Economics for the right to work

This article argues that mainstream economic theory is one of the main reasons why the human right to work, which was recognized by the international community in 1966, appears not to have been taken seriously. In the mainstream discourse, labour is a cost, employment is a second‐tier objective, individuals are resources with production specifications, and rights are rigidities. Economics based on human rights and seeking to promote the right to work must construe that right as more than just fighting unemployment, regard full employment as an end in itself and place the individual at the heart of its raison d'être.     

Welfare State,family and the market's SINS in the EU

Our purpose is to show that a well-designed Welfare State is a fundamental fiscal policy instrument which allows mending of the main shortcomings of the market mechanism, i.e. lack of Stability, Inequality, disregard of Needs, lack of economic Security: in short, we call them the market's SINS. We show how the family is the main agent for an effective Welfare State, as the firms are for the market. We use detailed data on all the European countries to characterize the different models of welfare within Europe. A cross-section analysis shows that the main goals are better achieved when the social protection benefits focus on the functions of family and children, sickness and health care, because they induce the greatest poverty reduction. We show that for families with children the better working arrangement – which is associated with higher GDP per capita and lower inequality – is one parent working full-time and one parent part-time. We quantify the cross-section variability related to the age structure for the function of pensions. For a sample of seven major European countries we measure the degree of pro-cyclical or countercyclical relationship between social protection expenditures and GDP per capita from 1995 to 2010. In Germany, a Keynesian economic policy in 2009 is associated with a sharp rebound in 2010. We measure the relationship between Welfare State benefits and public budget, given as a constraint. We show a possible relationship between social protection benefits and family savings.     

Optimum Competitive Area: Romania's Economic Integration in Southeast Europe

This paper presents a factual exposition of an optimum competitive area, tentatively referred to as a certain pattern of spatially defined areas conducive to competitive development for industries or firms in such a way that benefits from competition are maximized. This argument articulates around Romania's regional position and concludes that the most valuable source for enriched competitive advantages resides in its integrative process in Southeast Europe. There are economic facts that explain the range of industries and scope of businesses that emerge as main drivers of changing competitive advantages. This economically self-supporting space of competitive advantages basically rests on a set of five observations relative to the following facts: business strategies are more easily conceived; the value chain is more valuably exploited; the role Romania plays as a test market; the existence of spillover effects of political arrangements; and the existence of speculative returns and attractive growth rates of an emergent market. The conclusions take stock of the implications to conceive in specific terms that deliberate policies which would appear as necessary from this economic and business perspective.     

Croatian Regional Policy Fostering Competitiveness

An obstacle for the implementation of a modern regional policy in Croatia is the inherited concept of the reconstruction of war-affected areas. This concept is no longer appropriate for the needs of a modern regional policy, which should be formulated, among others, also in the context of the EU accession. This is particularly important considering that the EU emphasizes that member states should be in the position to withstand competitive pressures in the single market as a key condition for accession. And regional policy has a particular role in this regard. In this article the main obstacles for a modern regional policy in Croatia are discussed, particularly from the point of view of achieving economic competitiveness. It is necessary to tackle these problems and obstacles through a number of measures and initiatives from both the central and the regional level, which are discussed in this paper.     

