Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Imre Gergely Szabó Author-Name-First: Imre Gergely Author-Name-Last: Szabó Author-Email: szabo_imre-gergely@ceu-budapest.edu Author-Name: Marta Kahancová Author-Name-First: Marta Author-Name-Last: Kahancová Author-Email: marta.kahancova@celsi.sk Title: Acting on the Edge of Public Sector: Hospital Corporatization and Collective Bargaining in Hungary and Slovakia Abstract: Effective public sector management became central to economic and political debates across Europe in the last decade. One of the most affected domains is public healthcare that is often subject to ambiguous reforms combining private and public sector “best practices”. This paper attempts to extend our theoretical and empirical knowledge on healthcare reforms and their effect on employment relations in Hungary and Slovakia. A particularly salient feature of healthcare reforms in both countries is hospital corporatization, defined as a process in which public hospitals become subject to regulations applicable to private sector companies, formally entailing the possibility of bankruptcy. We argue that effects of corporatization on employment relations are more complex than the available literature in organizational change and public sector management suggests. Corporatization contributed to stability in bargaining patterns, while produced diversity in bargaining outcomes in Hungary and Slovakia. Particular effects of corporatization have been channelled through the interests and responses of involved actors. Despite market-oriented reforms of the institutional environment, we found remarkable similarities in how actors responded to hospital reorganization; and in the stability of bargaining institutions due to actors’ commitment or inability to bring forth institutional change in bargaining patterns. Creation-Date: 20120301 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP1.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 1 Classification-JEL: I18, J51, J52, J81, L32, P26 Keywords: public healthcare reform, hospital corporatization, collective bargaining, working conditions, Central and Eastern Europe Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:1 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: Labor Mobility in an Enlarged European Union Abstract: The 2004 and 2007 enlargements of the EU extended the freedom of movement to workers from the twelve new member states mainly from Central Eastern Europe. This study summarizes and comparatively evaluates what we know about mobility in an enlarged Europe to date. The pre-enlargement fears of free labor mobility proved to be unjustified. No significant detrimental effects on the receiving countries’ labor markets have been documented, nor has there been any discernible welfare shopping. Rather, there appear to have been positive effects on EU’s productivity. The sending countries face some risks of losing their young and skilled labor force, but free labor mobility has relieved them of some redundant labor and the associated fiscal burden. They have also profited from remittances. Of key importance for the sending countries is to reap the benefits from brain gain and brain circulation in an enlarged EU. For the migrants the benefits in terms of better career prospects have with little doubt exceeded any pecuniary and non-pecuniary costs of migration. In conclusion, the freedom of movement in the EU provides for a triple-win situation for the receiving and sending countries as well as for migrants themselves, provided the risks are contained and efficient brain circulation is achieved. Creation-Date: 20120401 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP2.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 2 Classification-JEL: F22, J61 Keywords: EU labor markets, migration, EU enlargement, labor mobility, free movement of workers, transitional arrangements, new member states, European Union Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:2 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Torben Kuhlenkasper Author-Name-First: Torben Author-Name-Last: Kuhlenkasper Author-Email: Author-Name: Max Friedrich Steinhardt Author-Name-First: Max Friedrich Author-Name-Last: Steinhardt Author-Email: steinhardt@hwwi.org Title: Who Leaves and When? - Selective Outmigration of Immigrants from Germany Abstract: This paper provides new evidence on the outmigration behaviour of foreign-born immigrants. Our analysis is based on data from the German Socio-Economic Panel covering the period 1984 to 2010. A unique feature of our paper is the use of new data from panel-drop out studies, which allows us to identify outmigration. As statistical technique, we employ penalized spline smoothing in the context of a Poisson-type Generalized Additive Mixed Model (GAMM), which enables us to incorporate bivariate interaction effects. For Non-Turkish immigrants we find a u-shaped pattern between human capital endowment and outmigration. For Turkish immigrants, outmigration is characterized by a positive selfselection with respect to skill intensifying the initial negative selection process. In addition to this, family characteristics have strong effects on emigration decisions. Finally, our results highlight substantial variation in outmigration behaviour during the life cycle. Creation-Date: 20120910 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP3.