bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple Criteria Decision Making Applied To Horse Racing
Authors: Windle David
Published: June 2007

This article describes how horse racing data may be used to introduce the basic ideas of decision theory.
A Measure of Relative Dispersion
Authors: Eisenhauer Joseph G
Published: June 2007

This paper suggests a measure of dispersion which is invariant with respect to linear transformations and distinguishes between large and small spreads.
Are They Getting There?
Authors: Rycraft Michael
Published: June 2007

A familiar situation, lateness of trains, is considered. The problems of quantifying it are considered together with situations where the binomial distribution, confidence intervals means and medians etc. can be used.
Teaching Independence
Authors: Dahl Henrik
Published: June 2007

Examples are given which illustrate how independence enters into statistical problems and a demonstration of independence is presented. Coverage in statistical textbooks is examined
Generalised Geometric Random Variables
Authors: Kinney John J. , Kepner James L.
Published: June 2007

Properties of the random variable representing the number of identical and independent Bernoulli trials necessary to obtain K consecutive successes are investigated. The results are interesting to students in a first course in probability or mathematical statistics.
The ‘Golden Egg’
Authors: Kimber Hilary
Published: June 2007

We examine a geometrical construction of a “perfect” egg shape, comparing it with students' conceptions of the ideal shape. Dimensions of birds' eggs are investigated, to find out how egg shapes are related to natural circumstances.
Bivariate Data: Lessons from Students' Coursework
Authors: Porkess Roger
Published: June 2007

This article examines some of the difficulties frequently encountered by students when analysing bivariate data and suggests how they might be overcome.
Data Handling: An Introduction to Higher Order Processes
Authors: Watson Jane M , Callingham Rosemary A
Published: June 2007

An activity is described which allows students with a range of abilities to become involved in data analysis and informal inference while working in self‐selected small group environments.
Investigating Probability with the NBA Draft Lottery
Authors: Quinn Robert J.
Published: June 2007

This article investigates an interesting application of probabilityin the world of sports. Specifically, it cosiders the role of permutations in the lottery used by National Basketball Association in the United States to determine the order inwhich non‐playoff teams select players from the college ranks.
Exploring Visual Displays involving Beanie Baby Data
Authors: Perry Bob , Jones Graham A. , Thornton Carol A. , Langrall Cynthia W. , Putt Ian J. , Kraft Cris
Published: June 2007

This article describes the learning experiences of young children meeting stem‐and‐leaf plots for the first time.
Push‐Penny: Are you a Random Player?
Authors: Perry Mike
Published: June 2007

Several measures of “success” for a simple game are discussed. Comparisons between players, and between a player and a simulation, can be made in several ways.
An Example of Instability in the Sample Median
Authors: Jolliffe Ian T
Published: June 2007

This short note shows that caution can be very necessary in use of the sample median.
The BioSS Challenge ‐ A demonstration of sampling bias
Authors: Smart Trevor S
Published: June 2007

A sampling problem is described which was given to the general public to illustrate the problems of bias and the need for randomisation when sampling.
The graphics calculator as a teaching aid in statistics
Authors: Iossif Gillian
Published: June 2007

This article explores some ideas for the imaginative use of a graphics calculator in introductory statistics teaching.
Unemployment in Spain: Its Causes and the Policy Response
Authors: Fina Lluís
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: One of the basic premises of this paper is that the loss of jobs in Spain is basically the reverse side of the specific characteristics of Spanish economic growth in the second half of the Franco years. The first section is dedicated to a general description of this period, and the second describes the loss of jobs which began in the mid‐Seventies, identifying the main sectors of the economy and examining the many reasons which explain the evolution of employment in each of them. The two following sections discuss the factors which explain the job loss: the third examines the permanent or 'structural’factors which may have had a negative effect on employment and discusses the extent to which they should be considered as given by the new situation and whether they can or should be altered while the fourth section examines the other, temporary factors, which have also had a negative effect on employment.

The fifth section examines some of the supply side factors. Although these factors have had a relatively minor influence on unemployment, they cannot be overlooked when attempting to get a complete picture of the situation and particularly of the prospects of the Spanish labour market.

The sixth and last section discusses how Spain's economic policy is responding to the problems examined in the earlier sections of this paper. Not every aspect of the economic policy can be examined in detail, and so the analysis is limited to a mention of the major objectives of the macroeconomic policy and then proceeds to examine the principal labour market policies, and those which are specifically aimed at solving the main problems identified earlier in the paper. Finally, a concluding section reviews and summarizes the main arguments and points out some policy implications.
A New Method of Indexing Wages in Italy
Authors: Faustini Gino
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: Wage indexing, which has been in operation in Italy since 1946, never gave rise to any perplexities for a long time, until the innovations introduced in 1975. At this point, numerous criticisms were raised by both politicians and economists, and following this, the system was modified, starting from 1986.

