References
This database has been compiled to provide a searchable repository on published research addressing “future skills” that will be a useful tool for researchers and individuals interested in the future of work and the future of skills.
The database integrates existing bibliographies focused on future skills and the future of work as well as the results of new ProQuest and Google Scholar searches. The process of building the database also involved consultations with experts and the identification of key research organizations publishing in this area, as well as searches of those organizations’ websites. For a more detailed explanation of how the database was assembled, please read the Future Skills Reference Database Technical Note.
The current database, assembled by future skills researchers at the Diversity Institute, is not exhaustive but represents a first step in building a more comprehensive database. It will be regularly updated and expanded as new material is published and identified. In that vein, we encourage those with suggestions for improvements to this database to connect with us directly at di.fsc@ryerson.ca.
From this database, we also selected 39 key publications and created an Annotated Bibliography. It is designed to serve as a useful tool for researchers, especially Canadian researchers, who may need some initial guidance in terms of the key references in this area.
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Reference
The global risks report 2019: 14th edition
The Global Risks Report 2019 is published against a backdrop of worrying geopolitical and geo-economic tensions. If unresolved, these tensions will hinder the world’s ability to deal with a growing range of collective challenges, from the mounting evidence of environmental degradation to the increasing disruptions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The report presents the results of our latest Global Risks Perception Survey, in which nearly 1,000 decision-makers from the public sector, private sector, academia and civil society assess the risks facing the world. Nine out of 10 respondents expect worsening economic and political confrontations between major powers this year. Over a ten-year horizon, extreme weather and climate-change policy failures are seen as the gravest threats.
This year’s report includes another series of “what-if” Future Shocks that examine quantum computing, weather manipulation, monetary populism, emotionally responsive artificial intelligence and other potential risks. The theme of emotions is also addressed in a chapter on the human causes and effects of global risks; the chapter calls for greater action around rising levels of psychological strain across the world.
Reference
Globalization 4.0: Shaping a new global architecture in the age of the fourth industrial revolution
Globalization 4.0 is at hand. A new phase of globalization driven by shifts in technology, geopolitics, and social and environmental needs, it will require concerted governance from multiple levels - corporate, national and international. This white paper represents the World Economic Forum (WEF) ’s call for engagement from stakeholders across globe and across societal and enterprise domains. In order to meet the challenges of Globalization 4.0, global actors must begin and sustain a dialogue that leads to a strengthening of global governance architecture, the multilateral system that has benefited the world and drives new cooperative arrangements for a demanding future.
The purpose of this White Paper is to issue such a call for engagement by governments, companies, civil society institutions and citizens to strengthen and adapt international cooperation and domestic governance to these concurrent transformations.
Reference
AI governance: A holistic approach to implement ethics into AI
There are many potential benefits to the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, including the reduction of economic inefficiencies and increase in high-skilled jobs. There are also significant risks that must be managed — through both technical design and policy-making instruments— to maximize these benefits for any given society while protecting its important ethical values.
Technical solutions alone are insufficient to ensure ethics permeate AI systems design, absent legal mandate and economic incentives. While legislation can incentivize competition, it is also limited by territorial and time-based constraints. This raises the importance of using alternative policy-making instruments that demonstrate “agile governance.
Human-centric AI governance is a complex enterprise that requires leveraging mixed policy tools to address the multi-layered ethical concerns at play.
Reference
Towards a reskilling revolution: A future of jobs for all
As the types of skills needed in the labour market change rapidly, individual workers will have to engage in life-long learning if they are to achieve fulfilling and rewarding careers. For companies, reskilling and upskilling strategies will be critical if they are to find the talent they need and to contribute to socially responsible approaches to the future of work. For policy-makers, reskilling and retraining the existing workforce are essential levers to fuel future economic growth, enhance societal resilience in the face of technological change and pave the way for future-ready education systems for the next generation of workers.
