Nine Shift

Americans clueless about our prosperity: "Knowledge Jobs"

Americans are basically clueless about our economic prosperity and future, which totally rests with knowledge jobs and the knowledge economy.

How clueless you ask?  Here's how clueless.  Americans do 76 searches for the term "manufacturing jobs" for every 12 searches for "knowledge jobs," 6.3 times as many. By contrast, the English do 15 searches for knowledge jobs for every 34 for manufacturing jobs, just 2.3 times as many searches for manufacutring jobs.  And the Australians do 27 searches for knowledge jobs for every 33 searches for manufacturing jobs, only 1.2 more.  

What's that mean?  It means Americans do a lot of searches for the obsolete and declining manufacturing jobs, while they do very few for the term of our 21st century future of our economic prosperity. 

The Decline of America and the Knowledge Economy

Here's another measure of the decline of America:  the Knowledge Economy Index.

America, the #1 country in the world during the last century, right up to around the start of this century, is slipping among post-industrial countries.  Slipping badly.  Here's more data.

The World Bank has created a Knowledge Economy Index and ranks countries according to their strength in the knowledge economy.

In 2000, the United States ranked 4th.

In 2012, the United States fell to 12th.  Eight other countries surpassed the U.S. in the last decade.  

No other country in the top 73 fell 8 spots.  You have to get to Peru (74) and Jordan (75) to find the next countries falling 8 spots. 

Germany gained 7 spots and is now ranked #8.  Canada gained 3 spots and is now ranked #7. Finland gained 6 slots and is now ranked #2.  

The Top 15 changed little (Austria fell to #17, Taiwan,China gained 3 to #13). The current ranking:
 1.Sweden
 2.Finland
 3.Denmark
 4.Netherlands
 5.Norway
 6.New Zealand
 7.Canada
 8.Germany
 9.Australia
10.Switzerland
11.Ireland
12.United States
13.Taiwan, China
14.United Kingdom
15.Belgium

What do 10 of the 15 have in common?  They are all in Europe, which NineShift has previously identified as the current and likely "winner" for the 21st Century.  

 

The Irony of The New Times Reporting on "Knowledge Jobs"

The New York Times has only used the term "knowledge jobs,"  according to its own search engine, a total of four times.  And, if you read the last paragraph in this post: Plus, oh my, the irony!

Last month The New York Times used, probably for the first time, the term "knowledge jobs" in a front page story.  

"Knowledge jobs" are the entire, totality of economic prosperity for post-industrial countries in this century. And yet.... AND YET.... The New York Times has only done four (4) stories using the term.

4.Last month, in a story about how technology will eliminate knowledge jobs.
3.On September 4, 2012.
2.On January 6, 2004.
1.On January 10, 1965, in an article written by the modern day inventor of the term Peter Drucker.

The irony?  Counterdicting last month's story, Drucker (photo above) in 1965 wrote about how automation will NOT eliminate jobs.  P.S. Drucker was and is right. 

NYT Finally Uses "Knowledge Jobs" - - But Incorrectly!

The New York Times finally used the term "knowledge jobs" in a front page story - - and totally misused the term.

In a story about technology and robots supposedly replacing jobs, Claire Cain Miller wrote that "...technological breakthroughs....are enabling machines to do knowledge jobs...." 

See, here's the deal: It's not a knowledge job if it can be replaced by a computer or robot or algorithm.  

Americans continue to be clueless about the economy of the 21st century, which is the knowledge economy.  Words do matter.  Words enhance our understanding, or undermine it.  Get it right NYT.

Photo: My brilliant co-author with two best friends and future knowledge workers.

 

 

Big Media Switch on Americans Driving Less

Have you noticed what the media is NOT saying in all the coverage about cheap gas prices recently?

In the last month there's been dozens of stories about cheap gas, and the fact that Americans will/are saving billions of dollars, spending it elsewhere and helping the economy.

Have you noticed what the media is NOT saying?

The media is not saying that Americans are, or will, drive more.  All the articles assume that Americans will spend the extra money on other things - - and that's right.  Even with cheap gas, Americans are not driving more.  

To be sure, NineShift predicts that some Americans are indeed driving more, but that Gen Y and Baby Boomers are both driving less.  These two generations are the largest generations in society, and the combo of Boomers turning 65 and Gen Y remaining faithful to their wish to save the planet (and their own lives) is driving the non-driving.  

So I was in Madison and talking with the bartender who also wanted more trains.  I noted you don't get killed on a train and she replied, "Yeah, that IS one of the perks."     I like Gen Y sense of humor.

Me with an early bus, made in Wisconsin, now at the Evergreen Air Museum in Oregon (the one with the Spruce Goose.  Note to Wisconsinites- the Spruce Goose was not made of spruce, but of birch - from Wisconsin)

Another Myth About Gen Y Dies

NineShift was right again!  Another myth - - that Gen Y is not travelling - - has died (yeah).

From 2010, when we broke the story that Gen Y is driving less, to this year the media has been reporting that Gen Y is not travelling - - staying at home and on facebook they said.  

We proved that wrong here a number of years ago, citing the reports that Gen Y accounts for record train travel, and airline reports that Gen Y is their biggest growth market.  

Now the media has fallen silent on the not-travelling myth.  And this week a story on air travel noted that airlines are beefing up their first class and luxury accommodations because of - - you guessed it - - Gen Y.   Gen Y, they noted (as we noted in NineShift 10 years ago) values experiences over material things.  

Willie with The Spruce Goose and the Spirit of St. Louis.  He visited 3 countries last year. 

Today Historic Day for America and Trains in the 21st Century

Today is an historic day for America in the 21st Century.  Today is groundbreaking day for the California High Speed Rail System.

We predicted this day in our NineShift book in 2003. Now it has come true. 

The high speed train, which will go 220 mph, will bring people and jobs and economic prosperity not only to Los Angeles and San Francisco, but every city with a train stop along the way.

When other states see all the people moving there, all the jobs, all the economic prosperity, lots of other states will want - - and build - - high speed rail.

High speed rail will change our transportation system in America from highways to trains.
And make life more prosperous, safe and environmentally viable for all.

Happy train day!  

 

New Era in Learning Begins in 2015

The year 2015 is the first year in a 15 year transition of rapid change in learning, teaching and education, we reported (or predicted, your choice) in our annual Nine Shift presentation before 300 people.

You will see change in education happen quickly now.  I began feeling that 'rush' several months ago, a mix of feeling not able to keep up and also excited at the same time.

Of course, this happened 100 years ago.  While big societal changes ceased in 1920, the educational changes started later and ended around 1930. Which makes sense, since education reflects and prepares people for the new economy.  

 

The Key to Prosperity: Gen Y

21st Century cities understand the economic importance of recruiting and retaining Gen Y. Here's a recent story from the Twin Cities. The headline says it all.