Global outsourcing, technical change, and falling barriers to trade worldwide have transformed the structure of production and global competition in the textile and apparel industry. This sector has experienced intense fragmentation in the last two decades,much of which was driven by the Multifibre Arrangement (MFA). This review shows that post-MFA, firms today face altered conditions of competition that are pushing them to compete on the basis of factors other than price and cost competitiveness. The paper also argues that the attribution of China’s remarkable export performance in textiles and apparel to its low unit costs and large scales of production is, in part, a misreading of the China story.
{"title":"The Role of Price and Cost Competitiveness in Apparel Exports, Post-Mfa: A Review","authors":"M. Tewari","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.870336","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.870336","url":null,"abstract":"Global outsourcing, technical change, and falling barriers to trade worldwide have transformed the structure of production and global competition in the textile and apparel industry. This sector has experienced intense fragmentation in the last two decades,much of which was driven by the Multifibre Arrangement (MFA). This review shows that post-MFA, firms today face altered conditions of competition that are pushing them to compete on the basis of factors other than price and cost competitiveness. The paper also argues that the attribution of China’s remarkable export performance in textiles and apparel to its low unit costs and large scales of production is, in part, a misreading of the China story.","PeriodicalId":163698,"journal":{"name":"Institutional & Transition Economics eJournal","volume":"86 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124283169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Secondary schools in the developed world differ in the degree of differentiation and in the first age of selection of pupils into different tracks. In this paper, we account for the heterogeneity of tracking time with a simple stochastic model which conjugates the returns from specialization with the costs of early selection. We calibrate the model for 20 countries – including most of Europe, the US and Japan – and show that the model performs rather well in replicating the observed heterogeneity, with the remarkable exception of Germany.
{"title":"Why is the Timing of School Tracking so Heterogeneous?","authors":"Kenn Ariga, G. Brunello, Roki Iwahashi, L. Rocco","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.866849","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.866849","url":null,"abstract":"Secondary schools in the developed world differ in the degree of differentiation and in the first age of selection of pupils into different tracks. In this paper, we account for the heterogeneity of tracking time with a simple stochastic model which conjugates the returns from specialization with the costs of early selection. We calibrate the model for 20 countries – including most of Europe, the US and Japan – and show that the model performs rather well in replicating the observed heterogeneity, with the remarkable exception of Germany.","PeriodicalId":163698,"journal":{"name":"Institutional & Transition Economics eJournal","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125327584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The paper considers a simple oligopoly model where firms know their own and the average pay-off in the industry. Firms choose decision rules for trading. The theory predicts that there are three types of Nash equilibria in this game (collusive, Cournot and Stackelberg). Our experiments test the selection process. We find that there is clear evidence of convergence to an equilibrium, and whilst both Cournot and collusive outcomes were selected, the collusive equilibrium is more common. The experimental results also give insights into the process of individual learning, confirming that subjects follow aspiration rules rather than reinforcement rules.
{"title":"Learning to Collude: An Experiment in Convergence and Equilibrium Selection in Oligopoly","authors":"Huw Dixon, Patrizia Sbriglia, Ernesto Somma","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.877231","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.877231","url":null,"abstract":"The paper considers a simple oligopoly model where firms know their own and the average pay-off in the industry. Firms choose decision rules for trading. The theory predicts that there are three types of Nash equilibria in this game (collusive, Cournot and Stackelberg). Our experiments test the selection process. We find that there is clear evidence of convergence to an equilibrium, and whilst both Cournot and collusive outcomes were selected, the collusive equilibrium is more common. The experimental results also give insights into the process of individual learning, confirming that subjects follow aspiration rules rather than reinforcement rules.","PeriodicalId":163698,"journal":{"name":"Institutional & Transition Economics eJournal","volume":"132 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127090671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
After 25 years of effective work against the poverty, "the bank of poors", founded by Muhammd Yunus, has undertaken a new action to the innovation of the practical of microcredit, therefore to render it relationally still fecund and - I think - valuing. In this written, we will pass in review the main innovations - regarding the Grameen Classic System (GCS the original and traditional system of microcredit proposed) - concerning the products and the operating organization, in order to pass to an accurate examination of the implications that this evolution involves to an exquisitely relational level between the agents been involved, developing dynamics and nexuses that emerges inside of the relationship between the single person and the group and viceversa.
