Employment potential in developed and developing nations is analyzed from an economic viewpoint. Estimates by the International Labor Office are that the global labor force will grow by about 900 million people from 1980 to 2000. It is projected that these 900 million people will join the current labor force including approximately 50 million unemployed and about 300 million underemployed. Accurate measures of employment are difficult because different countries count employment in different ways and often employ statistics of poor quality. The employment problems of poor countries center of low productivity and low earnings--both problems related to lack of technological advancement. In industrial nations, on the other hand, employment problems are exemplified by accelerating wage costs, inflation, and unit labor costs which are too high to compete with production from developing nations. To deal with these employment problems, policy makers must tailor economic strategies to meet specific needs. For example, policy makers in industrial nations might stress adjusting to long term trends such as slower growth, slowing the inflation rate, and targeting more funds to employment programs. In developing nations, policies should emphasize productivity, capital investment in labor-intensive industries, and massive agricultural aid. (DB)