• This weekend's Barron's cover story shows what the shortage of workers means for employers and investors.
• Other featured articles examine the prospects for a European company that has hit on a winning formula and consumer staples stocks that are worth a look.

"The Great Labor Crunch" by Avi Salzman points out that employers around the United States are scrambling to find enough qualified workers, which could keep a lid on economic growth. In the near term, the shortage is undoubtedly good news for workers, but see what it means for the likes of Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT).

Andrew Bary's "A European Coke Bottler Could Offer Bubbly Returns" makes the case that the world's largest independent Coke bottler, Coca-Cola European Partners PLC (NYSE:CCE), has hit on a profitable formula involving innovative products and packaging. See why this London-based company has joined the European war on sugar.

See also: What The Toys 'R' Us US Liquidation Means For Toy Makers

"Time's Up for Small-Caps" by Ben Levisohn explains why good things may come in small packages, but small company stocks as a group still lack the necessary ingredients for long-term outperformance. "For a longer lasting trade in small-caps, I usually like to see better valuations," says an expert quoted in the article, "and we don't see that right now."

Also in this week's Barron's:

• Barron's top 1,200 financial advisors
• Barron's best fund families
• The costs and benefits of tariffs
• Why robots won't solve the worker shortage
• The high cost of trying to keep up with Amazon.com
• Chile and the booming demand for lithium
• How borrowing drives the business cycle
• Whether stock investors' worries are overblown