In this article the author illustrates these modifications and redimensions the criticisms which he retains excessive. It was only during its first years of being applied, between 1976 and 1978, that there was a high level of indexation, and then it subsequently decreased.

After various resistances and contestations, the decision to reduce the degree of indexation was also accepted by the trade unions, and thus it was possible to attenuate the inflation expectations, and bring inflation under control.
Constants and Variants in Political Exchange
Authors: Baglioni Guido
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this article is to offer some clarification on developments in a number of European countries in the postwar period. The crux of the analysis are the relations between the huge, functional interest‐group organizations and the political system and government, and in particular the trade unions. The intent is firstly to overcome the uncertain and often indistinct use of the concepts of political exchange and corporatism, then to offer an explanatory framework in which these modes, which have prevailed in Capitalist countries, can be grouped under the model of political exchange, in so much as the trade unions’representation of interest groups is affected by the factors and political advantages at stake. It then clariries the essential connotations of this model, which can be considered as constants compared to the variants within it, and also deals with the two types of political exchange predominant in the period and countries surveyed, namely pluralist and cor‐poratist variants. Finally the author stresses the need for empirical studies in postwar Europe, to check the acceptability and realism of the model used and test the validity of the theses here outlined, that is, that there are several variants — or strategies — of political exchange between trade unions and the governments and political system.
Dynamic Models for the Time Series of Industrial Conflict in the Labour Market
Authors: Pozzana Roberto , Procidano Isabella
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: In the aim to investigate the behaviour of some indicators for the industrial conflict and to detect the relation between such variables and the cost of labour in Italy, this paper suggests the use of Box‐Jenkins’time series analysis. By fitting a different stochastic process for each series, it can be shown that every indicator gives a different kind of information about the industrial conflict, so that they can't be indifferently substituted by each other. In a second step, cross correlation function estimates between cost of labour and each indicator suggest the different role played by 'strike frequency’and strike duration during any contract renewal.
Ten Years of Unionization in Italy (1977‐1986)
Authors: Santi Ettore
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: This paper is an analysis of unionization in Italy between 1977 and 1986, with particular reference to the evolution of the three major Italian trade union confederations: the CGIL (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro), with a communist majority and socialist minority; the CISL (Confederazione Italiana Sindacati Lavoratori), originally linked to the Christian Democrat party, but increasingly autonomous and politically pluralistic; and the UIL (Unione Italiana del Lavoro), with a socialist majority and strong social democrat and republican minorities.

After a brief review of earlier studies on the subject, the author traces (for the first time since the seventies) the changes that have taken place in union representation at the sectoral and territorial levels, basing his findings on new classification and methodological criteria.

The four principal results that emerge from this study are: a) the overall maintenance of union membership levels over the decade, due to a sharp drop in membership among wage and salary‐earners and a parallel increase among pensioners; b) the considerable decrease of unionization rates, especially in the more industrialized north; c) the limited membership in the services sector, where employment growth is strongest; d) the marked redistribution of each confederation's relative weight, to the benefit of the UIL.

Based on this, the author concludes by suggesting that the uneven influence of the economic cycle on unionization at both sectoral and territorial levels, can be explained by the continuing existence of a variety of representation models.
Small and Large Establishments, Employment Growth and Structural Change
Authors: Boeri Tito
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: This paper develops some simple descriptive techniques for analysing the relation between firm size, employment growth and structural change, in the light of the current availability in several OECD countries of longitudinal data on business firms. The methods proposed seem to perform well in defining the borderline between statistical artifacts, and genuine tendencies of the job generation process, especially as far as the contribution of small and large firms to employment growth is concerned. Based on the application of the aforementioned methodology to data on establishments in Germany in the period 1977‐87, the study finds that:

1)Changes in the scale of continuing establishments do not seem to contribute in the medium term to employment growth; net job creation (destruction) is mainly due to the pace of establishments entries (exits).

2)Especially manufacturing units grow or decline in a way which is largely independent of the employment performance of the sector to which they belong, i. e., there is a fairly large degree of heterogeneity in the behaviour of establishments producing the same kind of goods.

3)A large component of the observed positive employment performance of small business units is accounted for by statistical phenomena, such as the sample selection induced by exits from the population of business units, and the tendency of continuing establishments to regress to the mean size.

