This e-book covers a wide range of countries from Algeria to South Africa, and encompasses countries ranging from relatively prosperous mature democracies (Botswana) to impoverished absolute monarchies (Swaziland). Despite this diversity, a number of common issues and themes emerge in these papers. These include the sharp divide between formal and informal work, the problems faced by unions in organizing in contexts where formal employment is shrinking, and the often negative effects of liberalization. What all these papers point to is that the prospects of enhancing the quality of working life, and imparting greater fairness to the implementation of the employment contract is contingent on both national institution building—allowing for the nurturing of complementarities conducive to the expansion, entrenchment and development of higher value added production paradigms—and fairer terms, more equitable relations with the developed world.