Interesting Facts

Apple claims that statistics show it's responsible for creating or supporting 514,000 jobs in the US. (On their web page entitled "Creating jobs through innovation" the say that a study by the Analysis Group determined that Cook & Co. has "directly or indirectly" created 304,000 jobs spread throughout all 50 states. The remaining 210,000 jobs, Apple says, were created in the "app economy". It's the "indirectly" part of the statement that I have an issue with, as Apple directly employ 47,000 people in the US – about 9 per cent of the total they claim. Now I'm all for beating your own drum: if you don't beat it, no one else will, but the rest of the figures are difficult to quantify, Apple says they are made up from these "indirect" jobs, which come from "the development and manufacturing of components, materials, and equipment; professional, scientific, and technical services; consumer sales; transport...

According to the Japanese Ministry of Labour 35% of the Japanese workforce are temporary workers. (In 1988 only 18% of the workforce were temps. Japanese companies which were once committed to providing employment for life have been hit by the recession, but not all positions can be filled by temps. Regulations list the following seven occupations which should not be dealt with by private fee-charging employment agencies: 1) clerical occupation done by persons who have not yet passed one year after their graduation from school; 2) sales occupation done by persons who have not yet passed one year after their graduation from school; 3) occupation of services except for occupations of housekeepers, barbers, hair dressers, Kimono dressing helpers, laundering and cleaning technicians, cooks, bartenders, waiters and waitresses at formal restaurants, models and demonstrators of goods for retail; 4) occupation of security guards; 5) occupation of agriculture, forestry and fishery; 6) occupat...