Search results
1 – 10 of 134Mahalia Jackman and Winston Moore
This paper investigates the potential wage impacts of a shift to more environmentally sustainable production patterns.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigates the potential wage impacts of a shift to more environmentally sustainable production patterns.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical analysis is carried out using labour force survey data and interval regressions.
Findings
Estimates at the individual level suggest that small wage differentials exist: individuals employed in green industries earn about seven per cent more than those working in non-green industries.
Originality/value
To date, very little is known about the characteristics of jobs in the green industry and by extension, the labour force effects that can emerge or change as a result of transitioning towards a greener economy. While exploratory in nature, this analysis seeks to shed light on an underdeveloped area of research, namely, wage inequalities associated with transitioning towards green growth.
Details
Keywords
Thanh Xuan Hua and Guido Erreygers
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the determinants of the saving behaviour of Vietnamese households and to explore the possible heterogeneity of household saving…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the determinants of the saving behaviour of Vietnamese households and to explore the possible heterogeneity of household saving propensities.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors estimate the effects of household characteristics on Vietnamese household saving rates by means of a quantile regression approach using the Vietnam Household Living Standard Survey 2010 data set.
Findings
The results suggest that the way household characteristics influence saving rates is different for each quantile of the household saving rate distribution. Household characteristics tend to have stronger effects at lower quantiles. Particularly, the marginal propensity to save of households at low quantiles is higher than those at high quantiles. Analysing rural and urban households separately, the authors find evidence that household and household head characteristics have stronger significant effects for rural than for urban households. Children and elderly members should be treated as part of the household labour force, instead of household dependency, since both of them increase household saving rates.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the literature on Vietnamese household saving behaviours, especially for households living in urban areas.
Details
Keywords
Dejan Živkov and Jasmina Đurašković
This paper aims to investigate how oil price uncertainty affects real gross domestic product (GDP) and industrial production in eight Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC).
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate how oil price uncertainty affects real gross domestic product (GDP) and industrial production in eight Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC).
Design/methodology/approach
In the research process, the authors use the Bayesian method of inference for the two applied methodologies – Markov switching generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) model and quantile regression.
Findings
The results clearly indicate that oil price uncertainty has a low effect on output in moderate market conditions in the selected countries. On the other hand, in the phases of contraction and expansion, which are portrayed by the tail quantiles, the authors find negative and positive Bayesian quantile parameters, which are relatively high in magnitude. This implies that in periods of deep economic crises, an increase in the oil price uncertainty reduces output, amplifying in this way recession pressures in the economy. Contrary, when the economy is in expansion, oil price uncertainty has no influence on the output. The probable reason lies in the fact that the negative effect of oil volatility is not strong enough in the expansion phase to overpower all other positive developments which characterize a growing economy. Also, evidence suggests that increased oil uncertainty has a more negative effect on industrial production than on real GDP, whereas industrial share in GDP plays an important role in how strong some CEECs are impacted by oil uncertainty.
Originality/value
This paper is the first one that investigates the spillover effect from oil uncertainty to output in CEEC.
Details
Keywords
Lisa Berntsen, Anita Böcker, Tesseltje De Lange, Sandra Mantu and Natalia Skowronek
With a focus on the position of EU mobile workers in the Dutch meat industry, this article discusses the multi-level State efforts to enhance protection of workers who experienced…
Abstract
Purpose
With a focus on the position of EU mobile workers in the Dutch meat industry, this article discusses the multi-level State efforts to enhance protection of workers who experienced limited protection of existing State and private enforcement institutions. The COVID-19 pandemic, with virus outbreaks at Dutch meat plants, fuelled public and political will to structurally improve these workers' precarious work and living conditions. Yet, the process of policy change is slow. The authors show it is the gradual transformation in the institutional environment that the State needs to counter to become more protective for EU mobile workers.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the gradual institutional change approach and the concept of State ignorance, the authors examine State responses drawing on interviews with expert stakeholders in the public and private domain, public administration records and newspaper articles.
