. It's one of the reasons we'll all need the sort of thing that NewWork News will become over the months ahead. The New York Times has had a limited web site for sometime. Now, it has a site more befitting one of the world's great newspapers, and, after only about thirty-six hours, may already be the best newspaper web site of all. Among other things, check out its Job Market page.

Income growth sluggish during November (Wednesday, 1/24/96)
Incomes grew less than spending. The story is in today's Wall Street Journal.

Chrysler profit sharing checks soon in the mail (Wednesday, 1/24/96)
Chrysler's hourly workers will receive $3,200. It's not what they expected and many aren't happy. Today's Detroit News tells about the reasons.

Indonesian unemployment increases (Tuesday, 1/23/96)
Indonesian Manpower Minister Abdul Latief reported that Indonesian unemployment increased by 26 percent during 1995, according to the Singapore Business Times. The overall Indonesian workforce appears to be around 82,500,000 persons.

German steelworkers strike (Tuesday, 1/23/96)
Germany has been known for its generous vacations and other worker benefits, but a weakening of the once mighty German economy has led to an effort to reduce the cost of those benefits. Government plans to raise the retirement age and to reduce pension and welfare payments has led to a one-day walkout of 70,000 steelworkers in Germany's industrial Ruhr region.

Managing sexuality in the workplace (Tuesday, 1/23/96)
The current edition of the Reader's Digest contains an extremely brief article on sexuality in the workplace, including the need for heightened awareness, accurate interpretations, and sexual harassment issues.

Child labor in Pakistan claimed to be near slavery (Tuesday, 1/23/96)
The February edition of the Atlantic Monthly contains an article claiming that 11 million children between the ages of 4 and 14 keep Pakistani factories running, and that they often work under squalid conditions. New laws intended to restrict child labor are universally ignored, according to the article. At current rates, fewer than one-third of Pakistani children will attend school by the year 2000. During recent months, there have been stories about child labor in various countries, and reports of slave labor in China have also surfaced.

New AFL-CIO leadership expects bargaining victories because of growing worker anger (Tuesday, 1/23/96)
Monday's Wall Street Journal contains a front-page article on organized labor's response to growing anxieties about income levels and job security. Union membership has declined significantly in recent years as bargaining positions have weakened in a highly competitive labor market. During four of the past six years, non-union pay raises have outpaced union gains, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The same edition of the Journal contains an opinion piece by Michael Hammer, author of the forthcoming book, Beyond Reengineering. He claims that, rather than "downsizing," most companies are making fundamental changes in the way they operate, resulting in "breathtaking" productivity increases. The reasons have more to do with a worldwide production overcapacity and a revolution in customer demands than "corporate greed" or most of the other factors given recent attention. The inability to predict customer demands calls for greater flexibility throughout work organizations, and one of the casualties is job security.

Clinton urged to speak for workers (Monday, 1/22/96)
David Kusnet, in his syndicated commentary today, urges President Clinton in tomorrow's State of the Union address to focus on the declining American standard of living, including layoffs, and to take a cue from Kennedy's "jawboning" to influence corporate policy for the public good. Kusnet was a Clinton speech writer from 1992 to 1994. His comments are distributed throughout North America by the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post New Service.

Teachers spend summer in corporate workplace (Monday, 1/22/96)
An experimental program conducted by the Business Economics Education Foundation (BEEF) in Minnesota is attempting to build bridges between education and business in order to "better prepare students for their future in the workplace." Twenty-six educators participated in the first partnership program last summer and applications are now being taken for next summer.

Worldwide concern with growth and jobs (Monday, 1/22/96)
As G7 representatives leave Paris for home after focusing on the sluggish world economy, Japan's new Prime Minister Hashimoto promises full economic recovery by the end of the year. Japan's economy has been in recession. Hashimoto is a former trade minister.

Stories about first jobs (Monday, 1/22/96)
"Job One," Noreen Seebacher's piece in The Detroit News, today tells how a number of top Detroit business people got their start. Most report that a willingness to put in an "honest day's work" is at least as important for success as factors such as one's school or grades or the way one dresses.

