Keeping a distance but heading in the same direction: formal rules on unemployment benefit sanctions and social assistance benefit sanctions in Poland, 1989–2014

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bartosz Pieliński ◽  
Tomasz Mering ◽  
Ryszard Szarfenberg
Keyword(s):  
Social Assistance ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Social Rights ◽  
Unemployment Benefit ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Benefit Sanctions ◽  
First Time

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the development of welfare conditionality and especially benefit sanctions in Central and Eastern Europe (the CEE) and to develop a methodology by implementing Institutional Grammar (IG) for studying rules on benefit sanctions relying only on legal text.Design/methodology/approachIG was used as a tool for analyzing legal regulations on benefit sanctions. It was incorporated into a social rights framework that provided a theoretical background for the study.FindingsThe paper shows the dynamic development of rules on benefit sanctions in Poland in social assistance and unemployment services. Both the harshness and strictness of these rules have increased. Simultaneously, the rules of benefit sanctions in social assistance remain more liberal than those associated with unemployment services.Originality/valueThe study presents the first comprehensive and concise overview of benefit sanctions development in the CEE and the first long-term comparison of these types of sanctions in two safety net systems operating in one country. The study also used IG for the first time in social policy research.

Too resilient for anyone’s good

Kybernetes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 751-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lance Nizami
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Stimulus ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Detection Thresholds ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Infant Vision ◽  
Efficacious Treatment ◽  
Stimulus Detection ◽  
First Time

Purpose This study aims to examine the observer’s role in “infant psychophysics”. Infant psychophysics was developed because the diagnosis of perceptual deficits should be done as early in a patient’s life as possible, to provide efficacious treatment and thereby reduce potential long-term costs. Infants, however, cannot report their perceptions. Hence, the intensity of a stimulus at which the infant can detect it, the “threshold”, must be inferred from the infant’s behavior, as judged by observers (watchers). But whose abilities are actually being inferred? The answer affects all behavior-based conclusions about infants’ perceptions, including the well-proselytized notion that auditory stimulus-detection thresholds improve rapidly during infancy. Design/methodology/approach In total, 55 years of infant psychophysics is scrutinized, starting with seminal studies in infant vision, followed by the studies that they inspired in infant hearing. Findings The inferred stimulus-detection thresholds are those of the infant-plus-watcher and, more broadly, the entire laboratory. The thresholds are therefore tenuous, because infants’ actions may differ with stimulus intensity; expressiveness may differ between infants; different watchers may judge infants differently; etc. Particularly, the watcher’s ability to “read” the infant may improve with the infant’s age, confounding any interpretation of perceptual maturation. Further, the infant’s gaze duration, an assumed cue to stimulus detection, may lengthen or shorten nonlinearly with infant age. Research limitations/implications Infant psychophysics investigators have neglected the role of the observer, resulting in an accumulation of data that requires substantial re-interpretation. Altogether, infant psychophysics has proven far too resilient for its own good. Originality/value Infant psychophysics is examined for the first time through second-order cybernetics. The approach reveals serious unresolved issues.

A new goal-directed benchmarking for supplier selection in the presence of undesirable outputs

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 314-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majid Azadi ◽  
Reza Farzipoor Saen ◽  
Kamyar Hosseinzadeh Zoroufchi
Keyword(s):  
Supplier Selection ◽  
Efficient Frontier ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Undesirable Outputs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Goals ◽  
Monitoring Process ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
First Time

Purpose – In this paper, the authors extend the goal-directed benchmarking theory proposed by Stewart for benchmarking and selecting suppliers. This extension is in recognition of the fact that benchmarking for suppliers is more than a pure monitoring process and includes a component of future planning. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper, the proposed model utilizes a goal programming structure to find points on the efficient frontier which are realistically attainable by suppliers in the presence of undesirable outputs, but at the same time achieving a closer method to long-term organizational goals (as distinct from the local performance of individual suppliers). Findings – The contributions of the current paper are as follows: the proposed model considers undesirable outputs in the context of goal-directed benchmarking. The proposed model does not demand weights from the decision maker. The proposed model can be easily computerized, enabling it to serve as a decision making tool to assist decision makers. For the first time, the proposed model is applied for the supplier selection and benchmarking. Originality/value – To the best of knowledge of the authors, there is not any reference that discusses supplier selection problem and benchmarking in the presence of undesirable outputs in the context of goal-directed benchmarking.