China's Way of Economic Transition

China started economic transition in 1978 to implement a Chinese type of socialist market economy system, i.e., a market-oriented economy consisting of collectively community-owned enterprises (CCOE) and state-owned enterprises (SOE) in a totalitarian political system with the Communist Party of China as the ruling power. The main contents of the economic transition can be briefly described as follows: (1) gradual decentralization of economic decision from central economic planning to market-oriented decision by delegating competence to managers of SOE and CCOE without privatization of public ownership, (2) liberalization of cross border economic activities (open-door policy), (3) allowance for Chinese to erect private enterprises (PE) on the one side and foreigners to set up foreign invested enterprises (FIE) on the other side, as well as (4) reorganization of SOE and CCOE. In comparison to the former Soviet Union and the Central and Eastern European countries, the following points of China's way of economic transition are of special interest. First, China's way of transition is a ``gradual trial and error' approach without a transition program set for long term but flexible and gradual way which is called a ``touch stones to cross river' approach. Field experiments have been carried out at first. A reform will be implemented after successful experiments. Second, the rural community becomes reorganized by breaking down communes, implementing a ``household responsibility system' in the agricultural sector and setting CCOE in the rural areas to carry out industrialization without movement out of rural labor (the slogan for this kind of transition is lee tuh puh lee shian [``move out from agriculture but not out of rural area']. Third, China's economic development is characterized by a huge expansion of CCOE in the eighties and newly founded PE consisting of FIE since the nineties, while only a very limited share of SOE has been privatized via the reorganization of the sector. China's way of economic transition has been a process of decentralization of the economic system from a central planning economy to one of decentralized market-oriented decision by delegating competence to management of SOE and CCOE without privatization of the ownership to increase efficiency. Fourth, China has been heavily loaded by a fragile banking system with a huge amount of nonperformance loan which implies a high risk of banking system crisis. Fifth, China's economic transition has been seen as a tool to keep the power of the Communist Party China with a periodically instable totalitarian political system and has permanently been confronted with risk of a political collapse. Human rights have not been protected in China. The FIE have crucially contributed to the growth of industrial production, export, and also the economic growth in China since 1979, especially since 1992. Economic special zones have significantly induced the rapid growth inflow of FDI which has financed the establishment of new enterprises instead of financing privatization of the SOE in China. Thus, it is not exaggerated to say that the FDI inflow has mainly contributed to the performance of the Chinese economic transition and the FIE have been the engine of the Chinese economic development.     

Measuring gambling outcomes among college students

The present research describes the proposal and validation of three gambling outcome measures, the Gambling Quantity and Perceived Norms Scale (GQPN), the Gambling Problem Index (GPI), and the Gambling Readiness to Change Questionnaire (GRTC).The study consisted of 560 undergraduate college students who completed a survey including the newly constructed measures and other measures designed to assess convergent validity. Results confirmed good reliability and convergent validity of all three measures. Implications for evaluating efficacy of treatment and prevention interventions are detailed.     

Which transition concept is useful for describing the process of young people leaving state care? A reflection on research and language

The transition of adolescents from state care to independent living is receiving increased research attention in many countries. Despite this interest, the concept of ‘transition’, though central, still remains relatively undeveloped. One main issue in comparative work is how we use language to define concepts as well as use them to analyse our findings and shape practice. ‘Transition’ over the last decade has become a key concept in the research and practice field of social work with adolescents, therefore we need to reflect on its use, its possibilities and its limitations. This paper examines selected research literature on the transition from state care to adulthood. The paper suggests that more theorisation needs to be done within the field.     

How Do Neoliberal Policies Affect Income Inequality? Exploring the Link Between Liberalization,Finance, and Inequality

It is commonly asserted that economic liberalization increases income inequality in advanced industrial societies. However, the empirical evidence is inconclusive. The current investigation thus attempts to shed light on this important topic by presenting the argument that economic liberalization indirectly augments income inequality given its tendency to expand financial activity. This contention is tested using a panel dataset of 20 developed economies for the years 1988 to 2009. According to the fixed effects two‐stage least squares models, economic liberalization is positively associated with financialization, while financial activity is positively connected to income inequality. These results are found to be consistent across a variety of regression parameters and robustness checks.     

地理科学专业经济地理学课程教学改革研究

经济地理学是地理学的主要分支学科,是高师地理科学专业的核心课程之一,也是实现培养目标的基本课程。文章从经济地理学学科特点与发展趋势出发,明确了经济地理学教学内容与教学方法改革的基本原则,着重从教学内容体系创新优化、课程教学方法改革等方面提出了经济地理学教学改革的策略。     

The microfinance promise—can it be kept? A macro perspective

After five decades of rapid expansion of microfinance worldwide, little is known about its aggregate effects and whether the “microfinance promise” of poverty reduction holds at the macro level. Challenging questions have arisen. Here we explore the dynamic response of microfinance on economic growth, financial deepening and income inequality. Countries are grouped into three broad clusters (stable, moderate and poor) based on macro‐institutional variables. Our results show that microfinance has a significant long‐term ability to affect the broader economy. However, the impact and dynamics of microfinance differ substantially across macro‐institutional environments. It grows in weaker environments, reaches its peak in developing economies, and then gradually “dies out” in more stable economies. While there is evidence of a positive impact of microfinance at the aggregate level, the response is different depending on whether countries are poor, moderately developed or economically stable. Once countries climb up the macro‐institutional “ladder,” microfinance can take a different shape and its relationship with other macroeconomic fundamentals can change. Our results indicate that microfinance has the strongest effect when the external environment is supportive and proactive; in weak environments, microfinance cannot grow sufficiently. Therefore, more attention should be given to supporting the socioeconomic dimensions of economies.     