Half of Oldsmobile dealerships to be gone in four years (Monday, 1/22/96)
USA Today reports that General Motors intends to eliminate about 1,400 Olds dealerships in the United States. GM plans to discontinue about 20% of its big-city dealerships and Oldsmobile will bear the brunt of this restructuring. Olds sales have fallen more than 60% in ten years.

Advice offered on interviewing (Sunday, 1/21/96)
Joy Duckett Cain, writing in the November 1995 edition of Essence, says Black women must be prepared to show themselves to their best advantage in job interviews. Tips are offered on both preinterview and interview strategies. Interview tips are also offered by Joan Rigdon in the September 1995 Reader's Digest.

Economic changes and political attitudes linked (Sunday, 1/21/96)
Outsourcing and job losses in the U.S. resulting in a lowered American standard of living lead to resentment and intolerance, according to Edward Luttwak, in what psychologists refer to as "displaced aggression." People with greater economic frustrations of their own are more likely to vote for more punishment for others with more jails and longer sentences. The January World Press Review reprints the piece from the London Review of Books.

World Future Society predicts next thirty years (Sunday, 1/21/96)
How will the "infotech revolution" influence life by 2025? A new report from the World Future Society has some guesses, including some relating to jobs of the future. Check The Philadelphia Inquirer's story on the report. Also check the paper's innovative use of the web to announce job openings.

Hot technical training for the new economy (Saturday, 1/20/96)
Dave Beal's piece in yesterday's St. Paul Pioneer Press describes 81-year-old Dunwoody Institute, a proprietary vocational training school that is among the top ten vo-techs in the country, according to the National Center for Research in Vocational Education. Graduates average 5.5 job leads, and college graduates are common among their students. The newspaper maintains its own web site.

Keeping score (Saturday, 1/20/96)
US News is running a major cover story on the new economy called "Who's getting shafted: winners and losers in the new economy," and it's on the web. The title is largely self-explanatory. Among other things, US News reports that the ratio of average CEO's salaries to average American worker's was 41:1 in the mid-70's and is 225:1 now. Also, see their 1996 career guide, including the article on "cyberjobs."

Baby boomers concerned about kids' future (Saturday, 1/20/96)
The Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll finds anxiety among Americans about the economic future of their children. Baby boomers are particularly nervous. You can either subscribe to the Wall Street Journal and read your weight in business news in no time, or you can check out their headlines on the web each day in order to see if you should run down to the corner newsstand for a copy.

G7 Paris meeting will emphasize jobs (Saturday, 1/20/96)
Representatives of the seven largest industrial economies are meeting in Paris and the emphasis will be on growth and the worldwide concern with jobs. Reuters has a detailed story on the web.

Irish opposition criticizes "chaotic" government approach to the economy (Saturday, 1/20/96)
Controversy within the government itself rages over the Task Force on Long-Term Unemployment's report. See the story in the Irish Times.

Tribune publishes "career finder" (Saturday, 1/20/96)
Many major newspapers are trying to assist their readers in coping with the new economy. An example is the Chicago Tribune's "career finder" section, including profiles of companies in the Chicago area, feature articles, and listings of job fairs sponsored by the newspaper, among other things. It's on the web.

Volunteer work suggested as route to job (Saturday, 1/20/96)
Halifax is famous for many things, including the fact that it's the home town of one of journalism's most distinguished practitioners, Robert MacNeil. It also has an excellent newspaper of its own. Sally Smith's column, "Career Counsel," published in the Halifax Herald Limited, is always worth a look. This time, she discusses how volunteering can help your job search.

Columnist says candidates are missing some of the issues (Saturday, 1/20/96)
Bob Herbert's column this time discusses how the American presidential campaign seems strangely silent about the massive layoffs that are occurring and what these may mean for American life in general. He also talks about the widespread use of euphemisms as well as greed at the top of many corporations. Herbert is syndicated throughout North America by the New York Times News Service.

Child labor law violations may be increasing (Saturday, 1/20/96)
During recent months, there have been many stories about apparent child labor law violations, as spot labor shortages on the low end of the pay scale have developed throughout the United States. This morning's Minneapolis Star Tribune reports on a case in Minnesota in which a theater owner has been fined $25,900. He says it's a misunderstanding and is appealing the fine.

