scholarly journals The Mediterranean Variety of Capitalism, Flexibility of Work Schedules, and Labour Productivity in Southern Europe

REGION ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 21-38
Author(s):  
Alberto Vallejo-Peña ◽  
Sandro Giachi
Keyword(s):  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Work Organisation ◽  
Southern Europe ◽  
Hours Worked ◽  
The Hours ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Flexible Schedules ◽  
Institutional Model

Sociology has long been used to highlight the existence of diverse institutional models between geographical areas of Europe in terms of work organisation. Based on this, we propose to compare the situation of four representative countries of southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal) with that of the rest of Europe, by addressing the number of hours worked and the flexibility of working hours as key elements of their institutional model of work organisation, as well as their impact on levels of labour productivity. Taking the model of the varieties of capitalism as a reference, this study compares the behaviour of the Mediterranean (southern) countries with other European regions. Indicators have been obtained from the 2010 and 2015 waves of the European Work Conditions Survey (EWCS) that include the number of hours worked, the flexibility in the hours of entry and exit, and the tendency to work the same number of hours per day. After comparing averages in both waves and applying linear regressions, the following conclusions have been reached: (1) Productivity in southern countries is on a par with the European average but far from the more corporatist and liberal (northern) areas; (2) the South maintains a high average of hours worked (above the European average) to compensate for the poor productivity of its hours; and (3) the incorporation of flexible schedules is associated with elevated levels of productivity.

scholarly journals Daytime perimeter environmental noise in the vicinity of four hospitals in the city of Lima, Peru

Noise Mapping ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 239-247
Author(s):  
Alberto E. García-Rivero ◽  
Ricardo Ángel Yuli-Posadas ◽  
Warren Reátegui Romero ◽  
Odón Sánchez-Ccoyllo ◽  
Wilfredo Bulege-Gutierrez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Hours ◽  
Environmental Noise ◽  
Integration Time ◽  
Environmental Standards ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
The Hours ◽  
Measurement Mode ◽  
Special Protection Areas ◽  
The City ◽  
National Environmental

AbstractThe present study is intended to get to know the levels of perimeter diurnal environmental noise of four hospitals in the city of Lima. The measurement mode used at each hospital was A-weighting, with an integration time of five minutes per recording. It was measured in the FAST mode with calibrations made at the beginning and end of the measurement day. Statistical analysis consisted of the mean comparison T test which was applied at all the hospitals considered in the study. At the four hospitals, at all the hours of measurement and both on working days and non-working days (Sunday), LAeq mean values are higher than 83 dBA. On working days, two periods of maximum noise from 08:00 to 10:00 in the morning and from 17:00 to 19:00 in the afternoon coincide with the start and end of working hours. The perimeter diurnal environmental noise levels determined at the vicinity of four hospitals show higher values in all cases to those established by the Peruvian National Environmental Standards for Noise for special protection areas both for working days and for non-working days. Noise that comes from the dense and disorganized traffic of Lima plays a fundamental role in this behaviour.

THE HOURS WORKED–PRODUCTIVITY PUZZLE: IDENTIFICATION IN A FRACTIONAL INTEGRATION SETTING

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 1593-1621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuliya Lovcha ◽  
Alejandro Perez-Laborda
Keyword(s):  
Business Cycle ◽  
Fractional Integration ◽  
Real Business Cycle ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Sampling Uncertainty ◽  
Hours Worked ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Hours ◽  
Short Run ◽  
Technology Shock

A recent finding of the SVAR literature is that the response of hours worked to a (positive) technology shock depends on the assumed order of integration of the hours. In this work we relax this assumption, allowing fractional integration in hours and productivity. We find that the sign and magnitude of the estimated responses depend crucially on the identification assumptions employed. Although the responses of hours recovered with short-run (SR) restrictions are positive in all data sets, long-run (LR) identification results in negative, although sometimes not significant responses. We check the validity of these assumptions with the Sims procedure, concluding that both LR and SR are appropriate to recover responses in a fractionally integrated VAR. However, the application of the LR scheme always results in an increase in sampling uncertainty. Results also show that even the negative responses found in the data could still be compatible with real business cycle models.