{"title":"Grameen Bank Ii: A Possible Analysis with a Relational Perspective (Grameen Bank Ii: Una Possibile Analisi in Prospettiva Relazionale)","authors":"T. Reggiani","doi":"10.2139/SSRN.897493","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/SSRN.897493","url":null,"abstract":"After 25 years of effective work against the poverty, \"the bank of poors\", founded by Muhammd Yunus, has undertaken a new action to the innovation of the practical of microcredit, therefore to render it relationally still fecund and - I think - valuing. In this written, we will pass in review the main innovations - regarding the Grameen Classic System (GCS the original and traditional system of microcredit proposed) - concerning the products and the operating organization, in order to pass to an accurate examination of the implications that this evolution involves to an exquisitely relational level between the agents been involved, developing dynamics and nexuses that emerges inside of the relationship between the single person and the group and viceversa.","PeriodicalId":163698,"journal":{"name":"Institutional & Transition Economics eJournal","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115601972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
B. Vasquez, E. Lima, A. Maka, Mario Jorge Cardoso Mendonca
In this article we use the theory of conditional forecasts to develop a new Monetary Conditions Index (MCI) for Brazil and compare it to the ones constructed using the methodologies suggested by Bernanke and Mihov (1998) and Batini and Turnbull (2002). We use Sims and Zha (1999) and Waggoner and Zha (1999) approaches to develop and compute Bayesian error bands for the MCIs. The new indicator we develop is called the Conditional Monetary Conditions Index (CMCI) and is constructed using, alternatively, Structural Vector Autoregressions (SVARs) and Forward-Looking (FL) models. The CMCI is the forecasted output gap, conditioned on observed values of the nominal interest rate (the Selic rate) and of the real exchange rate. We show that the CMCI, when compared to the MCI developed by Batini and Turnbull (2002), is a better measure of monetary policy stance because it takes into account the endogeneity of variables involved in the analysis. The CMCI and the Bernanke and Mihov MCI (BMCI), despite conceptual differences, show similarities in their chronology of the stance of monetary policy in Brazil. The CMCI is a smoother version of the BMCI, possibly because the impact of changes in the observed values of the Selic rate is partially compensated by changes in the value of the real exchange rate. The Brazilian monetary policy, in the 2000:9- 2005:4 period and according to the last two indicators, has been expansionary near election months. Neste artigo utiliza-se a teoria das previsoes condicionais para o desenvolvimento de um novo Indice de Condicoes Monetarias [Monetary Conditions Index (MCI)] para o Brasil, comparando-o com os indices obtidos seguindo as metodologias sugeridas por Bernanke e Mihov (1998) e Batini e Turnbull (2002). Adicionalmente, desenvolvem-se e calculam-se intervalos de confianca bayesianos para os MCIs, empregando-se a abordagem proposta por Sims e Zha (1999) e Waggoner e Zha (1999). O novo indicador desenvolvido e chamado de Indice de Condicoes Monetarias Condicional [Conditional Monetary Conditionals Index (CMCI)], e e construido utilizando-se alternativamente os modelos de Auto-regressao Vetorial Estrutural [Structural Vector Autoregressions (SVARs) e Antecipativo [Forward-Looking (FL). O CMCI e a previsao do hiato do produto, condicionada aos valores observados da taxa de juros nominal (taxa Selic) e da taxa de câmbio real. Mostra-se que o CMCI, comparado ao MCI desenvolvido por Batini e Turnbull (2002), e um melhor indicador do estado da politica monetaria porque leva em consideracao a endogeneidade das variaveis envolvidas na analise. O CMCI e o MCI Bernanke-Mihov (BMCI), apesar das diferencas conceituais, estabelecem uma cronologia semelhante para o estado da politica monetaria no Brasil. O CMCI e uma versao suavizada do BMCI, provavelmente porque o impacto de mudancas nos valores observados da taxa Selic e parcialmente compensado por mudancas no valor da taxa de câmbio real. De acordo com o CMCI e o BMCI, no periodo entre
在本文中，我们使用条件预测理论为巴西开发了一个新的货币条件指数(MCI)，并将其与使用Bernanke和Mihov(1998)以及Batini和Turnbull(2002)建议的方法构建的指数进行比较。我们使用Sims和Zha(1999)以及Waggoner和Zha(1999)的方法来开发和计算MCIs的贝叶斯误差带。我们开发的新指标被称为条件货币条件指数(CMCI)，并使用结构向量自回归(SVARs)和前瞻性(FL)模型构建。CMCI是预测的产出缺口，以观察到的名义利率(Selic rate)和实际汇率为条件。我们表明，与巴蒂尼和特恩布尔(2002)开发的MCI相比，CMCI是货币政策立场的更好衡量标准，因为它考虑了分析中涉及的变量的内生性。CMCI和伯南克和米霍夫MCI (BMCI)，尽管在概念上有所不同，但在巴西货币政策立场的时序上显示出相似之处。CMCI是BMCI的一个平滑版本，可能是因为Selic汇率的观测值变化的影响部分地被实际汇率的变化所补偿。在2000年9月至2005年4月期间，以及根据最后两个指标，巴西的货币政策在临近大选的月份一直是扩张性的。Neste artigo utilizas -se a teoria as previses Conditions para or desenvolvimento de um novo Index de Condicoes Monetarias[货币条件指数(Monetary Conditions Index, MCI)] para o brazil, comcomo Index obtidos segindo作为方法参考，如por Bernanke e Mihov(1998)和Batini e Turnbull(2002)。附加的、非卷积的、可计算的、可识别的贝叶斯区间的、可识别的、可识别的、可识别的建议(参见Sims e Zha(1999)和Waggoner e Zha(1999))。新指标desenvolvido(条件指数、条件货币条件指数、条件货币条件指数)、结构向量自回归(结构向量自回归)和前瞻性预测(FL)模型的构建、利用和替代。CMCI是一种对产品、条件和价值进行预估的方法，对标称分类系统(分类系统Selic)和实际分类系统(分类系统CMCI)进行观察。Mostra-se que of CMCI，与MCI desenvolvido (Batini e Turnbull, 2002)的比较，我们的主要指标是建立在政治货币政策水平的基础上，考虑到不同因素的内因性，并对其进行了分析。CMCI和贝南克-米霍夫(BMCI Bernanke-Mihov, BMCI)在概念上的差异，建立了一种似乎与巴西政治货币政策相关的政策体系。因此，CMCI e uma versao suavizada do BMCI，即对土壤质量的影响的实证研究，特别是对土壤质量的补偿，以及对土壤质量的评价。从2000年到2005年3月，巴西的政治货币政策一直是扩张主义，而不是经济扩张主义。