Chinese say details of new policy available soon (Friday, 1/19/96)
The official Chinese news agency Xinhua says that details about a new government policy of putting foreign access to Chinese economic news under Chinese government control will be made available within two weeks. The Chinese foreign ministry claims that the new policy will not necessarily be harmful to foreign news organizations, such as Reuters, Bloomberg, and AP-Dow Jones. See the Singapore Business Times.

GDP measurement criteria redefined (Friday, 1/19/96)
The Department of Commerce has changed the way it measures Gross Domestic Product to provide a more accurate view of American economic output. Old method tends to overstate growth.

New magazine premieres (Friday, 1/19/96)
Magazines come and go, and, despite anxiety among traditional publishers about the Internet, here's one that's come. The first edition of Fast Company, a new business-oriented magazine claiming to be the "handbook for the business revolution," is on the newsstands, and is likely to be of some interest to persons concerned with the work revolution. The premiere issue contains articles on "why reengineering failed," the "year of the manager" in China, the "riddle of job interviews," and the Bloomberg news organization, among others. Cover price is $3.95. Fast Company has a web site, but it's still under construction. After having an opportunity to see additional issues, we'll provide a review on our NewWork Reviews page.

Government reports U.S. economy moderately strong (Friday, 1/19/96)
After a delay because of the partial shutdown of the federal government and the east coast blizzard, the Departments of Labor and Commerce are catching up. Data for December indicate that unemployment remained unchanged at 5.6% and economic growth was slightly greater than expected, while new unemployment claims declined, as previously reported. In the absence of government reports earlier, Reuters' own survey had indicated an increase in unemployment during December.

New unemployment claims drop (Thursday, 1/18/96)
The U.S. Department of Labor, in its first employment data since the mid-December government shutdown, reports that new claims for state unemployment benefits declined to the lowest level since July.

U.S. high school students expect difficult future (Thursday, 1/18/96)
A survey conducted by Who's Who Among American High School Students indicates that many students are pessimistic about their financial future. Half or more of those surveyed said they expect they will have more difficulty affording college, getting a good job, or buying a house than their parents' generation.

Restructuring in higher education (Thursday, 1/18/96)
Minnesota's state universities, technical colleges, and community colleges were merged into a single system, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU), last summer. Now, MnSCU has announced that it will cut its central staff by as much as half, but most of the approximately 100 persons affected will be reassigned within the system. It is part of an effort to decrease bureaucracy, decentralize, and increase the autonomy of local campuses.

Wal-Mart earnings drop (Thursday, 1/18/96)
As an indicator of a weakening retail sector in the United States, Wal-Mart expects a decrease in earnings for the first time in a quarter century, adding to anxiety about the future of employment in retailing.

Apple to eliminate fewer jobs than expected (Thursday, 1/18/96)
Apple Computer Corporation, with a quarterly loss of $69 million, has announced that it will eliminate 1,300 jobs in a dramatic restructuring, rather than the 3,000 or more that many industry observers had expected. Details available through virtually all major news organizations.

Not a stock split, but a split nonetheless (Wednesday, 1/17/96)
The Washington Post reports that Loral Corporation Chairman Bernard Schwartz will split his $36 million bonus with employees who may lose their jobs or be demoted because of the sale of Loral's defense business to Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Boss pledges another month's pay (Wednesday, 1/17/96)
When Malden Mills burned in Massachusetts a month ago, owner Aaron Feuerstein issued Christmas bonuses and a month's pay to employees idled by the fire. He's just announced that the company will provide an additional month's pay as they begin to rebuild.

Snow day child care on site (Wednesday, 1/17/96)
Diane Lewis, writing in the Boston Globe, describes a program at GTE that provides care for children at the office when schools are closed by the weather.

Patience advised for tourism workers (Wednesday, 1/17/96)
According to The Post in Zambia, misunderstandings have arisen between tourism workers and new owners in the tourism industry, in part because of cultural differences. For instance, an official of the Hotel and Allied Workers Union said that abusive language, which might be normal in the investors' countries of origin, is "considered offensive here."

