The 1980s saw recession and substantial levels of unemployment in developed countries, followed by increasing globalisation of trade and an intensification of international economic competition. As a result of these pressures, a restructuring of industry seemed an imperative in a number of developed countries in the late 1980s. As this economic reorganisation took place, an increasing desire for change in the vocational and general education systems became evident in many developed countries. The economic restructuring of the 1980s required changes in work and work practices and the need for such changes became the impetus for an examination of the relationship between education and work in many countries. The prime outcomes of this examination might be described as the generic and work-related skills movement of the 1980s and 1990s that can be seen in many developed countries, and particularly English speaking countries.