Explores three themes identified in the articles of this special issue: (1) assessing school-based rewards; (2) envisioning other promising possibilities; and (3) evaluating policy as well as people. Illustrates the power and limits of policy initiatives, especially in the area of monetary incentives or sanctions as vehicles for enhancing school…

An examination of the innovative compensation systems called gainsharing, profit-sharing, pay-for-knowledge, two-tier wage plans, and lump sum bonuses has the following public policy implications: (1) more research is needed to evaluate the private and public sectors' experience with those alternative systems; (2) gainsharing and profit-sharing…

This booklet, prepared by the United States Chamber of Commerce, is intended to help create a better public understanding of how productivity affects this country and to suggest how people can change public policy in favor of a revitalized America. The booklet is organized in five sections. The first section defines productivity and introduces the…

The relationship between education and the labor market, with a focus on the technical side and on the economic connection, is investigated. A potential role of educational planning for smoothing out market imperfections and thus preventing the emergence of social problems relating to the education-work relationship is discussed. (MLW)

To inform policymakers as they deliberate over the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) reauthorization, this guide reviews what states have done with the flexibility afforded them by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. The first section examines how states have shaped their welfare reform strategies…

This presentation examines teacher attrition and defines policies that could help reduce attrition. It first presents a theory of teacher attrition that explains what patterns to expect in teacher attrition and turnover and why some teacher attrition may be inevitable. It presents findings from a longitudinal study of Indiana teachers,…

Four articles deal with government documents on gender and sexuality, including sex and discrimination, pornography, the statistical uselessness of a study of the body measurements of airline stewardesses, working women in federal government periodicals, and federal policies and publications on sexual harassment. (EM)

What is known about proprietary schools and their effects on wages and earnings is summarized, with particular attention to aid to proprietary school students and student characteristics. Overall, findings provide little support for proprietary schools. One implication is that assumptions necessary for student loans are not met. (SLD)

Fifty-four percent of all midlife and older American women are in the work force. Like their younger counterparts, most older women work in nonprofessional occupations. Regardless of their age, working women earn less than men. Sixty-five percent of working women aged 45 to 64 are married; 30 percent are widowed, divorced, or separated; and 5…

This brochure presents the facts about the financial situation of older women. It explains the vital role of Social Security (SS) for women and offers suggestions to improve their financial outlook. A true/false checklist tests knowledge about women growing older and remaining financially secure. These reasons for poorer older women are outlined:…

In examining the source of public distrust for higher education and faculty work, this volume reviews empirical data concerning questions which lie at the core of the roles of faculty in academe, in the economy, and the larger society. Chapter 1 describes the background in changing social attitudes and economic factors. Chapter 2 looks at faculty…

Although the role of women in the American economy has come a long way in the years since 1950, women have made relatively little progress in quite a number of areas. In the years during and after World War II, women's employment has increased significantly, with married women being the ones who have entered the work force most rapidly. Despite…

Most female workers in developing countries do not have wage jobs. However, the preponderance of female workers in non-wage jobs is not consistent across all developing countries. It is highly likely that the proportion of non-wage female workers in developing countries is greater than is suggested by the statistics. Consequently, mothers in the…

The following are expectations about employer-provided training: (1) the incentive to provide general training arises largely because of transaction costs in the labor market, despite adding value to a worker's productivity when working for a range of employers; (2)employers sponsor training in specific skills since they are likely to reap the…

The advances women have made in the past decade have created the myth that women have achieved equal opportunity in the job market. In reality, the opposite is true. The current economic status of women demonstrates the need for strict enforcement of equal opportunity laws. Department of Labor data indicate that the wage gap between men and women…