A Conspectus of Types,Options and Conditions of Elder-accommodation in the European Continent

A European housing typology for older people does not exist. There is a need to formulate a workable typology of elder-housing to enable planners and providers to make use of a meaningful categorization of accommodation within public, voluntary, private and mixed housing in a highly diversified Europe. This paper proposes an overarching typology, incorporating the notion of independent living accommodation and of assisted living accommodation as major categories, embracing 21 housing options. The usual use of the category of social housing is excluded because in Europe it has conflicting and overlapping meanings. Using the suggested typology, the provisions of independent living and of assisted living are commented upon in centre-periphery terms. Finally, the paper indicates that although the EU is the main European provider of welfare, it has virtually no housing policy, and its planning and provision are hindered by long-term constraints.     

Brexit and the Economics of Political Change in Developed Countries

The economic forces underlying Brexit—and the election of Donald Trump in the US—are similar, but they are also well advanced in many European countries, where much of the population faces similar material insecurity and stagnation. These frustrations can easily be channelled by right-wing xenophobic forces. To combat this, the EU needs to undo some of its design flaws and particularly its adherence to fiscal austerity rules. Only a more progressive and more flexible union based on solidarity of peoples is likely to survive.     

Abstracts

Reference is made to CCETSW's Paper 20:8, 1987, with its stated aim of ‘promoting high standards and good practice in social work through an improvement in the quality of social work education' and with its concern for the training taking place within practice itself. There follows a presentation of the view, that a course in which practice is the central subject, is crucially different from a theoretical one, requiring a different structure and the use of the material of practice as a main teaching resource; and that such a course could be at a high level, but needs lecturers from the universities and colleges to come out into practice to join with accredited teachers in teaching from it. Some illustrations are given of the use of practice material and of the kinds of frameworks available. It is suggested that the areas of emphasis described by CCETSW would facilitate and make more necessary such changes. It is important that there is an ethos common to CCETSW, the agencies and education.     

Is this the end of globalization (as we know it)?

ABSTRACT

According to different media and analysts, globalization could be in a phase of ‘slowbalization’, de-globalization or even secular stagnation. After surveying academic proposals for defining, classifying and measuring globalization, by means of the Elcano Global Presence Index, this paper explores to what extent globalization has stagnated and/or whether it has changed its nature. Our results show that globalization has slowed down, but not retrenched. However, economic globalization has lost traction (something that probably explains the general perception on de-globalization) while soft projection has become the main driver of globalization.     

Inequality in digital skills and the adoption of online safety behaviors

ABSTRACT

Cyber-safety behaviors are important in preventing the loss of an individual's digital assets and ensuring the safety of important daily online activities. Individuals’ cyber-safety is also critical for national cybersecurity. The issue is highly relevant for Israel, a country that relies on the digital capabilities of its workers for its major technology industries and is also often a target of cyberwarfare and cybercrime attacks. The purpose of this study is to identify the determinants of cyber-safety behavior. We investigate the role of age, gender and education in the use of safety-related digital skills and antivirus software. Using a 2014 survey of a national sample of Internet users in Israel (N?=?1850), we found that age, gender, education and quality of access are associated with the level of users’ digital security skills. In addition, these skills and the frequency of conducting financial activities online are the main determinants of antivirus behaviors. Our results expand the understanding of cyber-safety by showing that social and digital disparities are reproduced in the use of measures to prevent online threats, putting the digitally disadvantaged at greater risk of becoming victims of online threats.     