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 3 Classification-JEL: C14, C51, F22, J61 Keywords: Emigration, Self-selection, German Socio-Economic Panel, Generalized Additive Mixed Models Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:3 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Dumitru Sandu Author-Name-First: Dumitru Author-Name-Last: Sandu Author-Email: dumitru.sandu@gmail.com Title: (Re)embedding remittances into the lifeworlds of immigrants: contrasting social types Abstract: The study considers remittances as part of the lifeworlds of immigrants in multiple interactions with return intentions and communication at home. This is an alternative view of the standard approach of remittances as possible source of development or as a variable to be explained by family solidarities, investment projects or ground for return. The key dependent variable is home orientation of immigrants as measured in quantitative and typological terms, function of remittances, return intentions and communication behaviours. The typological analysis of home orientations diverges from the standard approach in terms of high or low clustering of cross-border activities. It argues for the fact that cross-border activities cluster together in different ways for specific social types. Three hypotheses – on collective deprivation in remitting money, survival– development–identification strategies of migrant’s families and higher relevance of home orientation compared to remittances behaviours – are tested by analysing two complementary data sets. Creation-Date: 20121114 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP4.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 4 Classification-JEL: J61, F24, O15 Keywords: home orientation of immigrants, remittances, deprivation, home belonging communication, ambivalent orientation of immigrants towards home and destinat Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:4 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Thomas Andrén Author-Name-First: Thomas Author-Name-Last: Andrén Author-Email: Author-Name: Daniela Andrén Author-Name-First: Daniela Author-Name-Last: Andrén Author-Email: daniela.andren@oru.se Title: Never give up? The persistence of welfare participation in Sweden Abstract: Welfare persistence is estimated and compared between Swedish-born and foreign-born households during the 1990s. This is done within the framework of a dynamic discrete choice model controlling for the initial conditions problem and permanent unobserved heterogeneity. We control for three types of persistence in terms of observed and unobserved heterogeneity, serial correlation, and structural state dependence, the focus being on the latter measure. The results show that state dependence in Swedish welfare participation is relatively strong. This effect is three times as large for the foreign-born compared to Swedish-born, but when this effect is distributed over time, it disappears after three years for both groups. Contrary to previous studies, our results for foreignborn are that both country of origin and time in the country of destination have only small impacts on welfare participation. Creation-Date: 20121127 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP5.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 5 Classification-JEL: I30, I38, J18 Keywords: social assistance, welfare persistence, state dependence, unobserved heterogeneity, initial condition, dynamic probit model, GHK simulator Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:5 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Brian Fabo Author-Name-First: Brian Author-Name-Last: Fabo Author-Email: fabobrian@gmail.com Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: Migration strategies of the crisis-stricken youth in an enlarged European Union Abstract: This paper studies the migration response of the youth from new EU member states to disparate conditions in an enlarged European Union at the onset of the Great Recession. We use the Eurobarometer data and probabilistic econometric models to identify the key drivers of the intention to work in another member state of European Economic Area (EEA) and their expected duration. We find that migration intentions are high among those not married and among males with children, but both categories are also overrepresented among people with only temporary as opposed to long-term or permanent migration plans. Whereas age affects migration intentions negatively, education has no effect on whether working abroad is envisaged. However, conditional on envisaging to work abroad, completion of education (if after 16th birthday) is associated with long-term (at least five years), but not permanent, migration plans. Finally, we find that socio-demographic variables explain about as much variation of migration intentions as self-reported push and pull factors and migration constraints. Creation-Date: 20130301 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP6.