The author summarizes the International Productivity Symposium, "Productivity and Employment," held in Washington, D.C., in April 1988. This symposium dealt with such topics as (1) preparing for a changing economy, (2) employment effects of productivity growth, (3) worker participation in decisions about work processes and organization,…

Productivity growth was slow during 1958-80, partly because of the industry's tendency to retain skilled workers during cyclical downturns; computers and other electronic equipment aided production, but diffusion of such innovations has been slow. (Author)