4)The size of continuing establishments is relatively stable over time, and, contrary to common biological analogies on the life‐cycle of the firms, it seems to be more likely that an establishment starts out being large than that it starts out being small and gradually becomes large.
Economic Growth, Employment and Labour Force Development in Western Europe: Trends and Prospects to the Year 2000
Authors: Collette Jean‐Michel
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: One of the most disquieting features of the situation prevailing in many European market‐economy countries over the last fifteen years has been the persistence of high levels of unemployment. Employment and labour force prospects were recently examined by the experts of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe as part of the process for the preparation of an Overall Economic Perspective to the Year 2000. The purpose of this paper is to briefly present some of the scenarios which were prepared for this project and to examine some of their main implications, particularly with respect to the overall labour demand and supply balance in western Europe. Particular attention is paid in the paper to the process of working time reduction, the emergence of new patterns of work and their possible impact on employment prospects.
Determinants of Unemployment Duration for Displaced Workers
Authors: Dell'Aringa Carlo , Lodovici Manuela Samek
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: In this paper we use survival analysis to estimate a reduced form model of the determinants of unemployment and unemployment registration durations. The variables considered in the analysis include personal characteristics, local demand conditions, unemployment income, and the time spent unemployed. The data set was collected both through personal interviews and Employment Service files and includes information on the individual history of a sample of displaced workers who were laid off during 1983 because of plant closings and job cuts in some industrial districts of the metropolitan area of Milan.

The parametric models included in the analysis are based on the Weibull, Log‐logistic and Log‐normal distributions. The results do not show the existence of negative time dependence.
From the Marginal Equilibrium to the Generational Paradigm. Microeconomic Behavior in a Dynamic Model of Social Equilibrium
Authors: Brunetta Renato , Turatto Renzo
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this paper is to formulate an initial hypothetical framework describing microeconomic behavior of labour market agents in a dynamic model of social equilibrium. To this end we outline an alternative hypothesis concerning the process of determination of labour demand and of the allocation of employment requirements on a generational basis. Reformulating the microeconomic model to consider labour as a quasi‐fixed factor, comparable to a population, and which follows a biological, more than a mechanical logic, the paper assigns primary roles to careers and dual markets, the first‐job market, and factors of asynchrony and social control mechanisms. At the same time, the generational determinants of the supply of labour are identified, together with the processes of identification and selection between labour demand and supply. On the basis of these considerations the concept of the generational paradigm is brought into the analysis. This paradigm designates the set of determinants of labour supply and demand behavior that are functions of time, of social and institutional variables, and of the technical and organizational structure of production. The paper ends with an initial thesis that the working of the generational paradigm is a crucial factor in the overall social equilibrium.
Pay and Industrial Relations in the UK Public Sector
Authors: Bailey Rachel
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: A decade of Thatcherism has produced a range of measures that directly and indirectly have had a significant impact on industrial relations institutions and outcomes. Economic growth in the private sector has been attributed in part to the development of a new era of industrial relations, one in which former patterns of job control, pay determination, strikes, and union membership have altered significantly and probably permanently. It was unlikely that the public sector would remain immune from such changes, particularly given the notoriety that industrial relations in this sector achieved during the 1970s.

This paper will examine the main developments in public sector industrial relations over the last two decades, concentrating on pay, and its associated outcomes, and on the performance of the institutions through which pay is determined. Throughout, the emphasis will be on assessing how far the changes that have occurred have tackled the perceived problems of the 1970s, or met the new requirements of the 1980s.

By way of introduction, section 1 summarises the main features of the UK public sector which relate to pay. Data on pay outcomes for the period 1970‐88 for the main occupational groups are provided in Section 11. A description of the evolution of pay determination machinery is given in Section 111, which concludes with a brief look at one indicator of the success or failure of these institutional arrangements, namely strikes. The fourth section deals with the criteria by which pay has been determined over the last twenty years, noting the interaction between these and the institutional arrangements. Finally, we look briefly at one other outcome, productivity, as one indicator of how well public sector industrial relations are geared to improving organizational performance.
The Principal Statistical Sources for the Labour Market in Italy
Authors: Guama Caterina , Tarquini Maurizio , Turatto Renzo
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: The state of disequilibrium which the labour market in Italy (as in all the major industrialised countries) presents, has been the centre of debate in political and economic circles for many years now. How should this disequilibrium be interpreted, considering the complexity of the phenomena found in the labour area? Can they be modeled into global explanatory schemas of general economic theory? The authors believe the complexity of these phenomena can neither be ignored nor simplified, but accepted as a distinguishing feature of the labour market, and thus have to be interpreted on the basis of numerous and often contradictory control variables.

