METHODS OF MANPOWER ASSESSMENTS IN LESSER-DEVELOPMENT COUNTRIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00036R000500020016-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 10, 2000
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: May 31, 1961
• Content Type: OUTLINE

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Doc. Pals
May 31, 1961
Methods of Manpower Assessments in Lesser-Developed Countries.
(Outline of a study project to be undertaken by the
Atlantic Institute) . -
The following outline is the result of a preliminary
study of documents on the subject as well as of interviews and
discussions with, among others, the following personalities:
- Mr. FORTIN
Professor of the University of
Leyden and of the Institute of
Social. Studies, The Hague.
Manpower Division of ILO, Geneva.
Director of the European Prodic-
tivity & Agency of OEEC.
Former Rector of the Free Univer-
sity of Brussels, Chairman of the
Institute of Sociology Solvay,
Brussels.
- Dr. A. KING Director of the Office for Scientific
and Technical Personnel of OEEC.
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- Mr. KOBBERITCH European Economic Community,
Brussels.
- Mr. Ja MINTZES Director, Labor and Manpower,
USRO, Paris.
- Mr. TALENTINO Assistant to Mr. Veronese,
Secretary General of UNESCO.
- Mr. VERANULEN Head of Labor and Social Factors
Division, OEEC.
- Mr. E. de VRIES Rector of the Institute of Social
Studies, The Hague.
We are expecting to receive within the next few days
comments on the project from other highly competent personalities
such as Prof. F. HARBISON, Princeton University, Prof. J.
TINBERGEN, Rotterdam, Mr. J. RENS, Deputy Director of
ILO, Prof. FOURANTIN, Paris, Mr. LYNAM, Chief of the
Manpower Division of ILO, etc... These comments will, if
necessary, be added to the present outline in a complementary
note.
The number and scope of problems and questions
involved in the study is extremely vast. Although the Institute
has by now a clear idea how the problem can be approached,
it seems at this stage difficult to present a plan showing the
detailed scheme of the study or its exact aims. As an example,
one can enumerate the following questions which could be covered
by the study:
a) - how valid in lesser-developed countries are manpower
assessment methods used in the West (cf. Regional
Mediterranean Project of OEEC, the Dutch Manpower
Survey, and so on...)?
b) - What other methods can be used in lesser-developed
countries?
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c) - What is the best vehicle for conducting manpower assess-
ments in lesser-developed countries?
d) - To what extent can. manpower assessments undertaken so
far in lesser-developed countries (for example the report of
Prof. Harbison on Nigeria, in Report of the Ashby Commission,
ILO"s Pakistan Project, ILOss "West Indies Manpower Infor-
mation Training Course", the new four-year plan for economic
development of Senegal prepared by IRFED, Paris, the work
of the Ford Foundation (Mr. Hilliard) in Egypt, etc... )
serve as an example for other countries of Africa and/or
Asia?
?
e) - .Manpower assessment as a prerequisite to programs of
assistance furnished by Western Nations?
f) - Manpower assessments and future manpower requirements
in relation to plans of economic development.
g) - The methods of manpower assessments used in the USSR
and other communist countries.
h) - When speaking about manpower assessments and future
manpower requirements in lesser-developed countries,
should one speak only about engineers, highly qualified
technicians and administrators (and thus about specialized
education) or about manpower in general (and thus, as
in the case of UNESCO, also about general and basic
education - of, for example: the conference organized by
UNESCO in Addis Ababa on development of education in
Africa, or the UNESCO major projects on primary educa-
tion. in Latin America and in Arab countries) ?
These and many other questions arise when one deals with
the general problem as stated in the title of our study. Which
of these particular questions should be studied and how they
should be linked into a coherent whole, will have to be decided
by a group of experts to be constituted at the end of the first
exploratory stage of the study. The difficulties are numerous:
lack of sufficient statistical material in lesser-developed countries,
absence of a common terminology, etc... All the personalities
and organizations consulted have however stressed the importance
of this study as much and also the advantage of having it under-
taken by the Atlantic Institute. The field, everybody agrees, is
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quite open and there is a universally recognized and urgent need
for a coordinated eff ort. The Atlantic Institute seemed to be
considered as an appropriate vehicle for undertaking the study
because of its private character and its relatively small size.
These two circumstances should allow for a great flexibility
and also a more rapid realization of the project (this point has
particularly been stressed by the spokesman of ILO, Mr. Fortin)
All personalities and experts consulted have shown a great will-
ingness to cooperate in the realization of the project if under-
taken by the Atlantic Institute.
3. METHODOLOGY AND TIMING OF THE STUDY
- First stage: "Stocktaking" ......July 1, to Sept. 30, 1961
Inventory of manpower assessment efforts undertaken
in various countries, by international organizations, churches, etc...
Inventory of and preliminary contacts with individual
experts working in the field of the study (work to be undertaken
by qualified personnel of the Atlantic Institute).
At the end of this stage, a small group of experts will be con-
stituted (five to eight people such as Professors Brand, Harbison,
etc...)
- Second stage: Grou.
of experts takes over the study......
October 1, to December 31, 1961
The group meets beginning October and decides on the
detailed plan and aims of the study. It also allocates various
parts of the study to its own members and/or outside experts.
The group makes a preliminary evaluation of materials collected
during the first stage of the project. It further determines the
general lines '(participants to be invited, subjects to be discussed,
reports to be prese:nted...) of a small international conference
(third stage of the project)
The group meets, if necessary, for a second time in
November or December to assess progress of work and for the
purpose of drawing the preliminary conclusions of the study.
? /?
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The group gives indispensable guidance forthe practical
execution of the project to its secretary (a qualified member of
the staff of the Atlantic Institute).
Third stage: International Conference ...... end of February 1962
~.~._~__-_ -- ------- (3 or 6 days)
Participants of this conference will be personalities
selected by the group of experts and will include representatives
from developed and lesser-developed countries, (experts from
international organizations, University professors, experts from
national organizations concerned with the subject).
The general aims to be achieved by the conference are: an
exchange of views between, experts from developed and lesser-
developed countries, a final evaluation of manpower assessment
efforts undertaken in the past and an evaluation of their general
applicability in lesser developed countries.
- Fourth stage. Publication of the Study...... February to
March 1962
(based on the work and discussions to be held during the second
and third stages and the various reports submitted).
During all the stages of the project, the Atlantic
Institute, its staff and facilities will, of course, be put at
the disposal of the project. A qualified staff member of the
Institute will undertake and. have activities connected with the
first stage of the project (inventory) ; he will further serve as
a liaison (by correspondence and personal. visits) between members
within the group of experts and will provide them (as well as
other interested persons and organizations) , with materials
collected, now and during the duration of the project. It is
expected that already in the course of the project, partial
results of the study will be made available by the Institute
to the I . C .A.. which. could be useful for concrete initiatives.
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