This study examines the research impact of gold open access (OA) journals in engineering and technology. A total of 37 gold route journals that request article processing charges (APC) and 66 other OA journals without APC (i.e., platinum OA) in the field were found in the Directory of Open Access Journals and used for the study. The publishers,…

We focus on human capital measured by skills and analyse its relationship with R&D investments and productivity across 12 OECD economies and 17 industries. We compute a measure of sectoral human capital defined as the average cognitive skills of the workforce in each country-sector combination. The variation in labour productivity that can be…

The role of industrial technology in addressing productivity encompasses work experience and attitude, quality assurance, research and development, time and motion studies, plant layout and flow diagramming, cost analysis, production process selection, maintenance, computer applications, materials and inventory requirements, safety programming,…

When workers are displaced by machines, the economy can suffer from the loss of purchasing power. Historically the problem has been eased by shortening the work week, a trend currently at a standstill. (Author/JN)

In the last several decades, the United States has experienced a decline in productivity, while the world has seen a maturation of the global marketplace. Nations have moved manufacturing strategy and process technology issues to the top of management priority lists. The issues surrounding manufacturing technologies and their implementations have…

This article argues that the labor-displacement effect of microelectronic machinery, especially numerically controlled machine tools and robots, has been exaggerated and that people tend to confuse the impact of intensified international competition with that of the new technology. (Author/CT)

Mechanization of mining is explained in terms of its effect on the mining of coal, focusing on, among others, types of mining, productivity, machinery, benefits to retired miners, fatality rate in underground coal mines, and output of U.S. mining industry. (Author/JN)

Special issue includes "Creativity at the Workplace" (Donnelly); "Creativity Revisited" (Iandoli); interviews with 16 people who work in or teach industrial engineering, software, and graphic design; "On Creativity and Schooling" (Coppola, Iandoli); and "End Notes: What I Learned" (Iandoli). (SK)

A class of 71 industrial technology students was divided into either self-selected (homogeneous) work groups or randomly assigned (heterogeneous) groups. The heterogeneous groups had significantly better peer ratings and adjusted scores on their work tasks, but not better raw scores. Despite evidence of higher achievement in random groups,…

Robots are mechanical devices that can be programmed to perform some task of manipulation or locomotion under automatic control. This paper discusses: (1) early developments of the robotics industry in the United States; (2) the present structure of the industry; (3) noneconomic factors related to the use of robots; (4) labor considerations…

This report projects employment by industry for 1980, in order to provide a framework for an occupational outlook program. Included are detailed projections of the labor force, aggregate and industry demand, output, employment, and occupational projections. A 4.3 percent growth rate is projected for gross national product, reflecting an increased…

After tracing the evolving concept of production technology during the past century the authors define its divisions as construction, manufacturing, and processing, and talk about recent developments in the field, with implications for education. (MF)

Describes an approach for measuring industrial technological diversification behavior. Identifies sectoral patterns of Japanese industry as related to diversification behaviors. Delineates the mechanisms and effectiveness of Japanese corporate and government policies relevant to diversification. (ML)

Attempts to provide social studies teachers with a more comprehensive understanding of the Japanese economy than can be gleaned from the popular press. Describes the contributions of competitive strategies, technology, capital availability, and education to Japan's economic success. (AEM)