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 6 Classification-JEL: F22, J61 Keywords: EU labor markets, migration, youth, EU enlargement, labor mobility, free movement of workers, transitional arrangements, new member states, European U Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:6 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Coen N. Teulings Author-Name-First: Coen N. Author-Name-Last: Teulings Author-Email: Author-Name: Sebastian Buhai Author-Name-First: Sebastian Author-Name-Last: Buhai Author-Email: sbuhai@gmail.com Title: Tenure Profiles and Efficient Separation in a Stochastic Productivity Model Abstract: We develop a theoretical model based on efficient bargaining, where both log outside productivity and log productivity in the current job follow a random walk. This setting allows the application of real option theory. We derive the efficient worker-firm separation rule. We show that wage data from completed job spells are uninformative about the true tenure profile. The model is estimated on the PSID. It fits the observed distribution of job tenures well. Selection of favourable random walks can account for the concavity in tenure profiles. About 80% of the estimated wage returns to tenure is due to selectivity in the realized outside productivities. Creation-Date: 20130528 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP7.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 7 Classification-JEL: C33, C41, J31, J63 Keywords: random productivity growth, efficient bargaining, job tenure, inverse gaussian, wage-tenure profiles, option theory Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:7 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Mario Vozar Author-Name-First: Mario Author-Name-Last: Vozar Author-Email: Author-Name: Pavla Nikolovova Author-Name-First: Pavla Author-Name-Last: Nikolovova Author-Email: Author-Name: Filip Pertold Author-Name-First: Filip Author-Name-Last: Pertold Author-Email: filip.pertold@cerge-ei.cz Title: Self-employment and Small Workplaces in the Czech and Slovak Republics: Microeconometric Analysis of Labor Force Transitions Abstract: In this paper we investigate the role of the business cycle for the transitions of Czech and Slovak workers to informal economy using Czech and Slovak Labor Force Survey data. We use two approximations for the participation in informal economy, self-employment and employment in small workplace (10 and fewer workers or 5 and fewer workers). Both statuses are potentially associated with the participation in an informal economy. Using the similar methodology as presented in Bosh and Maloney (2007), we show that recent recession caused substantial increase in transitions of workers from formal into both self-employment and employment. As compare to pre-recession time the flow into self- increased more than 4 times. The increase in transitions to small workplaces is less pronounced. Creation-Date: 20130531 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP8.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 8 Classification-JEL: J21, H26 Keywords: informal economy, business cycle, labor force Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:8 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: John Palmer Author-Name-First: John Author-Name-Last: Palmer Author-Email: Author-Name: Mariola Pytlikova Author-Name-First: Mariola Author-Name-Last: Pytlikova Author-Email: Marp@asb.dk Title: Labor Market Laws and Intra-European Migration: The Role of the State in Shaping Destination Choices Abstract: This article investigates the relationship between migrants’ destination choices and the formal labor market access afforded by multiple potential host countries in the context of the EU’s eastward enlargement. We use an index of labor market access laws combined with data on migration from new EU member states into the existing states of the EU and EFTA from 2004 through 2010 to test whether (1) migrants are attracted to destinations that give them greater formal labor market access, and (2) migration flows to any given destination are influenced by the labor market policies of competing destinations. Our data support both propositions: Migration between origin/destination pairs was positively associated with the loosening of destination labor market restrictions while negatively associated with the loosening of competing destinations’ labor market restrictions. These relationships hold even when economic indicators, social welfare spending, and existing immigrant stocks are modeled. By combining rich EU data with a unique approach to evaluating competing legal regimes, the analysis helps us better understand how law shapes migration in a multidestinati­on world. Creation-Date: 20130531 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP9.