Along with the outsourcing of manufacturing, traditionally a fertile ground for union recruitment, the expansion of the part-time workforce has hampered union activity, as this sort of employee is harder to organise.

ECONOMIST: Disorganised labour | The

The idea that, after a period of expansion, the brain pares back its workforce to become leaner and meaner is somehow rather appealing.

ECONOMIST: Memory formation

"Slowing industry growth is both requiring Dell to resize its workforce and allowing the company to streamline its organisation after several years of rapid expansion, " the company said in a statement.

BBC: Dell to lay off 10% of staff

Last year, to prepare for the expansion, Daktronics hired 600 new employees, a 37% jump in the workforce.

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Carl Bildt, who was the Moderate Party prime minister during the recession of the early 1990s, notes that the government now crows about how the huge expansion of privately provided child care has helped to keep up female participation in the workforce.

ECONOMIST: The Swedish model

Interestingly, as the company undertakes this expansion of its facilities and distribution channels, it is also firing a sizable portion of its workforce.

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