The authors analyze labor market flexibility and adjustment capabilities of Japan and the United States. They examine the job shift to services and trends in wages, productivity, and exchange rates to judge the international competitive position of each country. (CH)

Compares unemployment, employment, and related labor market statistics in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Introduces employment-to-population ratios by sex and discusses unemployment rates published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and…

Three determinants of black male relative earnings are examined: relative educational position, industrial distribution of employment, and labor market discrimination. Overall improvement in the relative position of black men has been noted, but large racial disparities persist. (MW)