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 9 Classification-JEL: J61, F22, O15 Keywords: International migration, labor market access laws, EU enlargement Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:9 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Dumitru Sandu Author-Name-First: Dumitru Author-Name-Last: Sandu Author-Email: dumitru.sandu@gmail.com Title: Mapping out social worlds by states of mind in Europe Abstract: The study explores the social diversity of Europe from the perspective of life-spaces with high profile configurations of states of mind. “Social worlds” as groups with standardised modes of acting, thinking and evaluation are identified beyond formal borders. This study tested the hypothesis of the existence of similarities in states of mind (measured in terms of satisfaction with life, optimism, perception of labour market in the country and institutional trust) as a function of age category (young adult, middle-aged adult and aged), residential environment (rural, urban) and the sociocultural macroregion. The testing of research hypotheses is performed by means of a multilevel analysis of the Eurobarometer 70 data collected at an EU level in the autumn of 2008. The approach is in line with quantitative grounded theory (Glaser 2008). Creation-Date: 20130604 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP10.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 10 Classification-JEL: A13, J28, Z13 Keywords: social worlds, states of mind, European regions Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:10 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Matej Klarič Author-Name-First: Matej Author-Name-Last: Klarič Author-Email: Author-Name: Miroslav Stanojević Author-Name-First: Miroslav Author-Name-Last: Stanojević Author-Email: Miroslav.Stanojevic@fdv.uni-lj.si Title: The Impact of Socio-economic Shocks on Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue in Slovenia Abstract: In this article we outlined main features of the social dialogue and the collective bargaining in Slovenia as they occurred during the 1990s’ growth period. Then we tried to identify the main changes at the level of actors and processes that are emerging in the recent period. We found that the highly coordinated Slovenian system from the 1990s has been definitely exposed to the strong socio-economic shocks in the 2000s. Under the pressure of these – as we suggested not entirely externally caused shocks, the system’s coor­dinative capacity was weakening. Creation-Date: 20130605 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP11.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 11 Classification-JEL: Keywords: social dialogue, social partners, socio-economic shocks Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:11 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: J. D. Tena Author-Name-First: J. D. Author-Name-Last: Tena Author-Email: Author-Name: Jan Fidrmuc Author-Name-First: Jan Author-Name-Last: Fidrmuc Author-Email: jan.fidrmuc@brunel.ac.uk Title: National minimum wage and employment of young workers in the UK Abstract: We analyze the impact of the UK national minimum wage (NMW) on the employment of young workers. The previous literature found little evidence of an adverse impact of the NMW on the UK labor market. We focus on the age-related increases in the NMW at 18 and 22 years of age. Using regression discontinuity design, we fail to find any effect of turning 22. However, we find a significant and negative employment effect for male workers at 21, which we believe to be an anticipation effect. We also find a negative effect for both genders upon turning 18. The age-related NMW increases may have an adverse effect on employment of young workers, with this effect possibly occurring already well in advance of reaching the threshold age. Creation-Date: 20130618 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP12.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 12 Classification-JEL: J21, J31 Keywords: minimum wage, employment, young workers, regression discontinuity design Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:12 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Guglielmo Meardi Author-Name-First: Guglielmo Author-Name-Last: Meardi Author-Email: Guglielmo.Meardi@wbs.ac.uk Author-Name: Vera Trapmann Author-Name-First: Vera Author-Name-Last: Trapmann Author-Email: Title: Poland: Employment Relations and the Crisis... of its Neighbours Abstract: This article describes the evolution of social dialogue and collective bargaining in Poland between 2008 and 2012, arguing that the effects of the crisis have been asymmetrical in two ways. First, while Poland is the only EU country to have avoided recession in macroeconomic terms, the crisis has actually disproportionately affected labour through higher unemployment and worsening employment conditions. Secondly, in a decentralized system like the Polish one, effects of the crisis have differed by sector. Sectors exposed to international competition such as the automotive and steel sectors have suffered from job losses and major restructuring, while services and construction have withstood better. While social dialogue has been temporarily re-legitimized during the crisis, it plays only a sporadic role and a flexible, unsecure employment system remains in place. Creation-Date: 20130621 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP13.