WORK–LIFE BALANCE IN THE CURRENT JAPANESE CONTEXT

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 57-64
Author(s):  
Akizumi Tsutsumi
Keyword(s):  
Working Hours ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Medical Specialties ◽  
Long Working Hours ◽  
Family Work ◽  
Overtime Work ◽  
Work Style

Background: Work style reform in Japan is under way in response to a predicted shortfall in the workforce owing to the country’s low birth rate and high longevity, health problems due to excessive working hours, and the need for diversification of employment. A legal limit for physicians’ overtime work will be introduced in 2024. Objectives: This study examines the work–life balance among Japan’s doctors in the context of ongoing work style reform. Methodology: The study applied included selective reviews of demographic shifts, legislation against long working hours, and trends in doctors’ participation in the labor force. Results: Japan’s doctors work long hours, which creates a conflict between their working and private lives. The proportion of female doctors in Japan is the lowest among the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Employment trends among women doctors by age group show an M-curve: many quit their jobs upon marriage or childbirth. Gender role stereotyping has led male Japanese doctors to devote themselves entirely to their professions and working excessively long hours: they leave all family work to their female partners. This stereotyping obliges female doctors to undertake household chores in addition to their career tasks, which makes it difficult for them to re-enter their careers. Because of the harsh working conditions (including long working hours), there has been a decline in newly graduated doctors in some medical specialties. Conclusions: For sustainable, effective health care in Japan, it is necessary to improve the work conditions for Japan’s doctors towards achieving work–life harmony.

scholarly journals Nesting and breeding attempts of Cecropis daurica (Laxmann, 1769) in Tunisia

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 186-191
Author(s):  
Mohsen Kalboussi
Keyword(s):  
First Record ◽  
Southern Europe ◽  
Nest Entrance ◽  
Breeding Area ◽  
Northwest Africa ◽  
Nesting Sites ◽  
The Mediterranean

Abstract During fieldworks in 2019, a pair of Red-rumped Swallows (Cecropis daurica) were seen building their nest (June) and one of them brooding (August). The pair was still present in the area by the end of September, while all other swallows left this breeding area. In June 2020, the nest entrance was destroyed and the nest was occupied by a pair of Passer sp. Another nest of C. daurica was found in an abandoned building but was completely destroyed. This observation is the first record concerning an attempt and failure of nesting of the species in Tunisia. The nesting area of the Red-rumped Swallow is extended to the Mediterranean in southern Europe and to northwest Africa. The nesting sites are described, and the extension of the nesting area is discussed in this work.

scholarly journals Organization of the Process of Productive Operation of Equipment as One of the Necessary Conditions of Rational Production Organization

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 3589-3593
Keyword(s):  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Unit Cost ◽  
Operating Time ◽  
Production Capacity ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Technical Condition ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Equipment Maintenance ◽  
Organization Of Production ◽  
Production Organization

The service and equipment repairing process is the necessary condition for the growth of production capacity of enterprises, and thereafter it predetermines the approach for organization of production and upbuilding of production streams. In the article different options of reduction of working hours loss are considered, due to equipment downtime elimination because of repair and equipment maintenance on the reason of the increased operation. Also, in the article reserves of growth of labour productivity and reductions of unit cost are identified. It is proved, that current equipment monitoring allows to eliminate different defects in rationing of operating time of the equipment, it also allows to reach the permanent production’s rhythms, to increase the monitoring level, to provide the timeliness delivery of materials and components. As the example, in the research was used factual material of planned measurement of technical condition of the equipment on a separate production of GAS Group, methods of monitoring of technical condition and productive equipment maintenance and standard criteria of the equipment’s condition were developed.

Adequacy of Australia's GP workforce: estimating supply and demand, 2005–06 to 2015–16

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Dingwall ◽  
Joan Henderson ◽  
Helena Britt ◽  
Christopher Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Service Utilisation ◽  
Australian Study ◽  
Hours Worked ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
Gp Services ◽  
Reported Data ◽  
Current Concerns ◽  
Calculated Average

Objective A 2011 Australian study calculated average annual general practitioner (GP) utilisation and predicted numbers required to meet demand to 2020. The objective of the present study is to calculate average annual GP utilisation in 2015–16 compared with clinical demand predicted in 2005–06. Methods Demand was calculated from Medicare Benefits Schedule, Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Australian Bureau of Statistics data. Length of consultation and average clinical hours worked per week (from 2002–03 to 2015–16) was drawn from GP self-reported data collected through the Bettering the Evaluation And Care of Health (BEACH) program. GP workforce numbers were sourced from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare ‘Medical practitioners workforce 2015’ report. Results Predicted demand from 2005–06 to 2009–10 approximated GP supply. Beyond 2011, approximately 2674 additional GPs were required in 2015–16 to maintain the average annual 2005–06 GP workload. An additional 5941 GPs were required to meet the increase in clinical demand (for GP services to patients) from 2005–06 to 2015–16. Conclusions The number of GP clinical hours worked decreased, and clinical demand increased. Ongoing efforts are required to ensure the supply of GPs to meet the clinical demand of Australia’s aging population. What is known about this topic? For the past three decades there has been concern about the supply of GPs in Australia. In recent years the Australian Government has taken several steps to improve access to GP services by increasing the overall supply of GPs and encouraging a more even distribution of GPs across Australia. A 2011 Australian study calculated average annual GP service utilisation and predicted the number of GPs required to meet clinical demand to 2020. There are current concerns that the GP workforce has reached a state of oversupply. What does this paper add? This study concludes that the GP workforce is not in a state of oversupply, confirming that patient clinical demand increased through both population growth and the aging of the population. Although the number of GPs increased, the number of clinical hours worked by (male) GPs decreased. Therefore, the rise in the number of GPs did not result in a proportional rise in GP workforce capacity. Clearly standardised definitions and inclusions for counting the GP workforce would improve accuracy in measuring this section of the health workforce. What are the implications for practitioners? GP workforce supply will require ongoing monitoring over coming years considering the increasing population, the aging of the population, declining clinical GP working hours and the approaching mass retirement of older GPs.