{"title":"Measuring Monetary Policy Stance in Brazil","authors":"B. Vasquez, E. Lima, A. Maka, Mario Jorge Cardoso Mendonca","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.867046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.867046","url":null,"abstract":"In this article we use the theory of conditional forecasts to develop a new Monetary Conditions Index (MCI) for Brazil and compare it to the ones constructed using the methodologies suggested by Bernanke and Mihov (1998) and Batini and Turnbull (2002). We use Sims and Zha (1999) and Waggoner and Zha (1999) approaches to develop and compute Bayesian error bands for the MCIs. The new indicator we develop is called the Conditional Monetary Conditions Index (CMCI) and is constructed using, alternatively, Structural Vector Autoregressions (SVARs) and Forward-Looking (FL) models. The CMCI is the forecasted output gap, conditioned on observed values of the nominal interest rate (the Selic rate) and of the real exchange rate. We show that the CMCI, when compared to the MCI developed by Batini and Turnbull (2002), is a better measure of monetary policy stance because it takes into account the endogeneity of variables involved in the analysis. The CMCI and the Bernanke and Mihov MCI (BMCI), despite conceptual differences, show similarities in their chronology of the stance of monetary policy in Brazil. The CMCI is a smoother version of the BMCI, possibly because the impact of changes in the observed values of the Selic rate is partially compensated by changes in the value of the real exchange rate. The Brazilian monetary policy, in the 2000:9- 2005:4 period and according to the last two indicators, has been expansionary near election months. Neste artigo utiliza-se a teoria das previsoes condicionais para o desenvolvimento de um novo Indice de Condicoes Monetarias [Monetary Conditions Index (MCI)] para o Brasil, comparando-o com os indices obtidos seguindo as metodologias sugeridas por Bernanke e Mihov (1998) e Batini e Turnbull (2002). Adicionalmente, desenvolvem-se e calculam-se intervalos de confianca bayesianos para os MCIs, empregando-se a abordagem proposta por Sims e Zha (1999) e Waggoner e Zha (1999). O novo indicador desenvolvido e chamado de Indice de Condicoes Monetarias Condicional [Conditional Monetary Conditionals Index (CMCI)], e e construido utilizando-se alternativamente os modelos de Auto-regressao Vetorial Estrutural [Structural Vector Autoregressions (SVARs) e Antecipativo [Forward-Looking (FL). O CMCI e a previsao do hiato do produto, condicionada aos valores observados da taxa de juros nominal (taxa Selic) e da taxa de câmbio real. Mostra-se que o CMCI, comparado ao MCI desenvolvido por Batini e Turnbull (2002), e um melhor indicador do estado da politica monetaria porque leva em consideracao a endogeneidade das variaveis envolvidas na analise. O CMCI e o MCI Bernanke-Mihov (BMCI), apesar das diferencas conceituais, estabelecem uma cronologia semelhante para o estado da politica monetaria no Brasil. O CMCI e uma versao suavizada do BMCI, provavelmente porque o impacto de mudancas nos valores observados da taxa Selic e parcialmente compensado por mudancas no valor da taxa de câmbio real. De acordo com o CMCI e o BMCI, no periodo entre ","PeriodicalId":163698,"journal":{"name":"Institutional & Transition Economics eJournal","volume":"30 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128761668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Most studies of the opening of the Chinese economy focus at the national level. The few existing disaggregated analyses are limited to analyzing changes in agricultural production. The authors use an innovative village equilibrium model that accounts for nonseparability of household production and consumption decisions. This allows them to analyze the impact of trade liberalization on household production, consumption, and off-farm employment, as well as the interactions among these three aspects of household decisions. They use the village model to analyze the impact of price changes and labor demand, the two major pathways through which international trade affects households. Analyzing the impact of trade liberalization for one village in the Jiangxi province of China, the authors find changes in relative prices and outside village employment to have opposite impacts on household decisions. At the