The durability of sulfate resisting mortar with partial replacement by cement kiln dust

2014 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 182-190
Author(s):  
Moayad M. Kassim
Keyword(s):  
Partial Replacement ◽  
Cement Kiln Dust ◽  
Cement Kiln ◽  
Saline Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Environmental Requirements ◽  
One Year ◽  
First Time ◽  
Kiln Dust

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to reuse cement kiln dust (CKD) in cement products and report the results of determining the long-term compression and flexural tensile strengths of mortars containing CKD as a partial replacement of sulfate-resistant cement (SRC). During the manufacturing of Portland cement, voluminous quantities of the byproduct dust are produced, which is commonly known as CKD. In the past decade, according to environmental requirements, many researchers have attempted to reuse CKD in cement products. Design/methodology/approach – The long-term compression and flexural tensile strengths of mortars containing CKD as a partial replacement of SRC were tested. The replacement ratios in this study were 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 per cent. The specimens were exposed to a highly saline environment after normal curing in water for a 28-day period. Findings – The results indicated a slight increase in the strength of CKD–SRC mortar containing 10 per cent CKD and moderate sulfate resistance when the CKD ratio reached 20 per cent, as compared to the reference mortar. In addition, CKD did not adversely affect the properties of SRC mortar subjected to sulfate exposure, even after one year. Originality/value – The tests were inducted for the first time on SRC, and the new results can be used to produce an environmental-friendly concrete.

Gender equality will see uneven progress in Mexico

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
National Development ◽  
State Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The Government ◽  
Employment Of Women ◽  
First Time

Subject The Mexican government's advances towards greater gender equality. Significance President Enrique Pena Nieto has been active in promoting gender equality at home and abroad, and his government has repeatedly voiced its commitment to the UN's Millennium Development Goals, particularly regarding female empowerment. The Pena Nieto administration included a gender dimension in its National Development Plan for the first time, and has allocated significant resources to supporting women. Efforts have focused not only on the federal level, but also at state level, as illustrated by the signing of a collaboration agreement in December 2015 between the government and the National Conference of Governors. Impacts Bridging the gender gap across all government levels will be an expensive and difficult task, with uneven success across the country. Any reductions in domestic violence rates will require long-term efforts to change attitudes from the bottom up. Quotas that encourage the employment of women, regardless of merit, may perpetuate politics' reputation for being corrupt and nepotistic.

Sinn Fein surge in Ireland could be short-lived

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Identity Politics ◽  
Climate Change Policy ◽  
Left Wing ◽  
Green Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sinn Fein ◽  
Change Policy ◽  
Form Part ◽  
First Time

Subject Sinn Fein surge. Significance On February 8, Sinn Fein (SF), Ireland’s left-wing nationalist party, won the first-preference vote for the first time, receiving 24.5%. However, it is unlikely to form part of the next government because it did not win enough seats. It is too early to say if SF’s rise constitutes a long-term realignment in Irish politics; its surge in support was based on voters' pragmatic concerns surrounding housing and health policy and far less on support for the party's identity politics. Impacts A ‘thin’ Brexit trade deal and an OECD digital tax would limit Ireland’s ability to increase public spending significantly. Ireland’s Brexit stance is unlikely to change much under a new government. The Green Party will likely form part of the next government, making climate change policy a greater priority for Dublin.

scholarly journals Repairing political trust in Tunisia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Malek Sghaier ◽  
Hamida Skandrani ◽  
Julie Robson
Keyword(s):  
Political Trust ◽  
Repair Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Trust Repair ◽  
Political Talk ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Key Events ◽  
First Time