This paper hence outlines the principle sources of Italian labour market data available, in order to provide a rational and critical guide to interpreting the available indicators. The sources examined are both institutional (the ISTAT and Ministry of Labour surveys) and private (the employers associations of Confindustria, Assolombarda and Federmec‐canica). The paper outlines the areas covered, the methodology, and the qualities and drawbacks that these surveys present.
External Constraint and the Labour Oriented Supply‐side Policies in Italy
Authors: Milana Carlo
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: This paper attempts to estimate the relative importance of various factors that, under an increasing external constraint, have contributed to the competitiveness and output growth in the Italian industry during the last eighteen years. In particular, it tries to evaluate the effectiveness of the few relevant supply‐side policies adopted in Italy, which were based essentially on labour oriented policy instruments. It is found that technological change was far more important than policy factors for restructuring and reconverting industrial activities and increasing the level of production.
An Explanation of the Occupational Structure of Sectors of Industry
Authors: Dekker Ron , Grip Andries De , Heijke Hans
Published: June 2007

Abstract. This study has been carried out by the Research Centre for Education and Labour Market (ROA) as part of a long‐range research project commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Sciences. The objective of the project is to develop an education/labour‐market information system to help secondary and university students choose the right type of school and/or occupation (ROA 1988).

The study reported on here sets out to disclose the factors underlying the development of the occupational pattern. The shares of occupational classes in each economic sector are taken as points of departure. The explanatory variables are technological progress and cyclical and structural sectoral developments. For each occupational class, an estimation is made with the help of a linear model, the estimation method being that of Weighted Least Squares. To permit several variables to be included in the equation, the data have been pooled over sectors and time. In two fifths of all cases, a model with explanatory variables has been chosen; in the remaining instances a sector‐dummy model was found to suffice.
Segmentation, Mobility and the Spatial Distribution of Activities
Authors: Maier Gunther , Weiss Peter
Published: June 2007

Abstract. The paper discusses the relationship between labor economics' segmentation theory and the polarization theories of regional economics. It is argued that labor market segmentation and regional disparities are fundamentally related and that one is both cause and consequence of the other. The argument is developed around the locational requirements of various functions of entreprises on the one hand and worker's schooling and migration decisions on the other. As can be shown, interregional labor mobility that is usually considered to be an important factor in equilibrating regional disparities enforces the interregional differentiation in a model allowing for a segmented labor market. The paper closes with reference of a few fundamental hypotheses that can be derived from the model and cites empirical evidence supporting this view.
The Future of Labour Relations in the Public Service
Authors: Treu Tiziano , Felice A. De.
Published: June 2007

Abstract. During the last decade, labour relations in the public service have been subject to pressures for change, less direct, given their protected character, than in the private sector, but not less strong.

The main factors of change are (only) in part common to those operating in private sector labour relations: economic constraints and budgetary restrictions, coupled with a general reaction toward the ‘public’ in general have put pressure on employment whose costs represent the major part of public expenditures; the need for greater productivity and efficiency has been increasing in order to reduce labour costs and (possibly) meet the growing demand for (social) services; technological innovations (office automation. computerization and the like) are spreading; the impact of the international competition has begun to be felt not only indirectly via constraints on the state budgets but directly in those sectors of public services which can be somehow ‘transportable’ across borders and hence exposed to foreign initiatives (public works, TLC, to some extent health services.

All these factors are emphasized by the European unification process which has already introduced limits in the monetary and financial autonomy of the member states.
Pension Schemes Comparison between EEC Countries*
Authors: de Falleur Marc , Guillaume Yvan , Meulders Danièle , Dispersyn Michel , Van der Vorst Pierre
Published: June 2007

Abstract. A lot of research has been made on macroeconomic spending on the financing of retirement, most of it taking into account demographic evolution. On the other hand, little research has gone into international comparisons that shed more light on the standards of living that are guaranteed after retirement, and on the flexibility and accessibility of public pension schemes. It is a study of this type that we have carried out for 11 member‐states of the EEC (Greece having been left out because of its lack of statistics).