household level the impact of price changes dominates the employment impacts. Comparing full trade liberalization and the more limited Doha scenario, reactions are more modest in the latter case for most households, but the response is nonlinear to increasing depth of trade reforms. This is explained by household-specific transaction (shadow) prices in combination with endogenous choices to participate in the output markets. Rising income inequalities are a growing concern in China. Whether trade liberalization allows incomes to grow together or to grow apart depends on whether one accounts for the reduction in consumption demand when household members migrate. Assessing the net effect on the within-village income distribution, the authors find that poorer households that own draught power gain most from trade liberalization. The households that have to rely on the use of own labor for farm activities and are not endowed with traction power, nor with a link to employment opportunities in the prospering coastal regions, have fewer opportunities for adjustment.
{"title":"Growing Together or Growing Apart? A Village Level Study of the Impact of the Doha Round on Rural China","authors":"M. Kuiper, F. van Tongeren","doi":"10.1596/1813-9450-3696","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1596/1813-9450-3696","url":null,"abstract":"Most studies of the opening of the Chinese economy focus at the national level. The few existing disaggregated analyses are limited to analyzing changes in agricultural production. The authors use an innovative village equilibrium model that accounts for nonseparability of household production and consumption decisions. This allows them to analyze the impact of trade liberalization on household production, consumption, and off-farm employment, as well as the interactions among these three aspects of household decisions. They use the village model to analyze the impact of price changes and labor demand, the two major pathways through which international trade affects households. Analyzing the impact of trade liberalization for one village in the Jiangxi province of China, the authors find changes in relative prices and outside village employment to have opposite impacts on household decisions. At the household level the impact of price changes dominates the employment impacts. Comparing full trade liberalization and the more limited Doha scenario, reactions are more modest in the latter case for most households, but the response is nonlinear to increasing depth of trade reforms. This is explained by household-specific transaction (shadow) prices in combination with endogenous choices to participate in the output markets. Rising income inequalities are a growing concern in China. Whether trade liberalization allows incomes to grow together or to grow apart depends on whether one accounts for the reduction in consumption demand when household members migrate. Assessing the net effect on the within-village income distribution, the authors find that poorer households that own draught power gain most from trade liberalization. The households that have to rely on the use of own labor for farm activities and are not endowed with traction power, nor with a link to employment opportunities in the prospering coastal regions, have fewer opportunities for adjustment.","PeriodicalId":163698,"journal":{"name":"Institutional & Transition Economics eJournal","volume":"89 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123353424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Its highly fragmented structure of local governments and serious horizontal fiscal imbalances make Switzerland a surprisingly powerful model for Eastern European countries that are currently facing the challenge of fiscal decentralization. In spite of the substantial differences in the tradition and current practice of intergovernmental fiscal relations, transition economies may learn valuable lessons from the Swiss case in the fields of direct democracy, horizontal cooperation, expenditure and revenue assignment, and fiscal discipline. Among other conclusions, the authors suggest that subnational authorities can effectively fend off recentralization attempts of the central government if they engage in spontaneous cooperation to enhance the efficiency of public service provision. Together with an adequate fiscal equalization scheme, interjurisdictional cooperation also permits the reconciliation of the objective of an increasing devolution of powers with the existing regional disparities. The authors also show that the principle of subsidiarity can best be safeguarded by anchoring the expenditure and revenue powers of subnational governments in the constitution or in a similarly strong law. With regard to fiscal discipline, the combination of a"golden rule"with direct democratic instruments of budget control is proven to be successful in enhancing the accountability of local politicians toward their constituencies.