Economics of the firm and economic growth: a hybrid theoretical framework of analysis

Abstract

The main goal of this study is to achieve a critical discussion around the conceptualization of the firm and its role in the dynamic process of economic growth. By reviewing the theoretical matrix of the economics of the firm we go beyond the mainstream economics of the firm proposing a hybrid approach combining evolutionary and population ecology, which is likely to constitute a fruitful path for the conceptualization of the firm in the process of economic growth. Specifically, the analysis confronts the distinct theoretical perspectives around some imperative and controversial issues such as the nature of knowledge and learning and the cognitive capacities of economic agents within the firm. We argue that the economic understanding of growth and development of human societies will strongly benefit from a conceptualization of the firm capable of capturing the spirit of the Knightian firm. Overcoming the shortcomings of the mainstream growth models, which conceive firms as a black box, the proposed hybrid approach recalls the true nature of the firm as an organization. Issues related to the organizational arrangements that sustain the feasibility of productive activities and to the incentive contracts are also taken into account. Although acknowledging some recent important contributions within mainstream economic growth theory to adopt more realistic concepts of the firm, we believe that evolutionary and organizational population perspectives include crucial pointers in developing further research aimed at the construction of economic growth models based on a micro-economic perspective that is closer to the reality of firms.     

中国推进城市化的犹豫、失误和后果

按照人均GDP为标志的发展阶段比较,中国城市化水平比一般国家低了15个百分点,结构上呈现工业化超前和城市化滞后的状态,也形成GDP结构与就业结构之间的严重扭曲。这是建国以来特别是1960年起开始的反城市化道路和政策所致。但1978年以后,并没有真正从理论上认识城市化对于中国经济和社会发展的重要性,在推进城市化的战略、体制和政策上,是犹豫和半推半阻的。城市化滞后给中国的经济和社会发展带来了一系列的问题。事实证明,城市化水平低是城乡差距大的一个重要因素。因此,建国以来,包括改革开放以来,推进城市化方面的犹豫和缓慢,是导致中国经济社会发展诸多问题的重大的深层次原因。     

Textual network analysis: Detecting prevailing themes and biases in international news and social media

The growing volumes of information available today provide opportunities but also challenges for social scientists. This paper presents textual network analysis—a network analysis procedure that transforms any given text into a visual map of words co‐occurring together. It aims at scholars and students who are not familiar with network analysis, showing step‐by‐step how to use this approach and highlighting its advantages and applications. It demonstrates how to identify the main themes appearing in the text as well as to detect its biases and frames. Researchers can use this procedure as a grounded content analysis to formulate theories or as a basis to test existing hypotheses. The second part of the paper presents two studies that applied textual network analysis: (a) to identify the main themes raised by elite newspapers on the “fake news” discourse and (b) to map the topics related to China on Twitter. Both examples show how textual network analysis can be relevant for communication, international relations, and political science scholars as well as for practitioners, wishing to understand the prevailing discourses and tailor their messages more effectively.     

What drives youth unemployment in Europe? Economic vs non‐economic determinants

This article explores the main determinants of youth unemployment in Europe in the period 2002 to 2014 by estimating panel data models for the 28 Member States of the European Union (EU). Heterogeneity is acknowledged by estimating models for subsamples of countries with “high” and “low” youth unemployment rates. The main results suggest that youth unemployment is more pronounced in countries with poor GDP growth, a low share of construction activity and high public debt. Reduced mobility (owing to homeownership), corruption, reception of a high level of remittances and a lack of possibilities for young people to live outside parental homes are also important factors.     

Fighting Words: What We Can Learn from Hitler's Hyperbole

The question of why human beings fight wars continues to stalk modern thought. This article treats Hitler's national socialist discourse as an extreme example of the social construction of a social problem, a cultural paradigm of how to talk people into fighting revolutions and wars. Drawing upon recent work in rhetorical studies by Gusfield and others, I show how political agents concoct a rhetoric of motives which they use to incite their followers to fight their enemies. The formal and poetic features of this system of discourse are identified and explicated. We can learn many things from Hitler. By identifying his technique, we can recognize when political agents are using the same technique and counter its seductive effects. We learn that the main effect of war rhetoric is social integration through the constitution of common enemies. And finally, we realize that wars are made to happen through the calculated use of symbolic practices. War is not, as many have argued, a fall into a latent animality, but an expression of our symbol-mindedness–our capacity to make and use hyperboles.