This document contains two essays: "Toward a High-Wage, High-Productivity Service Sector" by Lester Thurow; and "Service Sector Wages, Productivity and Job Creation in the U.S. and Other Countries" by Louise Waldstein. The first essay analyzes the recent and currrent U.S. economy under headings called Growth Nodes, Falling Productivity, and Lower Wages. Under the heading Looking Forward, likely future economic conditions are outlined. Endnotes and a 15-item bibliography complete this section. After an introduction, the second essay examines the nature of U.S. service sector growth by analyzing its most important components and by comparing U.S. performance to that of several sectors in other comparable industrialized countries (France, Germany, and Japan). Drawing on those analyses, the various examinations of service sector growth are assessed. References, the sources for the 27 tables used, and a 70-item bibliography conclude the document. (CML)