{"title":"Fiscal Federalism in Switzerland: Relevant Issues for Transition Economies in Central and Eastern Europe","authors":"B. Dafflon, K. Toth","doi":"10.1596/1813-9450-3655","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1596/1813-9450-3655","url":null,"abstract":"Its highly fragmented structure of local governments and serious horizontal fiscal imbalances make Switzerland a surprisingly powerful model for Eastern European countries that are currently facing the challenge of fiscal decentralization. In spite of the substantial differences in the tradition and current practice of intergovernmental fiscal relations, transition economies may learn valuable lessons from the Swiss case in the fields of direct democracy, horizontal cooperation, expenditure and revenue assignment, and fiscal discipline. Among other conclusions, the authors suggest that subnational authorities can effectively fend off recentralization attempts of the central government if they engage in spontaneous cooperation to enhance the efficiency of public service provision. Together with an adequate fiscal equalization scheme, interjurisdictional cooperation also permits the reconciliation of the objective of an increasing devolution of powers with the existing regional disparities. The authors also show that the principle of subsidiarity can best be safeguarded by anchoring the expenditure and revenue powers of subnational governments in the constitution or in a similarly strong law. With regard to fiscal discipline, the combination of a\"golden rule\"with direct democratic instruments of budget control is proven to be successful in enhancing the accountability of local politicians toward their constituencies.","PeriodicalId":163698,"journal":{"name":"Institutional & Transition Economics eJournal","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129786370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2005-06-01DOI: 10.1108/01437720510609564
E. Galanaki, N. Papalexandris
Purpose: Outsourcing is gaining considerable popularity in the field of business services and management. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the practice of outsourcing human resource management (HRM) functions, such as training, staffing, rewards and restructuring, in Greece. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis draws upon both primary and secondary data. The findings of the 1999 CRANET survey and a study on the companies that offer HRM services in Greece are used to set the frame of analysis. A series of in-depth interviews with HR managers and senior HRM consultants are used to support the quantitative data. Findings: The analysis suggests that the Greek market of HRM services is still at an initial stage of development, with limited credibility, while the customers lack the experience of managing outsourcing relations and are reluctant to establish a partnership- type HRM outsourcing agreement. Considerable differences are identified between the Greek market for HRM services and those of more developed markets. Originality/value: The description of the Greek market of HRM services can be useful to vendors and users of HRM services, as well as researchers dealing with outsourcing in small markets.
