Skills and the Labor Market in a New Era


Book Description

Uruguay faces medium- and long-term challenges associated with two global megatrends: population aging and technological change. These two megatrends have been developing for some time, but policy responses have been late or inadequate in many cases. Trying to delay them--by promoting higher fertility or enforcing restrictions on the adoption of new technologies--would probably be ineffective but also ill-advised, as these trends are generating important opportunities to increase production and welfare. The objective of this book is to identify these opportunities, as well as the challenges that population aging and technological change pose for the Uruguayan economy and to determine how they can be addressed through better-designed public policies, with a focus on the development of new skills that increase workers’ productivity.




Are Generational Categories Meaningful Distinctions for Workforce Management?


Book Description

Headlines frequently appear that purport to highlight the differences among workers of different generations and explain how employers can manage the wants and needs of each generation. But is each new generation really that different from previous ones? Are there fundamental differences among generations that impact how they act and interact in the workplace? Or are the perceived differences among generations simply an indicator of age-related differences between older and younger workers or a reflection of all people adapting to a changing workplace? Are Generational Categories Meaningful Distinctions for Workforce Management? reviews the state and rigor of the empirical work related to generations and assesses whether generational categories are meaningful in tackling workforce management problems. This report makes recommendations for directions for future research and improvements to employment practices.




The Oxford Handbook of Digital Media Sociology


Book Description

Digital media are normal. But this was not always true. For a long time, lay discourse, academic exhortations, pop culture narratives, and advocacy groups constructed new Information and communications technologies (ICTs) as exceptional. Whether they were believed to be revolutionary, dangerous, rife with opportunity, or other-worldly, these tools and technologies were framed as extraordinary. But digital media are now mundane, thoroughly embedded - and often unquestioned - in everyday life. Digital ICTs are enmeshed in health and wellness, work and organizations, elections, capital flows, intimate relationships, social movements, and even our own identities. And although the study of these technologies has always been interdisciplinary - at the crossroads of computer science, cultural studies, science and technology studies, and communications - never has a sociological perspective been more valuable. Sociology has always excelled at helping us re-see the normal. The Oxford Handbook of Digital Media Sociology is a perfect point of entry for those curious about the state of sociological research on digital media. Each chapter reviews the sociological research that has been done thus far and points towards unanswered questions. The 34 chapters in the Handbook are arranged in six sections which look at digital media as they relate to: theory, social institutions, everyday life, community and identity, social inequalities, and politics & power. More than ever, the contributors to this volume help make it a centralizing resource, pulling together the various strands of sociological research focused on digital media. In addition to providing a distinctly sociological center for those scholars looking to find their way in the subfield, the volume offers top sociological research that provides an overview of digital media to explain our quickly changing world to a broader public. Readers will find it accessible enough for use in class, and thorough enough for seasoned professionals interested in a concise update in their areas of interest.







Higher Education and Research in the European Union


Book Description

This interdisciplinary book consists of three parts which examine the European Union policies on research and innovation, education and life-long learning, as well as the European Union Pillar on social rights and youth policies. In the first part, high-level experts analyze the European Research Area and its current enhancement, with emphasis on mobility and employability of researchers, especially in times of crises.In the second part, the governance architecture of the European Education Area(s) is explored and the new objectives of the Bologna Process, as well as the EU institutional framework of the recognition of skills and qualifications, are analyzed. Life-long learning is also important for the individual development of human capital especially for socially vulnerable people who could also benefit from literacy policies and skills development. The second part concludes with the evaluation of the EU education and training policy based on social indicators in the framework of the EU 2020 Strategy.In the third part, the book turns to Social Europe and the balancing between ordo-liberalism and ordo-socialism. It examines the EU Pillar of Social Rights and its impact on youth policies. It analyzes the EU youth policies e.g. on youth credit and their interaction with young people’s employment and education possibilities, with emphasis on the young people "not in education, employment or training" (NEETs).







Eroding Worker Protections: BC's New 'Flexible' Employment Standards


Book Description

Key Findings Sweeping reductions and changes to the enforcement program in BC have had a serious and negative impact on the ability of workers to become aware of their rights in the workplace, to complain of violations of their rights, and to obtain fair treatment in the process of pursuing complaints and having their complaints adequately investigated. [...] In November of that year, the newly-elected provincial government embarked upon a series of substantive changes to the Employment Standards Act, regulations under the Act, and the system of administration and enforcement of the Act. [...] For example, the stated goals of the new legislation were, allegedly, to: • protect vulnerable employees, particularly those in certain sectors; • encourage flexible workplace partnerships; • help revitalize the economy, specifically small business, by recognizing the needs and the realities of the workplace; and • simplify the rules.13 The goal of protecting vulnerable workers is restated in the [...] The Act was substantially restructured in 1995 following recommendations of the first and only compre- hensive independent review of the Act in 1994 by Commissioner Mark Thompson of the University of British Columbia's faculty of Commerce and Business Administration.16 14 Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives - BC Office Regulation The Employment Standard Regulation17 is that part of the law whi [...] Administration and Enforcement Administration of the Act, and the policing and enforcement of its provisions and regulations, is the responsibility of the Minister of Labour and Citizens' Services through the Director of the Employment Standards Branch and her/his staff.




Authentic University


Book Description

Today’s universities fail students, leaving them stranded in an alien world that differs markedly from the ivory tower institution that ostensibly molded them for the future. The Authentic University proposes to overcome the manifold shortcomings of the contemporary postsecondary school by offering an innovative education that corresponds to the realities of the modern era. This university blends three distinct concepts of student-centered education to provide students with a personalized learning experience that develops distinct skills and competencies required by today’s employers. Students can save time, money, and effort while learning the information and applications that they want and need. Contained within the covers of this groundbreaking book lies a thorough description of everything that educational stakeholders must know about the Authentic University, including supporting literature and practical models alongside strategies for planning and implementation. The world has passed the university by and will not wait for education to keep pace with its ever-evolving information and communication technology situated in an increasingly entrepreneurial economy. We, as educational stakeholders, must meet the challenge of change in an urgent way. The first step toward bringing the university into the modern era begins with this book; the manual for a radically new type of education termed the Authentic University.




Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Business and Society


Book Description

Belonging to the realm of intelligent technologies, it is increasingly accepted that artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved from being merely a development standpoint in computer science. Indeed, recent reports and academic publications show that we are clearly on the path toward pervasive AI in both business and society. Organizations must adopt AI to maintain a competitive advantage and explore opportunities for unprecedented innovation. This book focuses on understanding the wide range of opportunities as well as the spectrum of challenges AI brings in different business contexts and society at large. The book highlights novel and high-quality research in data science and business analytics and examines the current and future impact of AI in business and society. The authors bridge the gap between business and technical perspectives and demonstrate the potential (and actual) impact on society. Embracing applied, qualitative, and quantitative research as well as field experiments and data analysis, the book covers a broad range of topics including but not limited to human-centered AI, product and process innovation, corporate governance, AI and ethics, organizational performance, and entrepreneurship. This comprehensive book will be a valuable resource for researchers, academics, and postgraduate students across AI, technology and innovation management, and a wide range of business disciplines.




Counting the labor force


Book Description