Predmet:
ORGANIZACIJA I POSLOVNAKULTURA
Tema:
PREVOD
2
TEKST
21
ST
CENTURY SKILLS FOR 21
ST
CENTURY JOBS
The Changing Economy
Although it is often difficult to understand fully the breadth of changes that take place
during one’s lifetime, most Americans have some appreciation of the vast changes in technology,
the workplace, and the economy over the last few decades and are continuing today. Global
competition, the Internet, and widespread use of technology all suggest that the economy of the
21st century will create new challenges for employers and workers. For America to compete in
this new global economy, it can either create lowwage, low-skilled jobs or take full advantage of
the Nation’s labor force and create high performance workplaces. If economic success is going
to ensure a high quality of life for all Americans, it will require adopting organizational work
systems that allow worker teams to operate with greater responsibility, authority, and
accountability. And the United States has made its choice.
As recently as the 1950s, 20 percent of the workforce was professional, 20 percent was
skilled, and 60 percent was unskilled. In dramatic contrast, by 1997, while professionals
continued to be about 20 percent of the workforce, less than 20 percent are unskilled workers,
while more than 60 percent are skilled workers.
This great change in the composition of the labor market signals the dramatic shift the
U.S. economy and workforce have been undergoing — a shift that is likely to continue in the
coming years. In order to address these changes, U.S. workers must have the training, education,
and skills necessary to navigate the next millennium.
The U.S. economy is projected to generate nearly 19 million new jobs over the period
from 1996 to 2006. Services will contribute to more job growth than all other industry divisions
combined.2 Despite the popular perception of the services industry as a lowwage, in general, this
industry requires above average educational attainment and the services industry trend alone will
require a more highly educated and trained workforce. Due in part to global competition and
communication, as well as rapid advances in technology, newer and more sophisticated systems
of work, new ways to deliver
“In order to have a world class company and workforce, corporate America must create
and foster an environment where there is continuous learning, training, alignment of strategic
goals, and knowledge-sharing through the company. In doing so, it helps to create and prepare
