Excerpt: What does the future hold for work in the 21st century? In a new study for the U.S. Department of Labor, RAND researchers Lynn Karoly and Constantijn Panis seek to answer this question. In particular, they examine how three major trends that will shape the future at work in this century -- shifting demographic patterns, the pace of technological change, and the path of economic globalization -- will evolve over the next 10-15 years.