Findings
Through knowledge creation, boosted social dialogue mechanisms, enhanced enforcement capacity and new housing legislation, the Dutch State focuses on countering gradual institutional change through which existing institutions lost their effectiveness as protectors of EU mobile workers. The organization of work is, nevertheless, not (yet) fundamentally addressed with tighter public legislation.
Originality/value
The findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the role of the State as multifaceted actor in institutional change processes towards increased protection for EU mobile workers.
Details
Keywords
Christopher Ansell, Eva Sørensen and Jacob Torfing
This introductory chapter points to the need for sound and critical reflection on how to mobilize public, private and third sector actors, facilitate collaboration in partnerships…
Abstract
This introductory chapter points to the need for sound and critical reflection on how to mobilize public, private and third sector actors, facilitate collaboration in partnerships and networks, and cocreate SDG solutions that are at once innovative, effective, and democratic. It spells out the aim of the book, which is to show how Goal 17 on partnerships can be used as a lever for securing global transformation toward socioeconomic and environmental sustainability. It explicates the basic argument that cocreation provides a promising strategy for advancing goal attainment by mobilizing competent, engaged, and knowledgeable stakeholders, stimulating innovation and ensuring broad-based support to solutions that make a difference. Finally, it briefly presents the content of the book and explains its intended usage.
Details
Keywords
Alejandro Godino and Oscar Molina
The paper aims to analyze collective bargaining in the facility management business of these six countries to explore similarities and differences between them. The analysis…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to analyze collective bargaining in the facility management business of these six countries to explore similarities and differences between them. The analysis serves to test the differential impact of the national institutional setting on the protection provided by collective agreements to facility management workers.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper adopts a case study methodology to approach a facility management multinational company providing services in six European countries (France, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK) that represent different industrial relations systems with variance in key dimensions of collective bargaining, including its structure, coverage and extension of agreements.
Findings
The extension of the facility management business model has not always adopted a high-road strategy aimed at enhancing the quality and efficiency through the integrated management and delivery of services, which is expected to positively impact employment conditions. Rather, it has, in many cases, been a deliberate, low-road attempt to undercut working standards, taking advantage of the multiple services provided by the company in a context of growing de-centralization in collective bargaining. The results point to an important role of industrial relations institutions in shaping facility management strategies and outcomes.
Originality/value
Similar to other forms of outsourcing, facility management leads to fragmented employment relations. However, the concentration of outsourced workers under the same supplier organization introduces opportunities to ensure the protection of workers, depending on the adoption of a high- or low-road competitive strategy. This paper provides for the first time comparative evidence about industrial relations in facility management businesses, a largely under-researched area.
Details
Keywords
This paper aims to examine the cycle of labour protests in Sweden, comparing the contentious actions of trade unions in public and private sectors over 40 years. Prior studies…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the cycle of labour protests in Sweden, comparing the contentious actions of trade unions in public and private sectors over 40 years. Prior studies have focused on industrial conflicts or labour protests, but a long-term perspective on the broad protest repertoire across sectors is lacking. The goal is to test the argument of diversification of action repertoire and differences between the public and private sectors.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors apply the grievance and political opportunity theories of social movement research for explaining the cycles of labour protests and differences between sectors in Sweden over 40 years (1980–2020). The unique protest event data are combined with the official strike statistics. The research period includes the globalisation of the economy and two economic crises.
Findings
Although unions in both sectors have decreased protest mobilisation over time, private sector unions have resigned the most, whereas public sector unions continue to mobilise a diverse set of protest actions. Swedish unions have not replaced strikes with other protest repertoires. The open opportunities have allowed them to use various protests as part of “routine” operations.
Research limitations/implications
Protest event data are derived from newspapers, leading to an over-representation of large events in the urban areas. Future studies should combine data from newspapers with data about online protests.
Originality/value
By thoroughly examining all protest events mobilised by all trade unions in different sectors over 40 years (1980–2020), the paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the cycles of labour protest. The findings should interest industrial relations and social movement scholars.
Details