Ireland in the 21st Century

We are living in a period of profound change in the world of work; we are in transition to an information economy which will bring changes as fundamental as did the Industrial Revolution. This process of change is bringing exciting possibilities and worrying threats for everybody. The wise and pro-active engagement with this ongoing process of change will be a central challenge for everyone in the future. This book is based on the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Centenary Conference on "Ireland in the 21st Century - The Intelligent Island". The conference posed many interesting questions: how can trade unions become more active creators and designers of the direction of change? what are the dynamics of change likely to be; how to trade unionists distinguish between change which is desirable and change which is destructive of the trade union mission? Congress invited a number of distinguished people to share their views on the challeges and opportunities which will face people in the future, and this book includes material by John Kenneth Galbraith, Michael Hasenne, Friedrich Verzetnitsch, Peter Sutherland, Phil Flynn, Ruairi Quinn and Robert Cornell.