In this article, we construct an index that reflects the levels of protection that are offered to the aged by the “first pillar” and under the most general conditions. On the basis of a series of important criteria (conditions for access, flexibility, intervention levels, etc.), we calculated an average of the scores for each criterion. These averages are then used to obtain a general score for each country, ranking them against each other relative to the quality of their respective pension schemes.
Union Power in a Welfare State
Authors: Keizer Piet
Published: June 2007

Abstract. Most West European countries have suffered from stagflation for many years. Mainstream economics has debated the question in particular in terms of the demand and supply of goods, labour and capital. But in recent contributions a new element has been introduced: the institutional structure of the economy as a source of imbalances. In this article we focus on the institutions of the labour market. For more than a century West European unions have been struggling to transform market economies into a more efficient and just order. Moral persuasion, strikes, and revolutionary threats were their main weapons. After the Second World War governments yielded to the pressure by building up, together with the unions, a welfare state. During the sixties however, the struggle was renewed, although the governments continued to improve the social security system and maintained their responsibility for full employment. A short sketch will be given of the ideological struggle during the first half of the twentieth century, leading to a significant institutional change: the transformation of a system of private wage bargaining into a collective wage bargaining system. Then the neoclassical, the Marxist and the Keynesian view on the effects of union power on the economic performance of a market economy and of a welfare state will be presented. The conclusion is drawn that the methods required to transform a market economy into a welfare state are anomalies as soon as a welfare state is more or less realized. This is particularly so, because the transformation of a welfare state into a centrally planned economy cannot be considered desirable. In present circumstances, it would be appropriate to pay more attention to the design of an extensive system of mediation and arbitrage to reduce the use of the strike weapon.
Entreprise Management in the USSR: is there a Productivity Drive?*
Authors: Grancelli Bruno
Published: June 2007

Abstract. According to some neo‐institutional economists, the trade‐off of perestroika is between the benefits of solving economic problems via institutional changes and the costs of upsetting the nomenklatura. The “sub‐institutional” analysis shows instead a series of organizational adjustments of the productive system that can render this dilemma less pressing, provide Western financial aid increases. This aid will ease the social and political tensions of the transition much more than helping the start of a productivity drive in Soviet firms.
Public Policy toward Employee Benefits in the United States, Canada and Taiwan:Lessons for European Integration
Authors: Mitchell Daniel J.B. , Peng Hsueh‐yu , Zaidi Mahmood A.
Published: June 2007

Abstract. Most governments intervene in the labor market to promote the provision of certain merit goods such as retirement income and health insurance. As economic integration has progressed within the European Community, questions have arisen concerning the harmonization of such benefits. Using case studies from three non‐EC countries—the US., Canada, and Taiwan—the authors show that benefit structures and decisions reflect institutions which are difficult to change and whose patterns do not seem to reflect a simple economic determinism.

The U.S. and Canada, two similar countries with integrated product markets, have adopted very different health insurance policies, but similar pension policies. Taiwan, despite its different stage of development, has a Canadian‐style health insurance system and is currently grappling with how to arrange its pensions. A key outcome of the benefit‐decision process is whether entitlements are external to the firm or contingent on maintaining a specific job attachment.

An important factor in modifying benefit arrangements is the degree of social concertation present in national political systems. Benefits systems are best designed or reformed when institutions permit discussion of macro pressures. EC countries, now considering harmonization of economic institutions, have the opportunity to modernize their benefit arrangements.

A related paper was presented to the Ninth World Congress of the International Industrial Relations Associations and its associated Study Group on Economic Policy and Social Concertation, Sydney, Australia, August 30‐September 4, 1992.
Labour Legislation and Institutional Aspects of the Brazilian Labour Market
Authors: Amadeo Edward J. , Camargo José Márcio
Published: June 2007

Abstract. This paper analyses the structure of the Brazilian Labour Code (CLT), the changes introduced since its approval in 1943, emphasizing the new Federal Constitution of 1988, the costs of labour and of dismissals for employers, the structure of union organizations, the regulation of collective bargaining and capital labour conflicts, and the process of wages determination. We also analyze the evolution of strike activity, and the evolution of wage differentials and functional distribution of income between profits and wages in industry in the last 15 years.
Consequences of the Disarmament Process for the Labour Market in Germany
Authors: Blien Uwe
Published: June 2007

In Germany the international peace process has important consequences for the economy, especially for the labour market. The German armed forces will be reduced from 520,000 to 370,000. Nearly three quarters of the approximately 830,000 foreign soldiers stationed in Germany are in the process of leaving the country. Parallel to this there will be a reduction of about 100,000 jobs for civil employees.

There are strong indicators showing that the market of civil employees is an “internal market” (of the type often described by labour market segmentation theory) and there are high barriers against the mobility of workers.