Purpose This study aims to identify the responses required to repair political trust in Tunisia and the differences between two key stakeholder groups, namely, politicians and voters. Design/methodology/approach A sequential mixed method study was adopted using two data sources: semi-structured interviews conducted with citizens and politicians; and media data from TV political talk shows. Data was collected over a three-year period following several key events that affected trust. Findings New responses were identified to repair political trust, and these were categorized using a trust repair framework. In addition to short- and long-term responses, a new category, swift response, was identified to resolve immediate political uncertainty. The role of the trustor (i.e. voters) in actively restoring trust was identified for the first time. Research limitations/implications This study focussed on trust repair responses suggested by voters and politicians and not necessarily responses that were implemented by government or political parties during the period of study. The effectiveness of the suggested responses in repairing trust was not evaluated. Practical implications Identification of the responses required to repair trust with voters, how these differ over time, and according to different trust violations will help Tunisian politicians rebuild trust more effectively during election and non-election periods. Notably, differences highlighted between the responses suggested by voters and politicians suggest that politicians may not understand how to repair voter trust. Originality/value Contrary to previous studies that assume a trustor (the voter) is a passive observer, this research identified the proactive role that citizens play in the trust repair process.

Neither oil nor coal demand is likely to peak by 2040

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Demand ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
International Energy Agency ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Primary Energy Demand ◽  
Term Energy ◽  
First Time

Subject Long-term energy markets outlook. Significance The International Energy Agency (IEA) has upgraded its forecast for total primary energy demand (TPED) to 2040 for the first time since it began projecting this far out in 2014. Impacts The IEA’s belief that the world is on an environmentally unsustainable path will bolster decarbonisation efforts nationally and globally. The IEA does not see oil demand peaking by 2040; this and gas’s growing share of global demand will help sustain oil and gas investment. China and India switching from coal to gas will reduce coal’s share of energy demand even though India’s official targets are optimistic.

Do frequent acquirers outperform in cross-border acquisitions? A study of Indian companies

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 491-514
Author(s):  
Samta Jain ◽  
Smita Kashiramka ◽  
P.K. Jain
Keyword(s):  
Operating Performance ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Acquisition Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Acquisition Period ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Acquiring Firms ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of cross-border acquisitions (CBAs) on the financial and operating performance of acquiring firms from emerging economies in the long-term; the acquiring firms have been segregated into frequent (multiple) and first-time (single) acquirers based on their prior cross-border experience. The intent is to identify if overseas activities bring over and above advantage to multiple acquirers in terms of enhanced financial synergies and reduced costs, motivating them to engage in sequential international transactions. Design/methodology/approach The paper analyses the impact of CBAs announced and completed during 2004–2013 by Indian companies listed on the NIFTY 500 index. The post-acquisition financial and operating performance of Indian cross-border acquirers has been compared with their pre-acquisition performance. The average performance over three-years immediately preceding the acquisition year constitutes the benchmark for the post-acquisition performance. The post-acquisition period includes a year of integration followed by three successive post-integration years. Therefore, in operational terms, the research period extends from 2001–2017. The long-term performance of frequent (multiple) and first-time (single) Indian acquirers has been investigated comprehensively using a set of 16 financial ratios. The performance has been assessed using the secondary data collected from financial statements of acquiring companies; the financial statements and the list of CBAs by Indian companies have been obtained from Thomson Reuter’s EIKON database. Findings The financial and operating performance of frequent as well as first-time acquirers have depicted a similarly deteriorating trend during the post-acquisition period. These findings indicate that the international expansion of Indian companies is not guided by synergy creation potential and may be pushed by the overconfidence or over-optimism and agency conflicts of managers. This, perhaps, indicates that firms are being imprudent in investing free cash flows available with them. Originality/value The study is the first of its kind. No study, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, has analysed the performance of acquiring firms by segregating them into frequent and first-time acquirers using accounting measures of performance. More so, an extensive analysis of the long-term financial and operating performance of acquiring companies is rare to come across in the extant literature.