Yet while there has been much forecasting on transformations in labour markets, few practical approaches exist to identifying reskilling and job transition opportunities. Towards a Reskilling Revolution: A Future of Jobs for All provides a valuable new tool that will help individual workers, companies, and governments to prioritize their actions and investments. Using big data analytics of online job postings, the methodology in this report demonstrates the power of a data-driven approach to discover reskilling pathways and job transition opportunities. The methodology can be applied to a variety of taxonomies of job requirements and sources of data.
Reference
The future of jobs report 2018
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is interacting with other socio-economic and demographic factors to create a perfect storm of business model change in all industries, resulting in major disruptions to labour markets. New categories of jobs will emerge, partly or wholly displacing others. The skill sets required in both old and new occupations will change in most industries and transform how and where people work. It may also affect female and male workers differently and transform the dynamics of the industry gender gap.
The Future of Jobs Report aims to unpack and provide specific information on the relative magnitude of these trends by industry and geography, and on the expected time horizon for their impact to be felt on job functions, employment levels and skills.
Reference
The global risks report 2018
The Global Risks Report 2018 is published at a time of encouraging headline global growth. Any breathing space this offers to leaders should not be squandered: the urgency of facing up to systemic challenges has intensified over the past year amid proliferating signs of uncertainty, instability and fragility.
This year’s report covers more risks than ever, but focuses in particular on four key areas: environmental degradation, cybersecurity breaches, economic strains and geopolitical tensions. And in a new series called “Future Shocks” the report cautions against complacency and highlights the need to prepare for sudden and dramatic disruptions.
The 2018 report also presents the results of our latest Global Risks Perception Survey, in which nearly 1,000 experts and decision-makers assess the likelihood and impact of 30 global risks over a 10-year horizon. Over this medium-term period, environmental and cyber risks predominate. However, the survey also highlights elevated levels of concern about risk trajectories in 2018, particularly in relation to geopolitical tensions.
Reference
The global human capital report 2017
How nations develop their human capital can be a more important determinant of their long-term success than virtually any other factor. The Global Human Capital Index 2017 ranks 130 countries on how well they are developing their human capital on a scale from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) across four thematic dimensions and five distinct age groups to capture the full human capital potential profile of a country. It aims to be used as a tool to assess progress within countries and point to opportunities for cross-country learning and exchange.
Reference
Realizing human potential in the fourth industrial revolution: An agenda for leaders to shape the future of education
This White Paper is the outcome of an international, UK Dialogue Series organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF) 's System Initiative on Shaping the Future of Education, Gender and Work. The goal of the Dialogue Series has been to bring together leaders to develop a common vision on emerging issues. As a key output of the learning created by the discussion, this White Paper draws upon submissions by leaders and experts who engaged in the dialogue, as well as the latest thinking from international organizations, think tanks, businesses and other stakeholders. It provides a common narrative on the new context for emerging issues, identifies priorities for leaders, and supports the development of policy roadmaps.
Reference
Accelerating workforce reskilling for the fourth industrial revolution: An agenda for leaders to shape the future of education
The way people work, the skills they need to thrive in their jobs and the trajectories of their careers are rapidly evolving. These changes are significantly altering the skills required by the labour market. Continuous learning lies at the heart of thriving in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. While the skills required for most jobs are changing quickly, adult education and training systems are lagging behind. While 35 percent of the skills demanded for jobs across industries will change by 2020, at least one in four workers in OECD countries is already reporting a skills mismatch with regards to the skills demanded by their current jobs. This white paper argues that, in order to create a robust and inclusive adult education and training system, leaders from across business, government and civil society need to start laying a common foundation through strategic and coordinated action. The paper lays out key pathways for change and illustrates successful examples of implementation to inspire broad-based transformation. The paper is the outcome of an international, multi-stakeholder dialogue series organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF). It draws upon submissions by leaders and experts who engaged in the dialogue and the latest thinking from a range of organisations.