Multiple measurements muddle global inequality debate

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Global Inequality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multiple Measurements ◽  
Policy Measures ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Wealth Inequalities ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Distribution Of Income ◽  
Ineffective Policy ◽  
Income Concentration

Subject The impact of the proliferation on inequality measurements. Significance The gap between the rich and everyone else has become a political battleground across economies. Studies evaluating the distribution of income, its determinants and its changes have proliferated and the number of measures used have expanded. In particular, new indicators have been proposed to reflect income concentration at the top. However, the proliferation of indicators and inequality dimensions has resulted in confusion regarding what we are measuring and why -- even as populist calls for policy measures to reduce income and wealth inequalities increase. Impacts A multitude of inequality measurements can result in contradictory findings and obfuscate the most significant problems. This can lead to ineffective policy-making. Distinguishing more clearly between inequality at the top and other types of inequality would help produce better studies.

How does the estate tax affect the number of firms?

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel A. Yakovlev ◽  
Antony Davies
Keyword(s):  
Small Firms ◽  
State Level ◽  
Small Business Owners ◽  
Tax Burden ◽  
Estate Tax ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Number Of Firms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to estimate the effect of the combined (Federal and state) estate, inheritance, and gift (EIG) tax burden per decedent on the number of firms in the USA. Design/methodology/approach – Estimates are based on a longitudinal panel of 50 American states from 1988 to 2006. Findings – The paper finds that the growth in the EIG tax burden per decedent significantly reduces the growth in the number of firms, especially small firms. The higher dissolution rate among small firms can be attributed to the asymmetric liquidity effect, which limits the ability of small business owners to raise the funds needed to pay the estate tax without liquidating their estates. Practical implications – The estimates suggest that the reductions in EIG taxes, brought about by the passage of 2001 EGTRRA, have lead to a higher growth in the number of firms, ceteris paribus. Social implications – As of this writing, the future of the Federal estate tax looks uncertain. Policymakers should note that the estate tax lowers competition and economic growth, which hurts both the poor and the rich. Originality/value – This study is the first to examine the impact of the combined (Federal and state) EIG tax burden on the number of firms using state-level panel data.

Financial planning for retirement: the role of income

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 1419-1440
Author(s):  
Milagros Vivel-Búa ◽  
Lucía Rey-Ares ◽  
Rubén Lado-Sestayo ◽  
Sara Fernández-López
Keyword(s):  
Driving Forces ◽  
Pension Plans ◽  
Retirement Savings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Working Lives ◽  
Future Income ◽  
Wealth Inequalities ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the driving forces of both the decision to participate in individual pension plans and the amount of money allocated to such plans. Moreover, this paper evaluates the potential role that income plays, which has not previously been considered in depth in the financial literature.Design/methodology/approachBased on a sample of the Spanish population over the period 2008–2015, this paper estimates probit and tobit models, using 165,791 observations. The driving forces of private retirement savings comprise demographic, financial and socio-economic characteristics.FindingsThis paper confirms the impact of socio-demographic and economic variables on participation and monetary contributions to pension plans. It also confirms that income plays a non-negligible role. Moreover, empirical evidence reveals that the effect of gender is related to the income stratum to which the individual belongs.Originality/valueRetirement planning plays a key role in retirees’ future income and several countries have emphasised the importance of private individual savings to supplement the minimum provided by public pension schemes. The previous literature has concluded that those who plan their retirement end their working lives with three times the wealth of non-planners. Consequently, analysis of whether people are saving enough for their retirement can contribute to avoiding future wealth inequalities among retirees. Spain is one of the countries with the greatest inequality in income distribution, so this issue is of even greater interest.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and policy response on single-parent families in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Hairani Abd Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Single Parents ◽  
Single Parent ◽  
Financial Security ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Single Parent Families ◽  
Policy Measures ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Malaysian Government

PurposeThe study focuses on the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and policy measures implemented by the Malaysian government to address issues during this period. The study examines the impacts on the financial security and mental health of single-parent families in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a cross-sectional survey to obtain data about single-parent families. To support the information collected with the survey, interviews were conducted with six representatives from six single-parent associations.FindingsThe study identified that policy measures implemented by the Malaysian government have helped improve the financial security of single-parent families. However, for mental health, the support single parents received was not able to provide better quality of life, as the majority were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially during lockdown, before they received any assistance from the government.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was conducted during the pandemic; thus, the study was not able to include a larger sample of single parents. Therefore, the findings cannot be generalized to explain nationwide issues. However, the study provides important insights into understanding the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on people, especially single-parent families.Practical implicationsThe study confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected single parents in different ways. Financial security and mental health, the focus of this study, have provided a clear justification for how pandemics could affect people’s lives. Specifically, the situation was exacerbated after the implementation of movement control orders in Malaysia, and it has continuously affected the living conditions of single-parent families.Social implicationsThe study focuses on single-parent families, a group that receives less attention from the government and policies, although this group is recognized as one of the vulnerable groups. Understanding this context helps to provide a clear guide for how policies can be formulated and provides equal attention to assist this group in the future.Originality/valueThis study focuses on single-parent families. Few studies have examined this perspective using Malaysia as the study context. Moreover, the study analyzes the pandemic situation, and this area is still new and underexplored.

