Chapter 1 The World of Work
15
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 1-3. US jobs generally call for skilled labor because work requiring
unskilled labor is often done in other parts of the world.
Worldwide Job Opportunities
Professional, Administrative,
Managerial, and Technical
Needs highly skilled
workers
Relies on information
and technology
Offers many career
choices
Pays high wages
Parts Manufacturing
and Assembly
Product
Manufacturing
and Service
Needs skilled
workers
Relies on
technology and
machinery
Offers some
career choices
Pays moderate
wages
Uses unskilled
workers
Relies on physical
labor
Offers few job
choices
Pays low wages
Companies also contract with service providers for outside
help. Outside experts are often used to do payroll tasks, garbage
pick-up, and general cleaning. If a company grows unsatisfi ed with
the service provider, it can make changes when the contract expires.
Service contracts usually last for one year.
In a globalized economy, what takes place in one country can have
a major impact on a business and the economy of another country. For
example, an earthquake, a hurricane, or another natural disaster that
destroys roads in one country can mean increased business for road-
building experts from another country. Figure 1-3 shows an example
of this. At the same time, a natural disaster can disrupt a country’s
production of computer chips, which will result in a reduced number of
new computers on the market. Fewer computers on the market can cause
prices to increase. Whether world events are natural or manufactured,
they hold opportunities and consequences for businesses and consumers.
Service
The United States remains one of the top two manufacturing
countries in the world. While manufacturing accounts for a large
part of the US economy, a larger percentage of the economy has
shifted to services and information. A service is some nonmaterial
assistance for which people are willing to pay. This sector of the
economy has grown very rapidly in recent years. It will remain the
area of greatest job growth for the near future.
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