Measures of active labour market policy (especially of the German Federal Office of Labour) supports the transition of civil workers into new jobs. These provisions are assisted by measures of regional policy in regions with relatively high unemployment rates, where the dissolution and reduction of garrisons affect the prosperity of entire regions. In conglomerates with high growth rates, however, positive consequences of the disarmament process can be expected.
The Need for a New Theory of Production in Economics
Authors: Eaton Jack
Published: June 2007

The article argues that there is a need for a new theory of production economics. The premise is that the only extant theory of production in orthodox discourse depends on the maximising model of human behaviour. Adam Smith's bifurcation of economic theory into the province of self‐interest and that of justice also blocked off the potential for germinating a theory of production that would draw on motives other than self‐interest. The foundations for such an approach have already been set out by Bray in a neglected study. He suggested that mathematical economics was held back, rather than advanced, by its bondage to static equilibrium analysis.
Temporary Employment in France: A Decade Statement
Authors: Michon François , Ramaux Christophe
Published: June 2007

One of the more important aspects of French labour market changes since the mid‐1970s is the growth of temporary work; fixed‐term contracts and interim contracts. With a survey of French literature since the early 1980s, this article analyses explanatory factors of temporary work: macroeconomic factors: institutional framework, workforce supply to user firms, economic fluctuations; microeconomic factors: firm/ plant characteristics, economic and social firm strategies. Models of firms supplying temporary jobs are presented.
Testing for Independence of Wage Drift and Minimum Contractual Wage: An Empirical Investigation Using Italian Aggregate Time Series
Authors: Lupi Claudio , Ordine Patrizia
Published: June 2007

A theoretical two‐stage bargaining model for wage drift and minimum contractual wage is discussed and its implication in terms of Granger‐causality between the two variables is tested by using Italian aggregate time series. Empirical evidence suggests rejecting the independence of the two series. This result has, in turn, implications for policy analysis. Our findings seem to indicate the appropriateness of a policy oriented towards decentralized wage setting.
Disputes and the Tactics of Industrial Action in UK Manufacturing in the 1980s
Authors: Milner Simon
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: This paper provides an analysis of the tactics of industrial action using data from pay settlements in UK manufacturing in the 1980s. The relative importance and determinants of different forms of action are examined. A deductive model of factors influencing the tactical decisions post impasse is developed and tested, incorporating three elements: the feasibility of different forms of action; the organizational capacity to take action; and the willingness to use particular sanctions. The paper includes a critique of the applicability of North American strike theories to the UK industrial relations context.
Recent Developments in Greek Industrial Relations: Statutory and Attitudinal Changes Towards Participation and Cooperation
Authors: Jecchinis Chris
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: Industrial relations in Greece were characterised in the past by labour‐management mistrust and conflict, as well as by strong government intervention which invariably influenced the state of industrial relations. Political instability and other serious interruptions, such as World War II, the enemy occupation, civil war and two military dictatorships, made any effort for improvement very difficult, if not impossible, in the 1936‐1974 period. Some concerted efforts were made later and especially in the 1980s (with EEC influence and support), which met with considerable success. A series of parliamentary acts and ministerial decrees, restored trade union freedoms, introduced statutory consultation and participation, strengthened collective bargaining, and established an independent agency for the settlement of disputes. Some degree of unity was also achieved among the major political factions represented in the trade union movement.