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 13 Classification-JEL: J5 Keywords: Trade unions, Collective bargaining, Poland, Crisis Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:13 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Pille Motsmees Author-Name-First: Pille Author-Name-Last: Motsmees Author-Email: Author-Name: Jaan Masso Author-Name-First: Jaan Author-Name-Last: Masso Author-Email: Jaan.Masso@mtk.ut.ee Author-Name: Raul Eamets Author-Name-First: Raul Author-Name-Last: Eamets Author-Email: Raul.Eamets@ut.ee Title: The Effect of Migration Experience on Occupational Mobility in Estonia Abstract: The existing literature on return migration has resulted in several studies analysing the impact of foreign work experience on the returnees’ earnings or their decision to become self-employed; however, in this paper we analyse the less studied effect on occupational mobility – how the job in the home country after returning compares to the job held before migration. The effect of temporary migration on occupational mobility is analysed using unique data from an Estonian online job search portal covering approximately 10–15% of the total workforce, including thousands of employees with temporary migration experience. The focus on data from a Central and Eastern European country is motivated given that the opening of labour markets in old EU countries to the workforce of the new member states has led to massive East-West migration. We did not find any positive effect of temporary migration on upward occupational mobility and in some groups, such as females, the effect was negative. These results could be related to the typically short-term nature of migration and occupational downshifting abroad as well as the functioning of the home country labour market. Creation-Date: 20130705 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP14.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 14 Classification-JEL: F22, J62 Keywords: occupational mobility, temporary migration, Central- and Eastern Europe Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:14 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Markus Tepe Author-Name-First: Markus Author-Name-Last: Tepe Author-Email: Author-Name: Pieter Vanhuysse Author-Name-First: Pieter Author-Name-Last: Vanhuysse Author-Email: vanhuysse@euro.centre.org Title: Parties, Unions, and Activation Strategies: The Context-Dependent Politics of Active Labor Market Policy Spending Abstract: This article explores the diverging roles of leftwing parties and trade unions in determining active labor market program (ALMP) spending. We argue that unions today increasingly take into account the distinct re-employability worries of their members. Rather than as a labor market outsider program, unions now consider ALMPs, especially those sub-programs most directly useful to their members, as their second-best or first-best feasible priority. Specifically, in countries where high job protection levels (the first-best goal) have not been achieved, more powerful unions will promote ALMP spending as an alternative way to offer their members some measure of labor market security. We test these arguments on a sample of 20 OECD countries between 1986 and 2005. Using a new measure of leftness, we find that leftwing party power has no effect on ALMP spending generally and a negative effect on job creation programs. By contrast, larger and more strike-prone unions are associated with higher ALMP spending overall, and specifically on those programs most benefiting their members: employment assistance and labor market training. Moreover, union strategies are context-dependent. More powerful unions push for more activation spending especially in labor markets where jobs are not yet well protected. Creation-Date: 20130829 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP15.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 15 Classification-JEL: Keywords: activation paradigm, leftwing parties, union strategies, re-employment worries, insiders and outsiders, labor market policy, power resources Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:15 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Guzi Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Guzi Author-Email: martin.guzi@celsi.sk Title: An Empirical Analysis of Welfare Dependence in the Czech Republic Abstract: Paper demonstrates the existence of a welfare trap in the Czech Republic, created by the tax and social security systems. Combining individual data from the Czech Labor Force Survey and the Czech Household Income Survey, the analysis exploits the difference between the available social benefits and the net household income when a person is employed. This information allows us to calculate the net replacement rate based on the parameters of the taxation system and rules for means-tested social benefits at the household level. Estimates imply the existence of a welfare trap, which means that individuals who receive relatively higher social bene?ts are also more likely to remain unemployed. It is shown that the most affected groups are those with low education and long unemployment spells. Furthermore, the paper documents the disadvantaged position of women in the Czech labor market. The estimates imply that women outflows to employment are particularly influenced by the high social benefits, and the existence of a welfare trap persists even when the job-search intensity is controlled. This finding contributes to the discussion on the persistent and large unemployment gender gap in the Czech Republic. The results of the analysis support policy improvements towards low-income households. A better harmonization of tax and social security systems is necessary in order to ensure that the incentives to leave unemployment are not hampered by high social benefits. Creation-Date: 20130916 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP16.