Job fair in South Korea (Wednesday, 1/17/96)
Korea's first job fair catering to employment at small- and medium-sized companies is starting at the Korea Exhibition Center in Seoul. Up to 500 companies and 50,000 to 100,000 job seekers are expected to attend. Smaller companies are experiencing a chronic manpower shortage and high turnover rates in the country. For details, see the Korea Herald .

Downsizing dampening economy, prez says (Wednesday, 1/17/96)
Ed Boehne, President of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve, says that continuing layoffs are raising job insecurity and discouraging consumer spending and are a major threat to the U.S. economy. Reuters and others have the story.

China disputes public's right to know (Wednesday, 1/17/96)
Because of "national security," China will introduce new restrictions on the availability of economic information to foreign news organizations, according to Reuters and nearly every other major news organization this morning.

Russian economy shrinks (Wednesday, 1/17/96)
The Russian economy contracted by four percent in 1995, but it's the smallest amount since reforms began. Other statistics are encouraging.

Not all layoffs hit the front page (Wednesday, 1/17/96)
Here are sixteen stories about layoffs, as the trend continues.

Indian unemployment declines, quietly (Wednesday, 1/17/96)
For decades, India has had the reputation, particularly in the West, of an impoverished country. However, major changes are occurring the world's second largest nation and largest democracy. A recent report shows a steady decline in unemployment in all categories between 1987 and 1992. In addition, India is featured in the PBS series on four emerging powers leading the world into the 21st century. Its middle class is now larger than the combined populations of Germany and France, and, so, among other things, is one of the world's largest markets for consumer products.

Unemployment increases in Portugal (Wednesday, 1/17/96)
As the economy of adjacent Spain improves, Portugal's unemployment hits a 4-year high . More evidence that the new economy is different from the old is that unemployment among university graduates in Portugal is increasing, while the situation for those with basic education has been improving.

Mixed news on the gender gap (Tuesday, 1/16/96)
For decades in the United States, women working outside the home earned about 2/3 as much as men working outside the home, on the average. Some of the gap has been attributed to blatant institutional discrimination in the same job categories, but much of it seems a consequence of women being more likely to end up in low-pay, dead-end jobs in the first place. The new edition of Working Woman reports on the results of a new survey indicating that progress has been made, but not in all categories. Typically, women now appear to earn 85-95 percent of what men earn in the same job categories. But, while women have gained in some areas, they've lost ground in others. Working Woman is on the web.

Trouble in Academe (Tuesday, 1/16/96)
The Chronicle of Higher Education (January 12) reports that unemployment among doctoral recipients in English and foreign languages reached a high of 10 percent in 1993-94. The same edition reports on a survey of college freshmen finding that they both support and oppose affirmative action, depending on how survey questions are formulated. Also, some graduate assistants at Yale were reported to be withholding grades in an attempt to obtain university recognition of their union. More recent reports elsewhere indicate that they've given up and turned in their grades. The Chronicle is on the web.

Asian economies compared (Tuesday, 1/16/96)
The January 19 edition of AsiaWeek contains a section called "The Bottom Line" that summarizes data comparing major Asian economies with each other and with some in the West. For instance, even though China's economy is the fastest growing in the world and is expected to become the world's largest, per-capita GNP is reported to be $435, compared to $8,550 in South Korea and $22,520 in Singapore.

Australian unemployment falls (Tuesday, 1/16/96)
According to Australian News Reports, unemployment fell from 8.6 to 8.1 per cent in December, indicating a more stable job market and pleasing the government, as a federal election approaches. However, the opposition claims that the increase in employment is artificial because it has come from government-subsidized jobs.

Familiar song, different verse (Tuesday, 1/16/96)
The London Times reports that business volume in the financial services sector has increased at the same time that financial services jobs have decreased at their fastest rate in two years.

Help offered in Ireland (Tuesday, 1/16/96)
The Irish Times has put its New Year, New Career supplement online. Today's edition of the paper also reports that government budget measures will focus on low paid workers and the long-term unemployed.

