White Paper

The motherhood pay gap measures the pay gap between mothers and non-mothers, the latter defined in most econometric studies as women without dependent children. It also measures the pay gap between mothers and fathers. This is different from the gender pay gap, which measures the pay gap between all women and all men in the workforce. While there is a considerable international literature on the motherhood gap, differences both in methodologies and in how mothers, non-mothers and fathers are defined using available data create difficulties in comparing estimates. Moreover, in many countries, the data are often unsuitable for analysis, typically because the questions posed in surveys make it difficult to establish the identity of a child’s mother or father (particularly in developing countries where the nuclear family is less common). Nevertheless, many studies draw on international harmonized pay and employment data which provide a useful basis for cross-country comparison, and others provide informative trend analyses for single countries.

A fast-growing literature shows that digital technologies are displacing labor from routine tasks, raising concerns that labor is racing against the machine. We develop a task based framework to estimate the aggregate labor demand and employment effects of routine-replacing technological change (RRTC), along with the underlying mechanisms. We show that while RRTC has indeed had strong displacement effects in the European Union between 1999 and 2010, it has simultaneously created new jobs through increased product demand, outweighing displacement effects and resulting in net employment growth. However, we also show that this finding depends on the distribution of gains from technological progress.

Creating new jobs and in particular “good jobs”—in other words, jobs in high productivity sectors and that offer decent working conditions—is one of the major challenges faced by low- and middle-income countries.

This report considers the current situation of the professional and business services sector in the UK, the challenges it faces over the medium-term and the implications for skills. The intention is to provide a summary of the extent to which the performance challenges faced by the sector can be addressed through skill development and thereby bring about growth and contribute to the recovery of the UK economy. This is particularly important given that historical evidence suggests that recovery from recession can be hampered by skills shortages.

E-learning holds the potential to profoundly change the way post-secondary education (PSE) is designed and delivered. From a quality perspective, e-learning may be more engaging, less passive, and more customized to different learning styles than traditional lecture-based learning. There are about 1.3 million enrolments in fully online university and college courses in Canada. E-learning accounts for between 10 and 15 percent of PSE learning. Greater adoption of e-learning will happen if institutional focus on traditional classroom delivery can be reduced; faculty are adequately supported when they teach online; and e-learning design, development, and delivery practices improve. E-learning is the common term for the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to deliver learning. E-learning holds the potential to profoundly change the way post-secondary education is designed and delivered. The essence of learning is information―the transfer of information to students and the development of students’ ability to understand information and apply it in a variety of situations. Clearly, ICTs have greatly lowered the cost of transferring information. And, they also hold the potential to change the learning process by which students understand and apply information. One of the purported benefits of face-to-face instruction is personal connection. Yet, average class sizes have been growing, which undermines the engagement between student and instructors and among students. From a quality perspective, e-learning may be more engaging, less passive, and more customized to different learning styles than traditional lecture-based learning. It permits learning to be delivered just-in-time, when the learner needs it. It allows learners to learn from each other, through networking technologies. Although e-learning is not appropriate in every setting, it does hold the potential to greatly improve the quality of post-secondary education. This report explores the potential of e-learning in the Canadian setting.

Despite Canada having one of the highest levels of educational attainment in the world, employers regularly complain about a lack of skills. Skills are developed in a variety of settings—including education, work, family, and community. Labour market information systems are key to aligning skills availability with demand. Improvements in information technology make it much easier to understand which skills employers are demanding. Better alignment may come about through multiple strategies such as improved labour market information systems, a shorter school-to-work transition, partnerships between employers and educators, and informed employers. Canadian employer surveys regularly cite skills shortages as a key business challenge. Large, medium-sized, and small companies all suggest that they have difficulty finding people with the right skills for available jobs.

There's a lot of talk these days about the bleak future of employment: Claims that robots will steal all the jobs are commonplace. But the future of jobs isn't nearly as gloomy as many prognosticators believe. In reality, automation will spur the growth of many new jobs, including some entirely new job categories. But the largest effect will be job transformation: Humans will find themselves working side by side with robots. Infrastructure and operations (I&O) leaders must make sure these technologies not only cut costs but also drive customer value. This report helps I&O leaders think about the future of the workplace and the workforce and offers guidance on how to plan your company's strategy. This is an update of a previously published report; Forrester reviews and revises it periodically for continued relevance and accuracy. We're now updating the underlying model with full-year 2015 employment data and adjusting our assumptions based on recent robot technology announcements, uptake, and changes to the regulatory climate.

The Internet of Things describes a world in which everyday objects are connected to a network so that data can be shared. But it is really as much about people as the inanimate objects. Many millions of us already carry ‘smart’ phones in the UK but a phone is not smart. It helps its user to make smarter decisions. Smartphones are only the beginning. In the future we will carry sensors that measure our health and how we move around the environment in which we live. These will help us to socialise and navigate the world in ways that we can barely imagine. There is a danger of trivialising the importance of the Internet of Things through examples that are used to stereotype it - for example, the ‘fridge that orders fresh milk’. The Internet of Things has the potential to have a greater impact on society than the first digital revolution. There are more connected objects than people on the planet. The networks and data that flow from them will support an extraordinary range of applications and economic opportunities. However, as with any new technology, there is the potential for significant challenges too. In the case of the Internet of Things, breaches of security and privacy have the greatest potential for causing harm. It is crucial that the scientists, programmers and entrepreneurs who are leading the research, development and creation of the new businesses implement the technology responsibly. Equally, policy makers can support responsible innovation and decide whether and how to legislate or regulate as necessary. Everyone involved in the Internet of Things should be constantly scanning the horizon to anticipate and prevent, rather than deal with unforeseen consequences in retrospect. At the 2014 CeBIT Trade Fair in Hanover, the Prime Minister commissioned the Government Chief Scientific Adviser to review how we can exploit the potential of the Internet of Things. An advisory group, seminars and evidence from more than 120 experts in academia, industry and government have informed this review.

This report brings together evidence about skills and lifelong learning, discussing the barriers and the implications for the UK. This evidence will help government to develop the policies needed to adapt to a changing workforce.