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 16 Classification-JEL: J22, J31, I38 Keywords: labor supply, welfare trap, net replacement rate Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:16 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: In Memoriam: Sabina Avdagic Author-Name-First: In Memoriam: Sabina Author-Name-Last: Avdagic Author-Email: S.Avdagic@sussex.ac.uk Title: Is Deregulation Necessary? The Effects of Employment Protection on Unemployment Abstract: Using new data, the paper examines the effect of employment protection legislation (EPL) on aggregate and youth unemployment in advanced OECD economies and in Central and Eastern Europe during 1980–2009. The analysis assesses both the direct and indirect effects of EPL on levels of unemployment, as well as the short-term and long-term effects of changes in EPL on changes in unemployment. The results offer no clear support for the argument that EPL is a cause of either aggregate or youth unemployment. While EPL reaches statistical significance at conventional levels in some models, the results are sensitive to small changes in the sample or the use of alternative estimators. The only finding that appears robust concerns the interaction between EPL and the tax wedge, which suggests some scope for reform complementarity in tackling youth labour market problems. On the whole, the analysis suggests that government efforts to tackle unemployment by deregulating EPL alone may well be unwarranted. Creation-Date: 20130923 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP17.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 17 Classification-JEL: J4, J48, P16, P52 Keywords: employment protection legislation, aggregate unemployment, youth unemployment Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:17 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Michael Fertig Author-Name-First: Michael Author-Name-Last: Fertig Author-Email: Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: Mobility in an enlarging European Union: Projections of potential flows from EU's eastern neighbors and Croatia Abstract: This study evaluates potential migration flows to the European Union from its eastern neighbors and Croatia. We perform out-of-sample forecasts using an adaption of the model of Hatton (1995) to time series cross-sectional data about post-enlargement migration flows following the EU’s 2004 enlar­gement. We consider two baseline policy scenarios, with and without accession of sending countries to the EU. Our results show that migration flows are driven by migration costs and economic conditions, but the largest effects accrue to policy variables. In terms of the predicted flows: (i) we can expect modest migration flows in case of no liberalization of labor markets and only moderately increased migration flows under liberalization; (ii) after an initial increase following liberalization, migration flows will subside to long run steady state; (iii) Ukraine will send the most migrants; and (iv) the largest inflows in absolute terms are predicted for Germany, Italy and Austria, whereas Ireland, Denmark, Finland and again Austria are the main receiving countries relative to their population. Creation-Date: 20131023 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP18.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 18 Classification-JEL: F22, C23, C53 Keywords: Migration, free movement of workers, European Union, Eastern Partnership, EU enlargement, migration potential, out-of-sample forecasting Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:18 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Thomas Andrén Author-Name-First: Thomas Author-Name-Last: Andrén Author-Email: Author-Name: Daniela Andrén Author-Name-First: Daniela Author-Name-Last: Andrén Author-Email: daniela.andren@oru.se Title: State dependence in Swedish social assistance Abstract: This study estimates the state dependence in social assistance in Sweden during 1990–1999 by different types of households, which were grouped by the country of birth of the sampled individual and his/her partner. The results show that the structural state dependence differed extensively across different household types. Although Swedish-born partners who separated are one of the groups with the lowest receipt of social assistance (i.e., 1.08–1.76%), these individuals exhibit the highest state dependence (24.4 percentage points). Foreign-born singles have almost the same value for the state dependence, but these individuals also have the highest receipt of social assistance (18.47%). Surprisingly, the group with the lowest receipt of social assistance (0.27–3.06%) and the lowest state dependence (4.7 percentage points) are the foreign-born women living together with a Swedish-born man. However, for the mixed samples, there are only few parameters for the country of origin that are statistically significant. For example, compared to the Nordic-born group, men born in Eastern Europe who lived with a Swedish-born woman during 1990–99 have a lower propensity (1 percentage points) to receive social assistance, whereas men born in the Middle East or the rest of the world who lived with a Swedish born woman in 1990 have a higher propensity (1.1–1.2 percentage points). Creation-Date: 20131023 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP19.