This collection of papers explores past and current trends among African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans in the context of a white majority. The papers, presented at the 1998 Research Conference on Racial Trends in the United States, provide analyses of racial and social dynamics and recommendations for future…

The question of whether inequality in skills explains inequality of earnings across advanced countries was examined through a review of data from the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), which examined the prose, document, and quantitative literacy skills of adults in 12 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and…

This booklet, which is intended for high school students, provides basic information about available types of postsecondary education and the kinds of education that will be required for careers of the future. The guide begins with a discussion of the various types of education now available to high school graduates besides a traditional four-year…

U.S. workers' views on discrimination and race on the job were examined in a telephone survey of 1,470 adults across the 48 contiguous United States that yielded 1,005 complete interviews. White workers were far more likely than workers of other races to believe that everyone is treated fairly at work. Race was a more powerful indicator of opinion…

Retailing is the largest industry in the United States, employing roughly 18 percent of the total labor force. However, high turnover resulting from low wages in entry-level positions and the perceptions of retail workers that job security is far from certain and that advancement potential is limited have resulted in low levels of employee…

A study was undertaken in Florida to examine the impact of the state universities on the state's workforce, using data sources from a follow-up program called the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program, which uses data from the unemployment insurance wage database, federal employment databases, continuing education data at…

This volume attempts to measure and quantify 10 labor standards in the United States and Canada. Its two purposes are to begin to fill the gap in the research by developing a measure of labor standards that can be applied across countries and to apply that measure to the United States (U.S.) and Canada to test a popular hypothesis that Canada has…

This document provides information on the nature, working conditions, and employment opportunities of 42 industries that accounted for nearly 3 of 4 wage and salary jobs in 1998. The following are among the types of information provided for each industry discussed: (1) nature of the industry (goods produced and services provided, individual…

This document contains four symposium papers on measurement and research tools. "Income Effects of Human Resource Development for Higher Educated Professionals" (Martin Mulder, Bob Witziers) reports on a study of 1,876 higher-educated professionals that found no correlation between participation in human resource development activities and…

This publication contains the three numeracy units of the three levels of Support Materials for Agricultural Training (SMAT) in the area of farmers as employers: Level 1 (starting), 2 (continuing), and 3 (completing). The units are designed to help the learner improve his or her numeracy skills needed to deal with employment of agriculture…

The impact of hiring temporary workers during the tight labor markets of the 1990s was examined through case studies of six hospitals and five automobile plants. The hospitals varied in size from 450 to 6,000 employees. The auto suppliers included unionized and nonunionized small and large companies. The case studies included extensive interviews…

A study assessed effectiveness of Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 performance measures. Data were from a survey of WIA program administrators in 50 states; visits to 5 states; interviews with labor officials and national associations representing state and local workforce development officials; and a document review. Findings indicate…

Data on the sophomore cohort of the original High School and Beyond (HS&B) study were analyzed to determine the value of the General Educational Development (GED) credential versus that of the conventional high school diploma in explaining the earnings of 27-year-old males in the early 1990s. The study sample consisted of those 4,899 male…

This bulletin is an examination of the practices and procedures for the administration of a merit salary policy as part of the teacher compensation program. It analyzes the procedures for the implementation of a merit salary policy in six school districts which are prominent examples in this field: Canton, Connecticut; Ladue, Missouri; Rich…

The College and University Personnel Association annual survey found most college administrators received a smaller pay raise in 1996-97 than in the previous two years though most outpaced inflation. Smallest raises were at doctoral institutions and among chief executives; largest were in specialized institutions such as freestanding professional…