scholarly journals Contextualizing employability

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 498-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxim Kovalenko ◽  
Dimitri Mortelmans
Keyword(s):  
Labor Market ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Agency ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Policy Measures ◽  
Managerial Positions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Individual employability has become a crucial element in ensuring labor security in flexibilizing labor markets. The importance of agency-side factors as antecedents of employability has been emphasized in the relevant literature, spurring the criticism that some worker groups may be more restricted than others by contextual factors in respect to their employment prospects. The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically how labor market groups differ in what shapes their employability. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a representative sample of 1,055 employees to detect differences in the impact of career self-directedness (agency-side) and several contextual factors (structure-side) on employability, comparing workers with and without higher education and workers in and outside managerial positions. Confirmatory factor analysis with subsequent tests of invariance was used. Findings Results confirm that employability is affected both by contextual factors and by self-directedness. No significant differences were observed between the compared groups in the extent to which self-directedness and the contextual factors influence employability. An important finding is that self-directedness itself is affected by preceding career history (career mobility and previous unemployment), which may suggest a vicious-circle relationship between past and future career precariousness. Practical/implications The findings support the view prevailing in policy circles that fostering agency-side factors such as self-directedness is instrumental toward achieving higher employment security. At the same time, individual agency cannot replace traditional policy measures in tackling structural labor market inequalities. Originality/value This study uses robust methodology and a representative respondent sample to statistically disentangle the effects of agency and context on employability. Its key contribution pertains to the explicit comparison of different worker groups, with separate contrasts on each model parameter.

scholarly journals Luxury international business: a critical review and agenda for research

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 219-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Roberts
Keyword(s):  
International Business ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Unequal Distribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Distribution Of Income

Purpose Through a critical review of the impact of luxury international business, this study aims to contribute to an understanding of business activities that depend on an unequal distribution of income and wealth. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on a wide range of academic and practitioner literature, this study adopts a critical luxury studies approach to provide an assessment of the economic and social impact of luxury international business. Findings Luxury is an increasingly important sector of the economy, which contributes to the welfare of increasing numbers of people across the world. Alongside its dependence on an unequal distribution of income and wealth and the negative aspects to which this gives rise, luxury business generates significant benefits to the economy and society through promoting economic growth, innovation, cultural enrichment, improved quality of the built environment and environmentally sustainable business practices. Nevertheless, an appropriate level of regulation and taxation on the excesses of contemporary luxury consumption could improve the welfare of all. Hence, luxury international business warrants investigation by critical scholars who recognize the complexity of the benefits and dark sides arising from luxury. Research limitations/implications This study draws on an extensive review of academic and practitioner literature. However, primary research is required to investigate further the key issues identified. Social implications Through an exploration of the impact of the production and consumption of luxury, this study reveals how luxury businesses serving the super-rich can contribute to the welfare of society whilst also giving rise to negative outcomes. Originality/value By adopting a critical luxury studies approach, this study offers an original contribution to the field of international business and introduces avenues for future critical international business research.

Impact of globalization on income inequality in Asian emerging economies

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 44-57
Author(s):  
Kashif Munir ◽  
Mahnoor Bukhari
Keyword(s):  
Income Inequality ◽  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Financial Integration ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Financial Globalization ◽  
Trade Restrictions ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of three modes of globalization, i.e. trade globalization, financial globalization and technological globalization, separately on income inequality on the Asian emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach The study uses Hecksher–Ohlin and the Stolper–Samuelson theorem as a theoretical model for the relationship between globalization and income inequality. The study uses pooled least square (POLS) and instrumental variable least square (IVLS) estimation technique but prefers the IVLS over POLS due to the problems of omitted variable biased and endogeneity. Due to unavailability of data for all the Asian emerging economies, the study uses the following 11 countries, i.e. Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand, from 1980 to 2014 for the trade and technological globalization model and from 1990 to 2014 for the financial globalization model. Findings Trade globalization significantly contributes to reduce income inequality in the Asian emerging economies. The impact of financial globalization on income inequality suggests that financial integration causes an increase in income inequality. Therefore, the benefits of financial globalization are not evenly distributed among the rich and the poor. The impact of technological globalization significantly contributes in the reduction of income inequality. Practical implications Government has to invest in research and development activities, establish efficient financial system, reduce trade restrictions and provide subsidies that help to increase the volume of trade. Originality/value This study contributes in the existing literature by analyzing the impact of trade globalization, financial globalization and technological globalization on income inequality in Asian emerging economies. The study provides useful guidelines to policy makers and governments to make effective policies in relation to globalization and income inequality that lead toward economic growth and reducing income inequality.