Long-term unemployment

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 713-727
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Apergis ◽  
Nicholas Apergis
Keyword(s):  
Working Environment ◽  
Employment Relations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Uk ◽  
First Time ◽  
Robustness Check ◽  
Modelling Approach

PurposeThis paper empirically explores the role of skill losses during unemployment behind firms' behaviour in interviewing long-term unemployedDesign/methodology/approachThe analysis makes use of the Work Employment Relations Survey in the UK, while it applies a panel probit modelling approach to estimate the empirical findings.FindingsThe findings document that skill losses during long-term unemployment reduce the likelihood of an interview, while they emphasize the need for certain policies that could compensate for this deterioration of skills. For robustness check, the estimation strategy survives the examination of the same predictors under different types of the working environment.Originality/valueThe original values of the work 1 combines for the first time both duration and technology as predictors of interview probability. Until now, the independent variables were used to test whether an individual has managed to exit unemployment, thus skipping the step of the interview process.

Dynamic implications of GDP, interest rates, taxes, income, foreign direct investments, housing prices on property NPLs

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuen-Wei Tham ◽  
Rosli Said ◽  
Yasmin Mohd Adnan
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rates ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Housing Prices ◽  
Economic Environment ◽  
Macroeconomic Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Macroeconomic Variables ◽  
Long Run ◽  
First Time

Purpose The study on how macroeconomic factors affect non-performing loans (NPLs) have not been focussed on property loans, which had been amongst the largest contributor of NPLs in many countries. At the same time, whilst there are many studies that focusses on NPLs during the recession and financial crises, not many studies focus on how macroeconomic factors affect property NPLs in a recovering economic environment. The purpose of this study seeks to fill the gap by analysing the relationships between gross domestic product (GDP), interest rates, income, foreign direct investments (FDI), housing prices and taxes on property NPLs with Malaysia as a case study in which NPLs rose for the first time after declining for almost a decade since the 2008–2009 global financial crisis. This study aims to understand the dynamics and direction of causation in relationships. Design/methodology/approach The author uses the auto regressive distribution lag analysis between the independent variables of GDP, interest rates, housing prices, service taxes, percapita income and FDI affecting the dependent variable of property NPLs from 2009 to 2017, during a unique period of recovering economic environment where NPLs rose for the first time in almost a decade of decline. Findings This study found that interest rates, housing prices, income, GDP and service taxes were found to possess long cause effects and long run elasticity with NPLs. At the same time, interest rates were found to implicate property NPLs significantly in longer periods, followed by GDP, housing prices, service taxes and income. FDIs were found to be insignificantly negative in implicating property NPLs in the long run. Research limitations/implications This paper allows policymakers to understand the dynamic implications of crucial macroeconomic factors in affecting NPLs so that appropriate strategic monetary policies could be formulated towards addressing them. More focus shall be given to addressing the long term implications of these factors on NPLs. Practical implications Appropriate strategic monetary policy making can be channelled towards addressing these factors via understanding the short and long term implications of macroeconomic variables on property NPLs. Policymakers can take note of the long cause effects and long run elasticity of average interest rates, housing prices, income levels, GDP and service taxes with property NPLs so that appropriate long term policies can be addressed to control the rise of property NPLs in the country. At the same time, priority should be given towards strengthening of the GDP of the country due to its strongest impact in long term effects with reduction of NPLs in the country. Social implications The insights from the present study suggest policymakers interested in bringing stability in the real estate finance system need to account for the various macroeconomic variables found in this study. Originality/value The paper is novel on at least two dimensions. First, this study involves focussing on a unique period of recovering economic environment where NPLs rose for the first time after a decade of decline since recovering from the 2008–2009 global financial crisis. At the same time, this study focusses on property NPLs, which is unique in nature compared to general NPLs. This study had enabled policymakers to better understand the dynamic implications of several macroeconomic variables affecting property NPLs and assist them in strategic monetary policy making.

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