Developing the Wealth of the Nation: A Call for a National Human Resources Policy

The recent report of the MIT Commission on Industrial Productivity is the latest in a series of recent studies that reach the same conclusion: Neglect of human resources is the major competitive failing of the United States. Indeed, if one considers the sum total of the citizenry's entrepreneurial spirit talents, skills, education, training, and their willingness to innovate, cooperate, learn, and solve problems-then the key factor in the nation's economic development is clearly our people. Yet, human resources are the most underutilized (and worst managed) factor of production in the United States. In most U.S. corporations, the talents and productivity of employees are frustrated by poor organization and the unwillingness of managers to listen to their workers. As a result, organizations tap only a small percentage of the productive and innovative capacities of their employees. Similarly, state, local, and national policies fail to develop the full potential of the citizenry-education, training, and welfare institutions all fall far short of the mark. Hence, a National Human Resource Policy is needed to address these problems in both the public and private sectors. The president of the United States should use his office as a bully pulpit to encourage private corporations to utilize their work forces more fully, and to direct government agencies to bring some sense to myriad and self-defeating education, training, welfare, and job creation policies. Private initiatives to restructure work and to encourage greater labor/management cooperation, along with public efforts relating to education, pension reform, welfare, and job placement can lead to a more competitive economy, a higher quality of life, a higher standard of living, and greater social equality for all Americans.