Literacy and the New Work Order: An International Literature Review

In the last two decades, lobbyists and interest groups of the New Right have presented literacy as an economic imperative, by an inverse process of blaming lack of economic competitiveness on those who lack skills needed for the New Work Order. Policy response in advanced capitalist countries has been to promote lifelong learning in the form of skills for work. This book offers the reader much more than an annotated review. Written by an experienced practitioner and consultant in workplace literacy, the review discusses theories in a way which makes them accessible and connected to practice. Texts are included which critique or support the rhetoric of the New Work Order, and an analysis is provided according to major themes: Crisis and Competitiveness, High Performance Workplaces and The Learning Organisation. These themes and the issues they present are explored in five advanced capitalist nations: Britain, Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. The implications of the debate for literacy practice in the workplace are examined throughout. Finally, it includes a section of annotations and a bibliography. The book can be used as both an annotated reference for workplace literacy texts and as a discussion of themes and issues which need to be further explored. Aimed primarily at workplace literacy education organisers and practitioners, it is of interest to any researcher, adult educator, workplace trainer and trade unionist wanting to learn about organisational change and the implications for adult literacy.

Table of Contents:
Foreword Introduction Professor Colin Lankshear Overview Background History The Changing nature of work The 'problem of illiteracy' Literacy in the context of the workplace References Part 1. Current themes and issues Crisis and Competitiveness Global restructuring The literacy crisis Responding to the crisis Refuting the crisis Some implications for provision References High Performance Workplaces TQM and change Flexibility The impact of technology Core and periphery workers Some implications for provision References The Learning Organisation Competency-based training Progression and promotion Banking and liberating education Some implications for provision References Part 2. Annotations (listed under text types) Social science theory Management texts Research reports Policy documents Unions Current practice/guidelines Part 3. Bibliography (Alphabetical listings only)

Review :
"This small neat book...gives a critically informed view of the new work order and its relationship with literacies. It discusses theories in a way which makes them accessible and connected to practice...As a training officer, I found myself wanting to contribute to the debate, and I would recommend this book to...anyone else engaged in workplace literacy" (Ann Stoner, Social work and social sciences review)