Turbulence--rapid and sometimes tumultuous changes--has characterized the labor markets of the 1970's and 1980's. Turbulent competitive conditions have cut sharply into profits and have forced downsizings and radical readjustments in America's workplaces. Workplace turbulence has resulted in lost jobs, declining incomes, and falling productivity for American labor. From the perspectives of business and labor, turbulence and its consequences is the key human resources issue for the last part of the twentieth century. In Turbulence in the American Workplace, a distinguished group of experts forcefully and convincingly argue that the human resources capacity of the private sector is the first line of defense against turbulence and is of equal importance to public sector education and training programs. The authors--including Kathleen Christensen, Patricia M. Flynn, Douglas T. Hall, Harry C. Katz, Jeffrey H. Keefe, Christopher J. Ruhm, Andrew M. Sum, and Michael Useem--effectively demonstrate how global competition, deregulation, and technological change are creating hard choices for employers that will alter both the living standards of workers and the performance of American industry in the coming decades. This illuminating work will be of significant value to business school faculty, corporate strategic planners, and general managers, as well as students and professionals interested in the areas of public policy, industrial relations, education, and labor studies.

This comprehensive study of a range of contemporary career issues faced by both individuals and organizations has been revised and updated to reflect the most recent research and trends. The primary thrust of the latest edition is change—organizational change, changes in the work force, and changes in peoples lives. Among the topics discussed are the meaning of work, the implication of change on careers, career planning and management, practical applications of career choice, and organizational support practices. A glossary of terms has also been included to aid in the comprehension of the concepts related to each chapter.

What are the individual and organizational influences on career choices and adult development? Careers In and Out of Organizations provides an overview of the changing context of careers and describes the role of interpersonal relationships as influences on development of a person′s identity and learning. The author examines the nature of the new career contract and the different approaches that have been taken to studying career decision making. He explores how career choices are made, the developmental stages people pass through during the course of their working lives in organizations, and the factors related to career effectiveness including integrating career and personal life. The latter third of the book turns from research to the practical issues involved in applying theory including a look at how an understanding of career dynamics can be employed to make careers work better for individuals and for the work communities where they are employed.

This timely book investigates the experiences of employees at all levels of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) during a ten-year period of dramatic organizational change. As Boeing transformed itself, workers and managers contended with repeated downsizing, shifting corporate culture, new roles for women, outsourcing, mergers, lean production, and rampant technological change. Drawing on a unique blend of quantitative and qualitative research, the authors consider how management strategies affected the well-being of Boeing employees, as well as their attitudes toward their jobs and their company. Boeing employees’ experience holds vital lessons for other employees, the leaders of other firms determined to thrive in today’s era of inescapable and growing global competition, as well as public officials concerned about the well-being of American workers and companies.

Every day, in every sector of our economy, a business shuts down while another starts up, jobs are created while others are cut, and workers are hired while others are laid off. This constant flux, or turbulence, is a defining characteristic of our free market system, yet it mostly inspires angst about unemployment, loss of earnings, and the overall competitiveness of corporations. But is this endless cycle of fluctuation really so bad for America? Might something positive be going on in the economy as a result of it? In this penetrating work, three esteemed economists seek to answer these questions by exploring the real impact of volatility on American workers and businesses alike. According to the authors, while any number of events--shifts in consumer demand, changes in technology, mergers and acquisitions, or increased competition--can contribute to economic turbulence, our economy as a whole is, by and large, stronger for it, because these processes of creation and destruction make it more flexible and adaptable. The authors also acknowledge and document the adverse consequences of this turbulence on different groups of workers and firms and discuss the resulting policy challenges. Basing their argument on an up-close look into the dealings and practices of five key industries—financial services, retail food services, trucking, semiconductors, and software—the authors demonstrate the positive effects of turbulence on career paths, employee earnings, and firm performance. The first substantial attempt to disentangle and make clear the complexities of this phenomenon in the United States, Economic Turbulence will be viewed as a major achievement and the centerpiece of any discussion on the subject for years to come.

Practical Career Advice for a Turbulent Working World is a unique and practical collection of fifty-six inspiring short essays on how to successfully navigate a career through today's turbulent workplace; and find peace, some sense of comfort and contentment in the process! Drawing on the inspiring words of many of the world's most preeminent authors, lecturers and business leaders, this book provides you practical career management and job search advice. But more importantly, it also provides a much-needed dose of humanity, compassion and understanding to the sometimes cold, impersonal and grueling career management and job search processes replete in today's turbulent work place. This book can serve as a career planning and reference guide with specific essays pertinent to your unique career situation, or as an overall idea and inspiration source that can change your career and your life. Essay subjects include; - Finding Peace through Career Turbulence - Can Optimism be Learned? - Be Practical, or Pursue your Passion? - The Art of Career Wisdom - First Things First When Downsized ...and many more!

In our increasingly complex world, the turbulent forces affecting educators have become vastly more dynamic, creating complex challenges but, perhaps paradoxically, also unique opportunities. Reframing how to understand the drivers of turbulence, Applying Turbulence Theory to Educational Leadership in Challenging Times provides aspiring and practicing educational leaders with the theory and tools for understanding Turbulence Theory and its application to school contexts. Renowned author Steven Jay Gross explores how you can apply turbulence theory to respond to critical incidents, as well as how to address the tensions across various stakeholders, including the central office, principals, teachers, students, families, and communities. With over 20 innovative, case-based examples and discussion questions, this book explores how turbulence can be leveraged or minimized to increase creative opportunity and address dilemmas in schools.