scholarly journals Trends in Work Conditions and Associations with Workers’ Health in Recent 15 Years: The Role of Job Automation Probability

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (15) ◽  
pp. 5499
Author(s):  
Wan-Ju Cheng ◽  
Li-Chung Pien ◽  
Tomohide Kubo ◽  
Yawen Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Shift Work ◽  
Job Insecurity ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Job Control ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Levels Of Automation ◽  
Questionnaire Surveys ◽  
Job Content

Job automation and associated psychosocial hazards are emerging workplace challenges. This study examined the trends in work conditions and associations with workers’ health over time in jobs with different automation probabilities. We utilized data from six waves of national questionnaire surveys of randomly selected 95,762 employees between 2001 and 2016. The Job Content Questionnaire, the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, and the Self-Rated Health Scale were applied, and working time was self-reported. Automation probability was derived for 38 occupations and then categorized into three groups. Trends in work conditions and the associations between automation probability, work conditions and health were examined. We observed a 7% decrease in high automation probability jobs, an overall increase in job demands for and prevalence of shift work, and a decrease in job control. Workers with high automation probability jobs had low job demands, low job control and high job insecurity. Low automation probability was associated with burnout in logistic regression models. The odds ratio of job insecurity, long working hours, and shift work relating to health was higher in the later years of the surveys. In conclusion, there has been a decrease in high automation probability jobs. Workers employed in jobs with different levels of automation probability encountered different work condition challenges.

The praying mantises of the Maltese Islands: distribution and ecology (Mantodea)

2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 341-348
Author(s):  
Thomas Cassar
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Basin ◽  
Southern Europe ◽  
Mantis Religiosa ◽  
Maltese Islands ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Distribution And Ecology ◽  
The Mediterranean Basin

This study presents a species account of the mantises of the Maltese Islands, including notes on the ecology and distribution of each species. A total of three species are known to exist locally; Ameles spallanzania (Rossi, 1792), Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus, 1758) and Rivetina baetica Rambur, 1839. The presence of Ameles decolor (Charpentier, 1825) cannot be confirmed by any recently collected material, but the species is not excluded from the Maltese entomofauna. Two doubtful records are also discussed. All species present in the archipelago are typically found in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin.

scholarly journals Identifying differences in GPs’ working hours according to gender and employment position: A time sampling study using SMS text messaging

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
Daniel Van Hassel ◽  
Lud Van der Velden ◽  
Ronald Batenburg
Keyword(s):  
Text Messaging ◽  
Workforce Planning ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Multiple Time ◽  
Time Sampling ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Hours Worked ◽  
Female Self ◽  
Sms Text Messaging

In order to aid health workforce planning, we measured the number of hours worked by general practitioners (GPs). The twofold aim of this study consisted of assessing the feasibility, validity and reliability of an innovative method to measure working time and, second, to analyse differences in hours worked between six types of GPs divided by the combination of their gender and employment position. Our method was based on multiple time point observations using SMS text messaging. On average 19 GPs participated every week for 57 weeks. In total 1,051 GPs participated resulting in 61,320 valid measurements of time use. On average, GPs worked 44 hours per week. About 56% of this time was spent on direct patient-related activities, 26% to indirect patient-related activities, and 18% to activities not related to patients. There were substantial differences in working hours between male and female self-employed, those drawing a salary from a duo or group practice and locum GPs. For example, male self-employed GPs worked 51.6 hours per week, whereas male locum GPs worked 26.7 hours per week. Generally, differences in hours worked with regard to gender and employment position are smaller if we relate these hours to the number of FTE they worked. Furthermore, we conclude that the method of SMS text messaging based on the time sampling technique presents a limited degree of interference to the participants’ work and achieved reliable and valid results.

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