Monitoring the Future (MTF) is designed to give such attention to substance use among the nation's youth and adults. It is an investigator-initiated study that originated with, and is conducted by, teams of research professors at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research. MTF contains ongoing national surveys of both adolescents…

The graying of the labor force, together with the recession of 2008-2010, has forced employers and prognosticators to take a hard look at workforce preparation, training, and planning. This employer research survey is one component of a larger project that explores the workforce, labor force projections, and employer views on training,…

This paper describes the decline and polarization of American cities into two separate and coterminous systems: the city of the poor, characterized by the function of redistribution (i.e., public welfare benefits); and the city of the elite, a city of information processing, economic facilitation, and consumption. Demographic trends and social and…

Politicians and the media typically focus on single issues, positing simplistic solutions for complex problems--solutions that cannot work because they fail to take into consideration how different social problems influence and affect each other. This book provides a guide to key social factors, highlighting the critical interrelationships among…

Reports the results of a survey on the design, development, production, and utilization of media in business training programs. In-house production is described, as well as the types of media most used by corporations, problems with outside vendors, and future directions of media development. (BK)

Population aging was one of the most distinctive events of the 20th century and will remain important throughout the 21st century. Initially, a phenomenon of more developed countries, the process has recently become apparent in much of the developing world as well. The shift in age structure associated with population aging has a profound impact…

This report, a special supplement to "Now is the Time," is part of an ongoing analysis of U.S. cities and their economic health. It focuses on one vital economic region, the Northeast. Data from a number of sources reveal some key findings about the nine states of this economic region. Most cities in the Northeast are doing quite well,…

The most remarkable trend in the U.S. labor force over the past 3 decades has been the entrance of more and more mothers of young children. In 1985, a total of 54 percent of the women with children under 6 years of age were working--four times the 1950 level. This report summarizes recent trends in labor force participation and outlines some of…

This booklet focuses on eight elements of population dynamics: "Population Growth and Distribution"; "Natural Increase and Future Growth"; "Effect of Migration on Population Growth"; "Three Patterns of Population Change"; "Patterns of World Urbanization"; "The Status of Women";…

Shrinking state funding and pressure for accountability are forcing institutions of higher education to overhaul their missions, take stock of their spending, and inevitably, reorganize themselves as they prepare for an increasingly competitive college market. Data on average state tuition increase, and appropriations to higher education are…

Although the Task Force on School Governance report claims that restructuring of school boards is essential to save the nation's failing schools, the real failure is society itself. Societal problems such as the nation's $4 trillion debt, air and water pollution, crime, drug abuse, and special interest lobbies abound, and legislators'…

The ERIC Futures Issues Component (EFIC) of the ERIC Clearinghouse on Counseling and Personnel Services (ERIC/CAPS) created a survey with each of the 16 ERIC Clearinghouses and the University of Michigan School of Education to identify emerging social issues and developments with potential for significantly affecting education. Respondents (N=79)…

This document presents a statistics snapshot of young people, aged 15 to 24 years. It provides a broad overview of trends documenting the direction of changes in social behavior and economic circumstances. The projected decline in the total number of youth from 43 million in 1980 to 35 million in 1995 will affect marriage and childbearing…

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the median age of workers will rise from 34.8 years in 1982 to 37.3 years by 1995. In the 30 years between 1955 and 1985, the number of workers aged 45 and over has risen from 25 million to nearly 32 million. Workers over the age of 45 are established in all types of occupations. The number of men aged…

This monograph is the third in a series of polls of the leadership of America's major public school systems. In addition to surveying board members, superintendents, and other leadership staff, this poll also included urban mayors and representatives of colleges and universities who work with staff and students of the member cities of the Council…