Work in sickness and in health (Tuesday, 1/16/96)
Vickie Elmer, writing in The Detroit Journal, offers suggestions on how to cope with a sick child and work at the same time.

Things aren't as bad as they may look (Tuesday, 1/16/96)
The January 22 edition of Business Week reports on vigorous job creation at the same time that major layoffs are occurring. The same edition discusses the economic effects of the 24-day strike by public workers in France's already weakening economy. Business Week is on America Online and also has a web site.

Cash crisis threatens prison jobs (Monday, 1/15/96)
The British prison service will reduce security measures, cut jobs, and cut back on major projects because of treasury cuts. Some budgets have been cut by two-thirds. Two-thousand jobs could disappear. Details in the Electronic Telegraph.

Opportunities will be greater in small companies (Monday, 1/15/96)
The January edition of Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine offers forecasts for the new year. Among them: Most large companies don't plan to hire new permanent workers during the year, and downsizing will continue. Contrary to other forecasts, college grads are expected to find the best opportunities in years, and opportunities will be best in small, high-growth companies.

Health care and computers expected to be hot (Monday, 1/15/96)
The winter edition of Money magazine expects the health care and computer industries to generate the largest number of new jobs during the year. Opportunities should be better in small companies rather than large, and workers are advised to consider a move to an area with a shortage of qualified workers.

Poll finds anxiety among Canadians (Monday, 1/15/96)
Late last summer, The Gallup Poll found that 39% of Canadians surveyed expect that they could lose their jobs. Job insecurity seems greater on the Atlantic side of the country. Less than 40% surveyed feel that they could quickly find a new job if they lost their current one. The Gallup Organization maintains a site and newsletter archive on the web.

Loyalty and commitment must be redefined. (Monday, 1/15/96)
Writing in the November/December edition of Business Horizons, Marie McKendall claims that people and their employers are rethinking assumptions. Firms have no moral duty to provide long-term job security, only performance and profitability. No employment relationship should be considered permanent. Other types of commitment, such as to one's profession, are more appropriate.

The good, the bad, and the ugly (Monday, 1/15/96)
A study by Leo Krantz reported in the August 1995 edition of American Demographics ranked 250 occupations by six criteria, including day-to-day working conditions, employment outlook, income, and security. According to these criteria, the worst jobs were rated low in all categories, including taxi driver, auto painter, and dancer. Among the best were those involving information or computer technology in clean, safe environments. Krantz provides details in his book, Job Rated Almanac.

Another retailer in trouble (Sunday, 1/14/96)
Concern about the future of retailing jobs is heightened after the worst holiday shopping season in five years, plus the surge in TV shopping channels and a scramble to exploit the Internet's shopping possibilities. Kmart may be the largest retailer in trouble, but Reuters reports that Ames Department Stores will close 17 stores and eliminate 71 jobs at its headquarters.

Affirmative action ended in Louisiana state government (Sunday, 1/14/96)
It's Louisiana Governor Mike Foster's first executive order and prohibits discrimination in state hiring, requiring that all state positions be awarded on merit.

Job fairs come to Russia (Sunday, 1/14/96)
Ever since Bach composed the Brandenburg Concertos as part of a job application (and didn't get the job!), it has been clear that employee selection is an imperfect art, often contaminated by discriminatory irrelevancies. Stephanie Simon, writing in the Los Angeles Times, describes the frustrations of seeking employment in Russia within a brutally competitive market. For women, the emphasis is on appearance and even the ability to dance suggestively for prospective employers at job fairs.

Restructuring and layoffs don't always improve productivity (Sunday, 1/14/96)
Surveys conducted by the American Management Association found that productivity decreased almost as frequently as it increased following downsizing in 700 companies surveyed. Productivity gains appear to depend, not simply on a reduction in the number of workers, but on restructuring combined with other factors. The AMA is on the web.