More importantly (and in spite of their traditional reluctance to cooperate) the social partners represented on the employers‘ side by the Association of Greek Industries (SEV), and on the workers‘ side by the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) are beginning to move towards the development of innovatory systems of cooperation for the solution of problems of mutual concern. Furthermore, there are also some significant structural developments, including the establishment of a growing number of enterprise‐level trade unions, which are engaged in contract negotiations and agreements, and participation at the enterprise level. Additionally, appropriate research and training on both sides are helping to meet the socio‐economic challenges of the current decade and beyond.
Labour Supply: Which Theory? A Critical Empirical Assessment
Authors: Leoni Riccardo
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to test econometrically a number of models of labour supply which fall within the neoclassical and Keynesian theories, in an attempt to obtain indications of validation of the theories themselves. The econometric assessment, carried out with a cohort approach to labour supply, shows that Italian female participation rates react well to the variables belonging to both the neoclassical versions of models — with the exception of the version regarding intertemporal choices — and the Keynesian ones. Both in terms of testing for the selection of alternative regression models, such as those for non‐nested hypotheses and for selection of regressors, and of “internal” investigation within the estimated models, the results obtained are not without ambiguity. They therefore leave open the question as to which theory can explain labour supply in the most significant and appropriate way.
Early Retirement: The Case of The Netherlands
Authors: Henkens Kène , Siegers Jacques
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT This article takes a closer look at the scope of actual early retirements, reasons for choosing early retirement, the popularity of different types of flexible retirement schemes, and the status of elderly employees within their own organization. It appears that positive reasons for choosing early retirement are more often mentioned by persons in higher professional groups, by those with a higher level of education, and by those who work in the civil service or the service sector. Neutral and negative reasons are mentioned more often by persons in lower professional groups, by those with a lower level of education, and by those working in the industrial sector. Although the motives for opting for early retirement differ, there do not appear to be great differences between categories of respondents if they have been able to choose their age at retirement personally, within specified age limits. Approximately a quarter of the respondents indicated they would leave work at the age of 60, even if this meant a 30% drop in net income.
Post‐Divorce Transfers and the Welfare of Mothers and Children in the United States
Authors: Del Boca Daniela
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT In this paper we analyze the relationship between post‐divorce private transfers (child support and alimony), mothers' economic independence and children's welfare using US data. Our empirical results show that mothers who receive child support and alimony from absent fathers are more likely to work and to spend a higher proportion of the income on child‐related goods. We argue that the pattern of empirical results is consistent with there being significant externalities between parents even after divorce.
A Forecast Model for Unemployment by Education
Authors: Groes Nils , Larsen Anders Holm , Tranaes Torben
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT We present a dynamic forecast model for the labour market: demand for labour by education and the distribution of labour by education among industries are determined endogenously with overall demand by industry given exogenously. The model is derived from a simple behavioural equation based on a strong relationship between the “strength” in the struggle for jobs of an educational group, and the change in relative supply. This relationship proves to be significant in the data. Furthermore, when used to forecast employment by education on real data, the model predicts reasonably well even for educational groups, where the initial forecast year is a change point for unemployment.
On the Measurement of Corporatism
Authors: Cörvers Frank , van Veen Tom
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: It is noticed that in both theoretical and empirical analyses concerning the relationship between corporatism and economic performance, the role of government is kept rather implicit. This article aims to incorporate government into the analysis in a more explicit way by analyzing whether government policies differ between corporatist and non‐corporatist countries. The empirical results of the research reveal that corporatist countries are not only characterized by centralization or coordination of wage bargaining, but also by relatively high government expenditure, tax revenues, a higher ratio of active to passive labour market policies and also higher average unemployment benefits.
Labour Market Regulation, Flexibility and Employment
Authors: Erickson Christopher L. , Mitchell Daniel J. B.
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: Chronic unemployment and slow employment growth in some countries have led to calls for more labor‐market “flexibility”. This paper defines the flexibility issue in terms of legally‐mandated “severance”, a generalized employment cost linked to seniority. A mandated severance benefit can stand for a variety of programs including employer‐provided employment guarantees, payments which must be made to laid‐off workers, and compensation for wrongful discharge. Such a mandated cost can be seen as a payroll tax on the employer, raising the issue of tax incidence.

Employers often take the view that labor costs are given and that mandated costs are simply add‐ons to pre‐existing cost levels. However, the literature on tax incidence suggests that a significant portion of “employer‐paid” payroll taxes are shifted to labor in the form of lower wages. Such shifting should reduce the dis‐employment effects attributed to severance.

A model is provided of a firm upon which a severance mandate is imposed. Even at the micro level, the firm can shift some of the cost of severance to employees by lowering wages — although at the expense of higher turnover costs associated with increased quit rates. At the macro level, to the extent that firms reduce employment, there could be still further downward wage adjustments which would shift the severance burden to labor and mitigate the dis‐employment effect.

Ultimately, if the natural rate of unemployment is raised by severance mandates, the age‐old question is raised of why wages do not fall in the face of labor surpluses. The true inflexibility to be explained, therefore, is in wage determination.
Unemployment and Monetary Integration: On the relevance of wage‐formation characteristics in a target‐zone regime versus an irrevocably fixed exchange‐rate regime
Authors: Van Gompel Johan
Published: June 2007

