Premium differentiation in the Unemployment Insurance system and the demand for labor

We simulate the effect of the introduction of premium differentiation (experience rating) in the Dutch Unemployment Insurance system on the demand for labor for a variety of sectors in the Dutch economy. For the simulations we use the Bentolila and Bertola (1990) framework as a point of departure. In the simulations, the introduction of experience rating is modeled as expenditure neutral: in the absence of premium differentiation the cost of financing UI is modeled as a wage tax (independent of the number of workers fired by the firm), whereas in the presence of experience rating this cost is attributed to firing cost (affected by the firing action). Thus, the introduction of experience rating results in a shift from wage cost to firing cost. Following the political debate on the issue in the Netherlands, we assume that the introduction of experience rating does neither lead to a change in tax rates paid by workers nor to a change in eligibility rules or replacement rates of benefit claimants. Specific attention is paid to the distinction between young and old workers . In the model, labor adjustment costs (hiring and firing costs) are linear. The model allows for uncertainty in the business cycle.All correspondence to Hans Bloemen. Responsible editor: Alessandro Cigno     

Coparenting and Relationship Quality Effects on Father Engagement: Variations by Residence,Romance

We focused on coparenting support, partner relationship quality, and father engagement in families with young children that did not change structurally over 4 years of participation in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study (N = 1,756). There was a significantly stronger and more robust positive association between fathers' perceived coparenting support at age 1 and father engagement at age 3 among nonresidential nonromantic parents compared with residential (married or cohabiting) and nonresidential romantic parents. There was a significantly stronger and positive association between relationship quality at age 1 and father engagement at age 3 among nonresidential nonromantic parents compared with residential parents. The findings emphasize the importance of considering both family structure and romantic involvement contexts of fathering when tracking father engagement over time.     

重振布隆方丹中央商务区：前景、阻碍与错失的机会

一个多世纪以来,人们对城市变迁展开了系统性的研究,其中一个焦点是城市的中央商务区（CBDs）。过去几十年里有大量关于中央商务区衰落问题的文献,焦点集中在这种衰退为什么会发生,以及可以出台哪些刺激性政策措施来重振这些地区。本文主要讨论大城市中较为发达的地区,从地理上说就是南非北部的前工业重镇。就这些问题南非的学者也有为数不多但值得我们重视的文献,他们以年鉴形式记录了中央商务区的衰落及后续的重振措施。与国际上的经验类似,研究的焦点集中在南非的主要大城市地区,而二线城市则不在研究者们关注的范围之内。本文概述二线城市布隆方丹的中央商务区重振所面临的前景和阻碍的目的是,尽管在开普敦和约翰内斯堡等城市开展一般性的重振项目对抑制中央商务区的进一步衰退有显著成效,但对布隆方丹这样的二线城市来说,可能还需要一些其他措施。     

Learning-project structures in different work types: an empirical analysis

This study demonstrates that work-related learning projects can be organized using different structural arrangements. Sixteen learning projects conducted by ninety-six participants in three different work types were analysed and compared both qualitatively and quantitatively. No evidence was found for the claim that learning-project structures necessarily depend on the type of work in which they are carried out. However, two distinct combinations of learning project structure and work type did not emerge. It is concluded that actors have organizational choice in organizing learning projects, but their options are less likely to be realized if the learning-project type is very different from the worktype.     

中文网络客户评论的产品特征挖掘方法研究

随着互联网的广泛应用,在Blog、BBS、Wiki等网络站点中出现了大量的针对商品或服务的客户评论,这些客户评论中所包含的丰富信息,对企业管理具有重要的价值.通过数据挖掘算法对客户针对某一产品的大量评论进行分析,可以挖掘出这些产品的主要特征,并有望进一步发现客户对这些特征的意见和态度.在英文世界中已经有学者开始对这一研究进行探索,然而由于语言结构等方面的差异,英文的研究成果尚无法直接应用于中文客户评论的挖掘中.本研究针对中文的特点,提出了面向中文的客户评论挖掘方法.该方法基于改进关联规则算法实现了针对中文产品评论的产品特征信息挖掘.本研究采用通过互联网获得的针对手机、数码相机、书籍等5种产品的评论语料,对该方法进行了数据实验,实验结果初步验证了该方法有效性.     

Correction to: Mixed methods research: what it is and what it could be

Theory and Society - Unfortunately, figure 2 was incorrectly published.     

Successful societies: Decision-making and the quality of attentiveness

Combining moral philosophy with sociological theory to build on themes introduced in Hall and Lamont’s Successful Societies (2009), the paper outlines a distinctive perspective. It holds that a necessary condition of successful societies is that decision-makers base their decisions on a high level of attentiveness (concern and comprehension) towards subjectively valued and morally legitimate forms of life. Late modern societies consist of a plurality of forms of life, each providing grounds for what Alasdair MacIntyre has called internal goods—valued and morally valuable practices. The status of such goods is examined, and distinctions are drawn between their manifest and latent, and transposable and situationally specific, characteristics. We integrate this refined idea of internal goods into a developed conception of habitus that is both morally informed and situationally embedded. The sociological approach of strong structuration theory (SST) is employed to demonstrate how this conception of habitus can guide the critique of decision-making that damages internal goods. We identify the most pervasive and invidious forms of damaging decision-making in contemporary societies as those involving excessive forms of instrumental reasoning. We argue that our developed conception of habitus, anchored in the collectively valued practices of specific worlds, can be a powerful focus for resistance. Accounts of scholarship in higher education and of the white working class in America illustrate the specificities of singular, particular, social worlds and illuminate critical challenges raised by the perspective we advocate.     

Risk Communication in The Netherlands: The Monitored Introduction of the EC "Post-Seveso" Directive

Implementation of article 8.1 of the EC-"Seveso" Directive (82/501/EC) is now under way in many countries in Europe. In The Netherlands, the implementation of the Directive started with a carefully monitored introduction of active information provision at two sites (Dordrecht and Elst). This introduction was supported by a multidisciplinary research group. This group helped to develop the risk communication program and also played a role in the evaluation of the program. This paper describes these processes and their evaluation. We will focus on the design of the risk communication programs and the effects of the programs on knowledge and attitudes of the local target groups. This effort and its results clearly started an institutional learning process involving governmental bodies at several organizational levels (local, regional, and national), and industrial organizations (individual firms and organizations of industries). Monitoring the design, the implementation, and the effects of active information provision proves an effective means to gain experience with the implementation of the Seveso Directive and could help to facilitate further implementation.