Basic Skills Deficiencies at Work: Perceptions of Small and Large Employers*

Authors

  • Geralyn McClure Franklin Stephen F. Austin University

Abstract

American business is faced with major problems  due to the decline  in basic work skills , yet many employers continue to ignore the threat of a proficiency gap in the workforce . This paper addresses the importance of basic work skills to business, especially small business. It also presents the results of a study comparing how small and large employers are screening for  and dealing with workers who lack basic skills.

References

Askov, E. N. ( 1991 , Summer). Literacy: Impact on the workplace, family, and school. Education l/ (4), 542- 547.

Beilinson, J . (1990, October). Workforce 2000: Already here?. Personnel 67(10), 3-4. Berney, K. (1988, October). Can your workers read?. Nation' s Business 76(10), 26-32. Business Council for Effective Literacy (BCEL) (1987).Business council for effective literacy, (brochure), New York, NY: BCEL.

Carlson, E. (1992, June 26). Helping educate small firms' workers. The WallStreet Journal , B I.

Carnevale, A. P., Gainer, L. J., & Meltzer, A. S. (1989). Workplace basics: The skills employers want. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of Labor and the American Society for Training and Development.

Carnevale, A. P., Gainer, L. J., & Meltzer, A. S. ( 1990). Workplace basics: The essential skills employers want . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Cunniff , J. (1992, January 21 ). Poor skills at heart of jobs crisis. Houston Post, AI , A6.

Fields, E. L., Hull , W. L., & Sechler, J. (1987). Adult literacy: Industry-based training programs. Columbus, OH: The National Center for Research in Vocational Education.

Goddard, R. W. ( 1987, December). The crisis in workplace literacy. Personnel Journal 66(12), 73-81.

Goddard, R. W. (1989, March/April). Combatting illiteracy in the workplace. Management World I 8( 2), 8-11.

Gorman, C., Cannell , M., & Hallanan, D. B. (1988, December 19). The l iteracy gap. Time 136 , pp. 56-57.

Hudson Institute ( 1987). Workforce 2000: Work and workers forrhe 2 I st century. Indianapolis, IN: Hudson Institute.

Kozol, J. (1985). Illiterate America. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press.

Larnoglia, J. (1991 , October). Study: Training doesn't match skills need. SHRM News IO( IO), 3.

Lee, J. (1990, December). Amidst the presses. American Printer 208(3), 54-56.

May, P. L. (1990, October). Back· to basics. Personnel Journal 69(10), 63-69.

Pack, W. (1990, March 5). The state's education challenge. The Houston Post , A-1 , A- IO.

Petrini, C. M. (1991 , February). Literacy programs make the news. Training & Development Journal 45(2), 30-36.

Pilenzo, R . C. (1990, February). Managing for survival in the l 99Qs. Modern Office Technology 35(2), 66.

Reiss, A. H. (1990, April). Nonprofits tackle a nationwide crisis. Management Review 79(4), 30-33.

Ross, I. (1986, September 29). Corporations take aim at illiteracy. Fortune I 20, pp. 48-54.

Saddler, J. (1988, November 3). Small companies are target of efforts to improve the literacy of employees. The Wall Street Journal, B I .

Sherman, S. P. (1991, November 18). America won't win till it reads more. Fortune I 25,pp. 201-204.

Sixel, L. M. (1991 , August 10). Basic training: Small firms focusing on need to teach workers skills. Houston Chronicle, B I , B6.

Small Business Administration (SBA) (1989). The state of small business: A report to the president. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office.

Szabo, J. C. (1990, February). Leaming at work. Nation' s Business 78(2), 27-28.

Washburn, S. z. & Franklin, G. M. (1992, January/February). A modem workplace in the face of an age-old problem: Illiteracy. Industrial Management 34(1 ), 2-4.

Zalman, R. G. ( 1991, February). The 'basics' of in-house sk ills training. HR Magazine 36( 2),74-78.

Zemke, R. (1989, June). Workplace illiteracy: Shall we overcome?. Training 26(6), 33-39.

Downloads

Published

1993-06-09

Issue

Section

Special Section

How to Cite

Basic Skills Deficiencies at Work: Perceptions of Small and Large Employers*. (1993). Journal of Small Business Strategy (archive Only), 4(1), 73-78. https://libjournals.mtsu.edu/index.php/jsbs/article/view/265