If you're over-networked, help is on the way (Saturday, 1/13/96)
For years, career consultants have been telling people to get out there and network. However, some may learn this lesson too well, and you may need some tools for self defense. The January edition of Working Woman contains an article called "Fending off nuisance networkers," without just saying, "drop dead," that is. The same edition contains the magazine's 1995 "Hall of Shame" listing of individuals and organizations that have done the most "to hinder working women and growing girls" during the past year. This issue is also distinguished by the fact that it is the only publication in this region of the Milky Way that does not contain anything about Bill Gates and his book. Whoops, no, wait, scratch that. He's on the cover.

PBS documentary describes economic progress (Saturday, 1/13/96)
"Emerging Powers," a four-hour documentary running on PBS stations during January, describes the tremendous economic developments that have occurred during the past ten years in China, India, Brazil, and Mexico, which, in many ways, are leading the world into the new economic era. Many surprising statistics are presented that emphasize how fundamentally different the new world economy is from the old. For example, China has the fastest growing economy in the world and is expected to surpass the United States as the world's largest.

Making layoffs easier? (Saturday, 1/13/96)
The January edition of Nation's Business contains an article titled "Easing the pain of layoffs," but seems to be mostly concerned with the pain of managers who have to do it. For example, it is suggested that you explain the company's problems to employees. Also, you are exhorted to be fair but to be sure that workers know how fair you are. Nation's Business is published by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has its own web site.

Help offered in managing stress (Saturday, 1/13/96)
Both MacLean's and Psychology Today have articles on stress and stress management this month.

Summary of recent forecasts offered (Saturday, 1/13/96)
The November/December edition of The Futurist contains their eight-page "Outlook" section summarizing forecasts made by various experts during recent months. For instance, jobless growth in U.S. manufacturing will continue. Manufacturing output grew 21% between 1987 and 1992, while jobs fell 4%, suggesting productivity gains that have been both good news and bad news. Also, one forecaster expects half of all U.S. retail stores will disappear by the year 2000, to be replaced by shopping on the infobahn. Suburban communities will be hurt, among others. The Futurist is published by The World Future Society, a huge nonprofit organization that has tens of thousands of members worldwide. It has many other publications as well.

Burma stirring (Saturday, 1/13/96)
After decades of isolation, Burma's economy is beginning to awaken, according to the January edition of Forbes. Last year, their GNP rose 7%, but exports are still dominated by products that, well, aren't welcomed in developed countries. Wages average $20-$30 per month in Burma, compared to about $200 per month in neighboring Thailand. Forbes sees investment opportunities. Most investment in Burma so far comes from Singapore. Forbes can be found on Compuserve as well as the campaign trail.

American immigrants not fitting stereotypes (Saturday, 1/13/96)
The January 11 edition of the Christian Science Monitor reports on a major new study called "The Changing Immigrants of Southern California." During a time of resurgence of anti-immigrant feeling in the United States, as well a various political initiatives to discourage immigration, this study finds that, contrary to common belief, immigrants adapt speedily to American life and improve their economic condition quickly. In fact, their upward advancement tends to be faster than for native borns. The Christian Science Monitor has a limited web site.

Major computer companies plan layoffs (Friday, 1/12/96)
Both Apple and Microsoft will be affected, according to C|Net, but for Apple, it's major restructuring and an effort to survive. Despite high demand for its products, other reports indicate Apple may eliminate as much as a quarter of its work force in an effort to become profitable.

Average monthly St. Petersburg wage up over a year ago, but rich-poor gap widens (Friday, 1/12/96)
The long, hard journey toward a prosperous market economy that began with the collapse of the Soviet system seems to be continuing, but most Russians can only dream of living standards like those taken for granted by many persons in the West. A recent study in St. Petersburg finds that average monthly income has risen from about US $74 to about US $146, compared to approximately one year ago, according to the St. Petersburg Press.

Prospects mixed for mid-life career changers next century (Friday, 1/12/96)
The January edition of the AARP Bulletin, published by the American Association of Retired Persons, contains an article called "Jobs 2000" forecasting demand in various occupational categories and discussing implications for older people making career changes or seeking extra work. It's based, in part, on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' recently released forecast for the year 2005. Details are available at the BLS's web site. The BLS's Occupational Outlook Handbook is available on the web, as well.