Abstract. This paper examines the relevance of wage‐formation characteristics for the evolution of unemployment, comparing the current semi‐fixed exchange rate system (EMS, described by a target zone regime) with an irrevocably fixed exchange‐rate regime (EMU). The topic is analyzed in a model which emphasizes the working of the labour market and distinguishes between three types of shocks (a shock to money demand, goods demand and goods supply). The analysis points out that the impact of wage formation on unemployment depends crucially on the kind of shock as well as the exchange‐rate regime in force.
Are “Overpaid” Workers Really Unhappy? A Test of the Theory of Cognitive Dissonance
Authors: Sloane Peter J. , Williams Hector
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: Using data on individual perceptions of deserved pay for workers in six British local labour markets, this paper tests the implicit proposition of cognitive dissonance theory that workers who express themselves as being overpaid should exhibit lower job satisfaction than equitably paid workers. The regression results do not provide any evidence in support of the proposition.
Forecasting the Educational Structure of Occupations: A Manpower Requirement Approach with Substitution
Authors: Borghans Lex , Heijke Hans
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: Manpower requirement forecasts are usually based on the assumption that discrepancies between supply and demand do not lead to adjustment processes at the labour market. We show, however, that even if the market mechanism functions completely, manpower requirement forecasts remain important information. On this basis, a manpower requirement approach is developed which incorporates the possibility of substitution processes at the labour market.
Heterogeneity and Unemployment Duration
Authors: Hernæs Erik , Strøm Steinar
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: Various unemployment duration models are estimated on a large Norwegian dataset covering labour market history 1.1.1989‐31.12.1992 for all persons who became unemployed during October 1990. As many unemployed leave the unemployment register without going directly to a job, two alternative definitions of unemployment are used — register unemployment and joblessness. The problem of heterogeneity is addressed both by partitioning the individuals into four categories by previous unemployment history, and by including a random term in the job hazard. Observed as well as unobserved heterogeneity affects the estimates of expected duration to a great extent. When gamma‐distributed unobserved heterogeneity is accounted for, the estimates of duration dependence become more positive relative to models where unobserved heterogeneity is ignored. Among persons who are entitled to unemployment benefit, the duration dependence appears to be significantly positive. Alternative specifications of the baseline hazard hardly affect estimates of the effects of the covariates on duration.
Decomposing the Male/Female Wage Gap: Within and Between Establishment Differences
Authors: Barth Erling , Mastekaasa Arne
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: Using Norwegian data from interviews with about 3,500 employees in 759 establishments, the male‐female wage differential is decomposed into its between and within establishment components. In the private sector, the gross wage differential of 23 percent is reduced to 13 by checking for human capital and job characteristics, and to 8 by (also) checking for industry and establishment affiliation. Only this within‐establishment differential will be affected by equal pay and comparable worth legislation. In the public sector the gross wage gap between men and women is smaller (17 percent). The inter‐establishment component is very small, probably due to centralized wage setting and standardized pay schemes. This has not, however, affected the within‐establishment differential which is as large as in the private sector.
The Effect of the Supply of Subsidized Day‐care Facilities on Female Labour Supply
Authors: van Dijk Liset , Siegers Jacques J.
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT: In this article the hypothesis that a higher level of subsidized day‐care facilities leads to an increase in female labour supply is tested for the Netherlands on the basis of two surveys. The results show that (allowing for the women's wage rate, her non‐labour income, her age, and the presence of children) labour supply is higher when subsidized day‐care supply is higher. However, after including variables that reflect social norms the effect of day‐care supply on female labour supply, though still positive and significant, becomes much weaker.
Monitoring water quality through a telematic sensor network and a fuzzy expert system
Authors: Hatzikos Evaggelos V. , Bassiliades Nick , Asmanis Leonidas , Vlahavas Ioannis
Published: June 2007

Abstract: In this paper we present an expert system that monitors seawater quality and pollution in northern Greece through a sensor network called Andromeda. The expert system monitors sensor data collected by local monitoring stations and reasons about the current level of water suitability for various aquatic uses, such as swimming and piscicultures. The aim of the expert system is to help the authorities in the decision‐making process in the battle against pollution of the aquatic environment, which is vital for public health and the economy of northern Greece. The expert system determines, using fuzzy logic, when certain environmental parameters exceed certain pollution limits, which are specified either by the authorities or by environmental scientists, and flags up appropriate alerts.
Impact of Idiopathic Epilepsy on Mothers and Fathers: Strain, Burden of Care, Worries and Perception of Vulnerability
Authors: Ramaglia Giovanna , Romeo Antonino , Viri Maurizio , Lodi Monica , Sacchi Simona , Cioffi Giuseppina
Published: June 2007

The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of idiopathic epilepsy on mothers and fathers in terms of strain, burden of care, worries and perception of vulnerability. Data were collected and analyzed shortly after the diagnosis (T0) and 12 months later (T1).

The results indicated that at T0 parents of children with epilepsy showed higher levels of worries and perception of vulnerability than controls; mothers sustained a greater burden of care and exhibited higher levels of strain than fathers. At T1, strain and perception of vulnerability decreased both for mothers and fathers, while burden of care and worries remained stable. At T0 and T1, strain was associated with parents' perception of vulnerability and anxiety for their children's future.