{"title":"Outsourcing of Human Resource Management Services in Greece","authors":"E. Galanaki, N. Papalexandris","doi":"10.1108/01437720510609564","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/01437720510609564","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: Outsourcing is gaining considerable popularity in the field of business services and management. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the practice of outsourcing human resource management (HRM) functions, such as training, staffing, rewards and restructuring, in Greece. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis draws upon both primary and secondary data. The findings of the 1999 CRANET survey and a study on the companies that offer HRM services in Greece are used to set the frame of analysis. A series of in-depth interviews with HR managers and senior HRM consultants are used to support the quantitative data. Findings: The analysis suggests that the Greek market of HRM services is still at an initial stage of development, with limited credibility, while the customers lack the experience of managing outsourcing relations and are reluctant to establish a partnership- type HRM outsourcing agreement. Considerable differences are identified between the Greek market for HRM services and those of more developed markets. Originality/value: The description of the Greek market of HRM services can be useful to vendors and users of HRM services, as well as researchers dealing with outsourcing in small markets.","PeriodicalId":163698,"journal":{"name":"Institutional & Transition Economics eJournal","volume":"9 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128485737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper discusses regional development patterns in China, and examines effective ways of using development aid to attain regional balanced growth through optimizing growth spillover effects. Based on provincial panel data from 1978 to 99, the paper constructs an indicator “neighbor performance” to measure the geographic spillover effects of aggregate growth from and to different provinces according to their relative richness and geographic position. Analysis of a Solow-type growth model suggests that positive spillover effects dominate negative shadow effects at the national level as well as the regional level; and some coastal provinces provide growth pull and growth push forces for their neighbors and serve as locomotives. The results show that the rapid take-off of the coastal provinces has the largest spillover effects on the entire Chinese economy, but at the expense of a widening regional gap. A policy of encouraging the growth of the non-coastal regional hubs would have strong forward and backward linkages with the inland/western regions and thus reduce the regional development gap without sacrificing much aggregate growth. The paper offers support for the policy of developing inland hubs, and argues that directing development aid to Hubei and Sichuan would optimize the growth spillover impacts on inland regions.
{"title":"Growth Spillover Effects and Regional Development Patterns: The Case of Chinese Provinces","authors":"Xubei Luo","doi":"10.1596/1813-9450-3652","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1596/1813-9450-3652","url":null,"abstract":"This paper discusses regional development patterns in China, and examines effective ways of using development aid to attain regional balanced growth through optimizing growth spillover effects. Based on provincial panel data from 1978 to 99, the paper constructs an indicator “neighbor performance” to measure the geographic spillover effects of aggregate growth from and to different provinces according to their relative richness and geographic position. Analysis of a Solow-type growth model suggests that positive spillover effects dominate negative shadow effects at the national level as well as the regional level; and some coastal provinces provide growth pull and growth push forces for their neighbors and serve as locomotives. The results show that the rapid take-off of the coastal provinces has the largest spillover effects on the entire Chinese economy, but at the expense of a widening regional gap. A policy of encouraging the growth of the non-coastal regional hubs would have strong forward and backward linkages with the inland/western regions and thus reduce the regional development gap without sacrificing much aggregate growth. The paper offers support for the policy of developing inland hubs, and argues that directing development aid to Hubei and Sichuan would optimize the growth spillover impacts on inland regions.","PeriodicalId":163698,"journal":{"name":"Institutional & Transition Economics eJournal","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124929817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In most countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, the transition to market led to the emergence of a private sector and open unemployment. The Belarusian labor market is characterized by low official unemployment, combined with a low share of the private sector in the aggregate employment. However, the cumulative fall in employment since 1990 has been similar to other transition economies, leading to a sharp reduction of labor force, and the youth unemployment remains high. The mismatch in skills between the unemployed and the vacancies and the geographical mismatch suggest that policies aimed at improving skills and increasing mobility are needed. At the same time, the low vacancy-unemployment ratio calls for policies aimed at encouraging private job creation. An immediate policy concern for the government is to launch a labor market reform that would balance providing adequate protection for workers with the need to design the incentives for the unemployed workers to search for new jobs.
{"title":"Labor Market Trends and Institutions in Belarus","authors":"Zuzana Brixiová, V. Volchok","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.746706","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.746706","url":null,"abstract":"In most countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, the transition to market led to the emergence of a private sector and open unemployment. The Belarusian labor market is characterized by low official unemployment, combined with a low share of the private sector in the aggregate employment. However, the cumulative fall in employment since 1990 has been similar to other transition economies, leading to a sharp reduction of labor force, and the youth unemployment remains high. The mismatch in skills between the unemployed and the vacancies and the geographical mismatch suggest that policies aimed at improving skills and increasing mobility are needed. At the same time, the low vacancy-unemployment ratio calls for policies aimed at encouraging private job creation. An immediate policy concern for the government is to launch a labor market reform that would balance providing adequate protection for workers with the need to design the incentives for the unemployed workers to search for new jobs.","PeriodicalId":163698,"journal":{"name":"Institutional & Transition Economics eJournal","volume":"154 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132375473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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