Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - 02160062
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED271530 AUTHOR: McGahey, Richard; Jeffries, John
TITLE: Minorities and the Labor Market: Twenty Years of
Misguided Policy.
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1985
NOTE: 68 p.; Also supported by the Bydale Foundation.
ABSTRACT: By analyzing industrial policy, this booklet
reveals a long-term conceptual problem that has impeded
progress toward fuller employment for blacks. The report
introduces industrial policy; gives an overview of leading
industrial policy proposals; outlines the employment
problems of black Americans; assesses the various analyses
of these problems; evaluates the efficacy of industrial
policy proposals for minorities; and explores various policy
options for improving the situation of black workers.
Industrial polilcy fails to address black employment
problems in three areas: (1) the nature of firms where
blacks work; (2) the role of schools and training in the
labor market; and (3) shifts in the composition and number
of available jobs. Retraining programs, for example,
concentrate on large primary firms and the short-term
unemployed, having little value when the real problem is too
few jobs. Growth alone has not solved black employment
problems in the past, nor will it do so in the future.
Rather than offer an alternative, the report encourages
industrial policy advocates and minority leaders to engage
in discussions which might lead to some new ideas for
change. The report advocates a continuation of affirmative
action programs, public employment, and income
redistribution policies--despite the associated political
problems. (ETS)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Economic-Factors; Equal-Opportunities-Jobs;
Job-Training; Labor-Market; Racial-Discrimination
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Black-Employment; *Blacks-; *Economic
Development; *Unemployment-
This is an ERIC database document. ERIC is the National
Education Information Network for providing ready access
to the literature of education -descriptions of exemplary
programs, research and development efforts, and related
information that can be used in developing more effective
educational programs. The ERIC database is currently
available on CD-ROM in the main library (ground floor of
the west wing) at Michigan State University. To locate
ERIC documents in the library identify the first line of
each record (i.e., the field ERIC TITLE NUMBER). ED
following ERIC TITLE NUMBER indicates an ERIC document,
an unpublished research study. Most of these items are
available in the Microforms library, located on the 3rd
floor of the west wing. All you need is the six digit ED
number. If EJ follows ERIC TITLE NUMBER the item is a
journal article. The complete journal name is listed after
the code JOURNAL.
This information is for educational purposes only. References
to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise
a commercial product or company.
This file was generated from data base DP on 06/25/02.
Data base DP was last revised on 12/95/ .
For more information about this data base or its contents please contact
cook@msue.msu.edu . Please read our
disclaimer for important
information about using our site.