Case studies of 27 plant shutdowns during the past two decades are summarized and analyzed. The organization of this research summary follows the plant-closing event in a chronological fashion. In the first section is considered the state of plant-closing research and the concerns and options of the groups involved in a shutdown. A second chapter views the management decision in a series of economic contexts: international, national, and local. Next, the immediate and intermediate responses of management, the union or unions, and the community are considered, together with some related material about recent state and federal legislative initiatives and a brief outline of how European countries respond to economic dislocation. The second half of the volume (chapters 4-6) is concerned with the experiences of the displaced workers, their job search behaviors and subsequent labor market experiences, their participation in programs designed to facilitate reemployment and the outcomes of those programs, and the effects of job loss on mental health. A concluding section reflects upon the aims and objectives set out earlier and proposes concrete research projects as well as a general research agenda. It also summarizes the research findings and outlines the implications for policy and practice. (YLB)

Presents the real causes of plant shutdowns: mergers, new technologies, and worldwide domination of production by multinational corporations.