More on the "temp-ing" of America (Friday, 1/12/96)
Business Week, in its January 15 edition, reports on two surveys on the relative incidence of long-term jobs in the new economy vs. contingent contract, part-time, or sporadic employment arrangements. The trend seems to be growing, but there's disagreement about how widespread it is. Bureau of Labor Statistics studies indicate workers don't like it. In addition to its print edition, Business Week is available on America Online.

When's the next recession? (Friday, 1/12/96)
Despite ongoing structural alterations, the American economy has continued its expansion for nearly five years, so there's every reason to expect a cyclical recession sometime soon. However, sufficient strength remains that it may not come in 1996, according to The Detroit Journal . The Detroit Journal is an on-line newspaper published by striking newspaper workers in Detroit. Nearly 2,000 workers struck the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News nearly six months ago. Rocker Bruce Springsteen has announced that he will donate the proceeds from merchandise sales from his Detroit show to the striking workers.

Labour calls for full employment and an end to "culture of dependency" (Friday, 1/12/96)
As Lady Thatcher blasts John Major and urges a turn to the right for Britain's Conservatives, Labour Party spokesman David Blunkett says Labour will put "jobs for all first," according to an article by Joy Copley in the Electronic Telegraph. The ongoing debate about economic uncertainty, the role of education in ensuring social and economic survival, and a need for self-reliance cuts across traditional ideological stereotypes and mirrors similar debates in the United States and elsewhere.

Bausch & Lomb latest to cut (Thursday, 1/11/96)
Bloomberg, Reuters, and others report that Bausch & Lomb will close one of its plants and eliminate 800 jobs in its sunglasses division.

Former Northwest employee awarded $23,500 (Thursday, 1/11/96)
Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that a former Northwest Airlines customer service worker has won her suit claiming that she was discriminated against because she was pregnant. Northwest says it will appeal.

Henry Ford recalled (Thursday, 1/11/96)
Molly Ivins' syndicated column today discusses a Washington Post article describing the growing earnings drop and income gap since 1973 and its likely social consequences. She recalls that Henry Ford raised his workers' wages so that they "could afford the cars they built." She chastises the media for abandoning responsibility in clarifying issues relating to the proposed telecommunications bill as the latest in a troubling sequence of events. Ivins writes for the Fort Worth Star Telegram and is syndicated throughout North America.

Regional approach advocated on wage issues (Thursday, 1/11/96)
In its editorial this morning, the Saint Paul Pioneer Press discusses a ballot initiative last fall that would require businesses receiving at least $25,000 in taxpayer assistance to pay employees a minimum of $7.21 per hour. They welcome a revised plan, and say that a regional approach to creating jobs with a living wage would be better than one making St. Paul an island in a highly competitive job market.

Reforms and growth reduce unemployment in Spain (Thursday, 1/11/96)
Bloomberg reports on improving economic conditions in the Iberian peninsula.

Wage increases proposed for Indonesia (Thursday, 1/11/96)
The Singapore Business Times today reports that a plan to increase the minimum wage in Indonesia by 10.63 percent and the salaries of civil servants by 19 percent has raised concerns about inflation.

Special section on managing your career (Thursday, 1/11/96)
The January 15 edition of Fortune contains a major section on careers in the new economy. It will be of particular interest if you are a business professional. Fortune is available at your newstand, by subscription, on Compuserve, or in your barber shop.

Strong anti-Reich opinion piece published (Thursday, 1/11/96)
Ramesh Ponnuru says U.S. Secretary of Labor Reich is an advocate of big government and will misinterpret the role of apparent diminishing income and the income gap in America's problems. See the December 31 edition of National Review.

The new economy is filled with paradox (Wednesday, 1/10/96)
Despite massive layoffs, there are also many labor shortages, particularly in selected and specialized hi-tech fields. Secretary of Labor Reich has described the economic restructuring in his own books and is quoted in today's article by Diane Lewis in the Boston Globe. Also, in an opinion piece published in the New York Times last week, Reich called for economic incentives to business to preserve U.S. jobs.

American auto industry and worker pay to slump (Wednesday, 1/10/96)
The Detroit News reports that the Michigan Employment Security Commission expects an automotive downturn and shrinking auto worker paychecks in 1996.

