ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the extent to which the current family is meeting the mandate to provide society with the person endowed with the qualities needed in the emerging Macroindustrial Era. The Macroindustrial Era requires individuals who are productive, creative, adjusted, and self-confident. Research seems to suggest that the intact, stable family structure provides the optimum environment for the cognitive and emotional development of children. Any society wishing to foster a generation that will successfully compete in the Macroindustrialization must take into consideration emerging data on the deleterious effects of divorce on children's cognitive and emotional development. Society will increasingly require an influx of intelligent high achievers in the next era. The US Department of Education study noted that the stability of the Japanese family and "the strong parental commitment of and sustained support for the education of the child" acted as a catalyst for Japan's economic growth.
