Strategies developed by US chemical firms to resolve their skill shortages

Today’s ever‐expanding global economy demands increased flexibility in all US industries where state‐of‐the‐art manufacturing and production methods are employed. A high‐skilled, well‐trained labor force is the key to a successful implementation of such methods that will allow the USA to compete effectively with those industrialized nations that have already made state‐of‐the‐art production and a high‐skilled labor force their top industrial and economic priorities. The US chemical industry, for example, is one industry that has found it quite difficult to follow through on these priorities. By factor analyses, regressions and cluster analyses, it is shown that many neo‐Taylorian practices persist through the development of lean production in this industry. If the US chemical industry is to compete competitively in the new global economy, it must make a more serious effort in addressing these priorities.