This book explores the core themes of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) highlighting the digital transformation that has been occurring in society and business. Representing an interface between technologies in the physical, digital and biological disciplines the book explores emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials science, energy storage, and quantum computing. The findings of collaborative research studies on the potential impact of the 4IR on the labour markets, occupations, future workforce competencies and skills associated with eight industry sectors in Australia are reported. The sectors are: agriculture and mining; manufacturing and logistics; health, medical and nursing; education; retail; financial services; government services and tourism.

This book focuses on the challenges of capacity building for flexible work organizations in Asia, and demonstrates how business enterprises practice reactive flexible capacity (in the form of adaptiveness and responsiveness) to cope with changing and uncertain business environments. The book provides examples of how this can be achieved by means of various organizational change initiatives, leadership strategies, re-engineering, innovation in products and processes, the use of information and communication technology, reshaping learning orientations, and more. As these topics are supported by research and case studies situated in different sectors and countries across Asia, the book will provide a useful resource for a broad readership including: management students and researchers, practicing business managers, consultants, and professional institutions.

The Future of Work in Asia and Beyond presents the findings and associated implications arising from a collaborative research study conducted on the potential impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR - or Industry 4.0) on the labour markets, occupations and associated future workforce competencies and skills across ten countries. The 4IR concerns the digital transformation in society and business - an interface between technologies in the physical, digital and biological disciplines. The book explores many related issues: the nature of the 4IR, as well as demographic, generational and socio-cultural issues, economic and political perspectives, public and private sector similarities and differences, business strategy and managerial implications, human resource management/planning strategies, policies and practices, industry innovations, 'best practice' cases and comparative country studies. Chapters are based on a framework which combines labour market and multiple stakeholder theories. Issues are explored through the perceptions of organisational managers based in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand to provide an analysis of organisational, industry and government preparedness for the 4IR. This book is recommended reading for anyone wanting to gain an understanding of the 4IR and a range of related challenges and issues, as well as suggested strategies for governments, education and industry that are necessary to address them.

The numbers of workers employed on a temporary basis has grown massively over the last few decades. The benefits to firms of hiring workers on a temporary basis are clear and generally can be reduced to their cheaper short term cost. The status of workers employed in this manner however means that they are less likely to receive the same rights as their permanent working colleagues. This impressive new book provides the first serious analysis of temporary work and its effect on the economy as well as its ramifications for workers.

The Future of Work in Asia and Beyond presents the findings and associated implications arising from a collaborative research study conducted on the potential impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR - or Industry 4.0) on the labour markets, occupations and associated future workforce competencies and skills across ten countries. The 4IR concerns the digital transformation in society and business - an interface between technologies in the physical, digital and biological disciplines. The book explores many related issues: the nature of the 4IR, as well as demographic, generational and socio-cultural issues, economic and political perspectives, public and private sector similarities and differences, business strategy and managerial implications, human resource management/planning strategies, policies and practices, industry innovations, 'best practice' cases and comparative country studies. Chapters are based on a framework which combines labour market and multiple stakeholder theories. Issues are explored through the perceptions of organisational managers based in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand to provide an analysis of organisational, industry and government preparedness for the 4IR. This book is recommended reading for anyone wanting to gain an understanding of the 4IR and a range of related challenges and issues, as well as suggested strategies for governments, education and industry that are necessary to address them.

Over the past ten years there has been a massive growth in call centres worldwide. These centres are said to represent the most dynamic growth area in white-collar employment internationally since the mid 1990s. Yet the footloose and global nature of the industry means that jobs will always be susceptible to outsourced operations, ICT developments, public sector subsidization of business restructuring and re-location, and cheaper operations elsewhere. This book conducts a thorough analysis of this modern phenomenon.

This book explores the core themes of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) highlighting the digital transformation that has been occurring in society and business. Representing an interface between technologies in the physical, digital and biological disciplines the book explores emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials science, energy storage, and quantum computing. The findings of collaborative research studies on the potential impact of the 4IR on the labour markets, occupations, future workforce competencies and skills associated with eight industry sectors in Australia are reported. The sectors are: agriculture and mining; manufacturing and logistics; health, medical and nursing; education; retail; financial services; government services and tourism.

The rise of temporary work has been staggering in developed countries across the globe. The lower costs of employing temporary workers are clear to see, but what is the impact of this phenomenon on economies, and what is its impact on workers themselves?
These questions, amongst many others, are examined thoroughly for the first time in this book. The contributors to this volume consider the nature of temporary work, the status of the temporary worker and the multinational development of the temporary work sector from differing perspectives.
With an international group of expert contributors, and under the crack editorship of John Burgess and Julia Connell, this book has achieved an impressive feat--it is readable, breaks new ground and has implications for professionals across the world as well as being clear interest to economists and business students.

This book focuses on the challenges of capacity building for flexible work organizations in Asia, and demonstrates how business enterprises practice reactive flexible capacity (in the form of adaptiveness and responsiveness) to cope with changing and uncertain business environments. The book provides examples of how this can be achieved by means of various organizational change initiatives, leadership strategies, re-engineering, innovation in products and processes, the use of information and communication technology, reshaping learning orientations, and more. As these topics are supported by research and case studies situated in different sectors and countries across Asia, the book will provide a useful resource for a broad readership including: management students and researchers, practicing business managers, consultants, and professional institutions.

This book reviews employment conditions in Asian countries. This is the hub of the strongest growth area in the world economy and while attention has focussed on job growth and industrial transformation, there has been very little attention on employment characteristics and employment conditions. In particular, the book addresses the issue of whether globalisation, taken to mean the growing international integration of economies, is a factor that leads to a convergence of employment conditions, and more importantly, an improvement in employment conditions. The book brings together contributions on many Asian economies where these core questions are considered at both the macro level and for specified industries.
Addresses fundamental questions regarding growth, globalisation and working conditionsIncludes analysis of West, East and North Asian countriesIncludes an overview chapter from researchers from the ILO

Over the past ten years there has been a massive growth in call centres worldwide. These centres are said to represent the most dynamic growth area in white-collar employment internationally since the mid 1990s. Yet the footloose and global nature of the industry means that jobs will always be susceptible to outsourced operations, ICT developments, public sector subsidization of business restructuring and re-location, and cheaper operations elsewhere. This book conducts a thorough analysis of this modern phenomenon.