First budget crisis, then snow delays reports (Wednesday, 1/10/96)
If you've been waiting for the latest employment and other statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor or the U.S. Department of Commerce, you'll have to wait a little longer. Even if those who believe there's too much government decide that we do need at least a little and manage to turn it on again, professionals in both agencies will have to spend time digging out, not only from the snow drifts, but also the growing backlog of work, according to officials. Both the Department of Labor and the Department of Commerce have web sites, but we don't know if anyone's home or not.

We're doing well and badly at the same time (Tuesday, 1/9/96)
William Raspberry's column today says the outlook is for more good economic news, as measured by the Dow, but less security for workers and bad news for next year's graduates. Published in the Washington Post and syndicated throughout North America.

German unemployment increases (Tuesday, 1/9/96)
Europe's postwar economic locomotive has slowed recently. The German economy has been showing major signs of strain, and its future is uncertain. December's jobless rate increased significantly, and more seems to be coming, according to USA Today and many others.

Privatisation produced high income for miners (Tuesday, 1/9/96)
Britain's largest coal producer claims that miners now earn up to £40,000. Productivity incentives help, according to the Electronic Telegraph.

Ireland may try radical plan to encourage employment and create jobs (Tuesday, 1/9/96)
The Irish Times reports that a plan combining incentives for young people to take jobs or stay in school with incentives for employers to increase hiring may follow from a recent government research study.

U.S. Supreme Court rules that employers may favor non-smokers (Monday, 1/8/96)
Reuters and others report that smokers may not simply have difficulty on the job from now on, but also more difficulty getting a job.

ABA Commission on women in law revises report (Monday, 1/8/96)
Once rare in the legal profession, women have made major gains. Given current female law school enrollments, 40 percent of all U.S. lawyers will be women by 2010. Still, female attorneys make less and less often occupy positions of major influence in the profession. The ABA's Commission on Women in the Profession has its own web site.

CBS-TV's "60 Minutes" does segment on "downsized" professionals (Sunday, 1/7/96)
Nothing new or surprising to outplacement consultants or employment psychologists here, but many will welcome the awareness that the hit show can produce. The highly educated, experienced, formerly highly paid, mostly male, mostly over forty-five multitude is fast becoming a lost generation, and doesn't fit what we've learned to expect about "have nots." In fact, many people still don't believe it. Still, the "60 Minutes" story could have been done several years ago, just as well. Millions of families have already been affected.

California's coming back (Saturday, 1/6/96)
During recent years, California's economy has seemed like a candidate for life-support, with weakening sectors and high unemployment, exacerbated in some regions such as Orange County by poor judgment and grand risk-taking gone wrong. Still, California's economy is larger than those of most of the world's countries, and its fundamentals have been strong all along. Now, it's coming back and may become the country's principal job creating engine. Check the Careers Online Newsletter for details.

News organization steps in for government (Friday, 1/5/96)
Government unemployment statistics for December aren't available because of the federal government shutdown, so Reuters has conducted its own poll and finds an increase in unemployment last month.

Judge rules that government can force employees to work without pay (Thursday, 1/4/96)
In order to avoid a "catastrophic" total shutdown of the federal government, a federal judge has ruled against the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees Union that had sought a temporary restraining order barring work without pay. Reuters has the story.

Year begins with more workplace violence (Tuesday, 1/2/96)
Violence in the workplace has become increasingly common as American society "overheats." One person is fatally shot in a Greenburgh N.Y. warehouse; others are wounded.

AT &T will eliminate 40,000 jobs (Tuesday, 1/2/96)
In a story reported by nearly every news organization in the United States, AT &T announced that it will eliminate 40,000 jobs as part of a restructuring effort to make the company more competitive. This is only one of many such announcements in recent months, and it's only the third largest corporate job elimination sweep so far. However, when AT &T reaches out to terminate someone, it seems to symbolize something important, and makes bigger news. Similarly, when IBM finally started to lay off people some years ago, it was widely interpreted as signifying the end of job security in the United States. For decades, "no layoffs" had been almost a part of the definition of IBM.

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