Impending Crisis: Too Many Jobs, Too Few People (Hardcover)

by Roger E. Herman (Author), Thomas G. Olivo (Author), Joyce L. Gioia (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Best Books of 2002. Creative leadership, relevant, unique insight, actionable ... with 'head twisting' to challenge you. -- The CEO Refresher

Executives who want to ensure their companies' future success would be wise to follow this book's advice. -- Tom Lucas, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Adecco Employment Services

Impending Crisis is a book with a daunting message for business leaders everywhere: get moving, or else! -- Nancy K. Austin, Co-Author, Passion for Excellence

This is an important book. The authors offer insights on the future of managing a critical corporate resource - talent. -- Richard J. Semenik, Ph.D., Dean, College of Business, Montana State University

Product Description
Looming crisis ahead! There’s a dangerously growing shortage of skilled workers to fill jobs. Projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecast a shortage of skilled 10,033,000 workers by 2010. And this shortage is simply raw numbers; it doesn’t fully address the growing skills gap. The numbers also don’t take into account the changing attitudes in the workforce.

This crisis is just around the corner. Trends are converging to create an unprecedented dilemma for employers throughout the free world. Because so few corporate leaders are fully aware of their predicament, executives who do prepare for the new operating environment will lead their organizations to a bright future; those who ignore the threat risk dangerous vulnerability.

Employers have been lulled into complacency by the demands of economic, stock market, and competitive issues. Even with all these problems, there’s a bigger challenge on the way: Cyclical economic growth will create more jobs, providing abundant opportunities for workers who will make their own choices. Will they choose you?

Many healthy employers today risk extinction. If they don’t begin serious repositioning right away. the risk is great. Unfortunately, few, if any, employers have addressed the issues.

This book is a wake-up call. Filled with evidence and advice, for corporate leaders in for-profit, not-for-profit, governmental, and education organizations, this book cites chapter and verse about how to evaluate your vulnerability and take action.

No one is immune. The concepts presented in these pages are vital for board members, Chief Executive Officers, Chief Financial Officers, Chief Human Resource Officers, and others responsible for present and future sustainable success. Chances are, they have not evaluated their vulnerability or made viable plans to manage the impact of this crisis on their organizations.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 332 pages
• Publisher: OakHill Press; 1 edition (October 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1886939535
• ISBN-13: 978-1886939530
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #768,261 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Author Ignores Several "Wildcards", June 18, 2003

By	"mcne0088" (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

Frankly, I sure as heck hope this scenario comes to pass, but have serious skepticism about it.

As a new 2003 graduate of a prestigious university who is utterly and completely unemployed, with virtually no interest in my considerable talents and skills, I wonder about the future of white collar America. The author makes many rash assumptions and takes BLS stats as if they were the gospel truth. Look back at BLS projections for 1992-2002 if you want to see how fast things can change. Not even close to what actually transpired. He assumes perfect economic growth on the level of the late 90s, extrapolated out over the next 10-20 years. This is simply not feasible in an era of globalisation.

The biggest wild card is offshoring. An unbelievable amount of work will be sent overseas in the next 5-10 years. By some estimates, over ten million jobs could go out of the country, with over half of these being white collar and professional in nature. That sucks up the shortage right there. In addition, a subpar job creation pattern, economic slowdowns, and an exponential growth in immigration will remove even more labor need. I anticipate that there will not be a shortage, but persistent and growing unemployment.

He also places blame on the American education system for not creating enough skilled and educated people. What world has he been living in? College attendance is up dramatically over the past 10-20 years and graduate attendance is surging as well. If anything, the skills defects will stem from an era of new graduates from 2001-2003 and indefinately beyond that have been left behind. A huge number of America's youth, ranging from HS dropouts to Ivy League graduates, are either unemployed or severely underemployed by an economy that has gotten so picky that they will not train. A major step in the career development of those in their early and mid twenties has been eliminated. Are the future business leaders of tomorrow supposed to develop by waiting tables with advanced degrees? This is further worsened by the fact that many offshored jobs are entry level in nature. We are training the Indians to replace our youth.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read Soon, Before Your Crisis Arrives, May 6, 2005

By	Dan Crow (Safford, AZ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Well Worth Reading! You've likely heard it said that the first step to solving a problem is recognition. During, and since, my reading of "The Impending Crisis: Too Many Jobs, Too Few People " I've been speaking with business people who confirm all I've learned from this informative "MUST READ". Fortunately, now I not only recognize the problem, I also see practical steps that employers can take to position themselves to make it through the current and increasingly turbulent, employee shortages. I've found the research based evidence in this book to be presented in a way that not only speaks to CEOs and their direct reports, but also to every person, in any organization, that is planning to remain competitive in local, national or global markets. The real issues that affect employees decisions to either remain with or leave (and in some cases, even flee from) their current employers, are well addressed with an insightful understanding of the needs of all stakeholders involved in any business venture, including the customer. Since reading this book, I find myself looking at businesses differently; I now closely observe employees that serve me as a customer and many times I can see and hear the lack of commitment they have to their current employment. On the occasions that I am treated well as a customer, invariably, I find, through conversation, that this person likes where they work and is not being driven away by any of the 5 reasons most employees seek other employment. The last of which, by the way, is the amount they're paid. I recommend this book to any and everyone that is in business or a part of the workforce, but especially to those organizations that want to avoid being left without quality skilled employees.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of practical advice, October 20, 2003

By	Blaine Greenfield "eclectic reader" (Belle Meade, NJ) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Heard IMPENDING CRISIS by Roger E. Herman, Thomas G. Olivo
and Joyce L. Gioia, a book whose subtitle says it all: TOO MANY
JOBS, TOO FEW PEOPLE . . . though there's a fair amount of
theory relating to strategic planning, I liked it because of its practical
approach to things that can be done on a daily basis . . . this is
extremely useful for any individual or firm interested in ideas on how
to improve recruitment and retention, as well as about how to deal
with productivity problems.

Some of what the authors write may sound too obvious; e.g., employees
should be able to say:
1. I am proud to work for my company.
2. Our company has a stated set of values or guiding principles.
3. Our company has clearly articulated its values and beliefs.
4. Our hiring practices evaluate if new hires will work well in our
culture.
5. Our company places a high priority on training and development.

Yet because these recommendations are backed up with actual
research findings, I tend to believe that they make sense in almost
any work situation.