scholarly journals Neurodiversity and remote work in times of crisis: lessons for HR

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Maria Szulc ◽  
Frances-Louise McGregor ◽  
Emine Cakir
Keyword(s):  
Working Environment ◽  
Remote Work ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Business Professionals ◽  
Line Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Healthy Work ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Times ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe rich qualitative study builds on 11 semi-structured interviews with nine neurodivergent employees and two business professionals supportive of neurodiversity to understand the lived experiences of dealing with crisis in a remote working environment.Design/methodology/approachThe purpose of the reported research is to understand how neurominorities experience remote working in the times of crisis and what the implications of this are for human resource (HR) professionals.FindingsMoving to remote work resulted in a lack of routine, distractions and working long hours, which can all be difficult for line managers to monitor. Further problems with communication in a virtual environment and lack of understanding by others were found to be particularly burdensome to neurodivergent individuals. On the positive note, remote working in the times of crisis allowed for avoiding sensory overwhelm and was seen as an important step in creating a healthy work–life balance (WLB).Practical implicationsThe findings of this study point HR practitioners' attention towards building a more neurodiversity friendly post-pandemic workplace and prompt employers to offer working arrangements, which better suit employees' domestic and personal circumstances.Originality/valueThis study addresses the lack of research on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on neurominorities. In doing so, it answers recent calls to move away from universal HR as a route to positive employee outcomes and facilitates a more accurate reflection of organizational reality for disadvantaged members of society.

Italy’s mafias will exert uneven influence on business

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Media Coverage ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Organised Crime ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Projects ◽  
Public Events ◽  
Northern Regions ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Business Sectors

Subject The impact of mafias on business in Italy. Significance The impact of organised crime on economic activity in Italy is hard to overstate. Besides having a structured presence in the southern regions of Campania, Calabria, Apulia and Sicily, mafias in recent decades have been moving into the rich northern regions of Lombardy, Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna. In Rome, investigations have uncovered a vast web of corruption labelled ‘Mafia Capitale’. Yet mafias’ impact on business is far from homogeneous and varies widely across business sectors and regions. Impacts Mafias’ impact is most visible in specific business sectors, primarily logistics, construction and public projects. Media coverage contributes to the pervasive image of mafias in the Italian business environment. Investigations uncovering a mafia presence in public events may affect decisions about whether to pursue similar projects in the future.

Perceptions on the impact of anti-bribery measures, strategies and programs on the persistence of bribery practices in Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abubakar Abubakar Saddiq ◽  
Abu Sufian Abu Bakar
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Sampling ◽  
Linear Regression Method ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Executives ◽  
Multiple Linear Regression Method ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Policy Measures ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the perceptions of the grassroots on the impact of combative policy measures, strategies and programs introduced by the government and the civil society to reduce persistent occurrences of bribery practices in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach Multi-stage or cluster sampling was used to acquire the data for this paper via survey questionnaire administered to the grassroots in Abuja, Nigeria. The data set is used to assess the impact of the various policy measures, strategies and programs on the persistence of bribery practices in Nigeria. The multiple linear regression method was used to estimate the data generated from 836 responses in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Findings The result of the estimations indicates that the respondents perceived that some of the policy measures, strategies and programs introduced have reduced persistence of bribery practices in Nigeria, whereas others have remained ineffective in reducing the persistence of bribery practices in Nigeria. Originality/value Previous studies on the impact of anti-bribery policy measures, strategies and programs were largely based on the perceptions of international institutions and business executives; this study appears to be the pioneer to focus on the perceptions of the grassroots in Abuja, Nigeria.

The More Control, the Better?

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeeyun Oh ◽  
Mun-Young Chung ◽  
Sangyong Han
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Design ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Story Structure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High User ◽  
User Control ◽  
Rigorous Research ◽  
Control Versus ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Impact

Despite of the popularity of interactive movie trailers, rigorous research on one of the most apparent features of these interfaces – the level of user control – has been scarce. This study explored the effects of user control on users’ immersion and enjoyment of the movie trailers, moderated by the content type. We conducted a 2 (high user control versus low user control) × 2 (drama film trailer versus documentary film trailer) mixed-design factorial experiment. The results showed that the level of user control over movie trailer interfaces decreased users’ immersion when the trailer had an element of traditional story structure, such as a drama film trailer. Participants in the high user control condition answered that they were less fascinated with, absorbed in, focused on, mentally involved with, and emotionally affected by the movie trailer than participants in the low user control condition only with the drama movie trailer. The negative effects of user control on the level of immersion for the drama trailer translated into users’ enjoyment. The impact of user control over interfaces on immersion and enjoyment varies depending on the nature of the media content, which suggests a possible trade-off between the level of user control and entertainment outcomes.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document