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 19 Classification-JEL: I30, I38, J18 Keywords: social assistance, state dependence, country of birth, marital status, mixed couples, unobserved heterogeneity, initial condition, dynamic probit mode Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:19 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Arunas Juska Author-Name-First: Arunas Author-Name-Last: Juska Author-Email: juskaa@ecu.edu Author-Name: Charles Woolfson Author-Name-First: Charles Author-Name-Last: Woolfson Author-Email: charles.woolfson@liu.se Title: 'Safety Crime' in Neoliberal Post-communist Society: The collapse of the Maxima supermarket in Riga, Latvia Abstract: The causes of disaster, both immediate and underlying, that resulted in 54 fatalities in Riga in November 2013 are analyzed in this paper. The collapse of the Maxima supermarket is seen as a safety failure resulting from longer-term deregulation in Latvia encouraged by external advisors such as the World Bank and the EU, and the specific crisis-induced drive to minimize regulation by local political actors, especially in the aftermath of ongoing austerity. The paper raises the issue of what is a ‚safety crime‘ in the context of post-communist Baltic states, and asks whether the notion of ‚corporate killing‘ or corporate manslaughter is applicable to the circumstances of the disaster. The paper suggests the need to establish accountability for social harms caused by the unfettered pursuit of private profit over public safety. Creation-Date: 20140120 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP20.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 20 Classification-JEL: K320, J28, P390, P160 Keywords: Maxima supermarket collapse, Latvia, Baltic states, Riga, austerity, post-communism, neoliberalism, deregulation, austerity, 'safety crime', corporate Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:20 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Kea Tijdens Author-Name-First: Kea Author-Name-Last: Tijdens Author-Email: Author-Name: Brian Fabo Author-Name-First: Brian Author-Name-Last: Fabo Author-Email: fabobrian@gmail.com Title: Using Web Data to Measure the Demand for Skills Abstract: In the post-Fordist economy, a skilled workforce is crucial for maintaining competitiveness in the global economy. Nevertheless, how to measure the demand for skills remains a puzzle. The main issue discussed in this paper is how can online based surveys serve researchers and policy makers as a tool for determining the demand for skills on the labour market. The paper begins by an overview of the literature to make a case for the importance of measuring skills for the public policy. Following the introductory part, different approaches to measuring demand for skills are evaluated. Special attention is paid to the role of the Internet as a source of the relevant data. Measurement of frequency in which various tasks are being performed is proposed as an indicator for measuring skills associated with the specific occupation. The paper closes by a demonstration of the practical implementation of the questions measuring frequency of performance of different tasks in more than 400 occupations in the environment of the global WageIndicator survey. Creation-Date: 20140320 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP21.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 21 Classification-JEL: Web data; skills; survey methodology; occupations; tasks Keywords: C83 Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:21 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Alena Bičáková Author-Name-First: Alena Author-Name-Last: Bičáková Author-Email: Author-Name: Štěpán Jurajda Author-Name-First: Štěpán Author-Name-Last: Jurajda Author-Email: stepan.jurajda@cerge-ei.cz Title: The Quiet Revolution and the Family: Gender Composition of Tertiary Education and Early Fertility Patterns Abstract: It is well known that highly female fields of study in tertiary education are characterized by higher fertility. However, existing work does not disentangle the selection-causality nexus. We use variation in gender composition of fields of study implied by the recent expansion of tertiary education in 19 European countries and a difference-in-differences research design, to show that the share of women on study peer groups affects early fertility levels only little. Early fertility by endogamous couples, i.e., by tertiary graduates from the same field of study, declines for women and increases for men with the share of women in the group, but non-endogamous fertility almost fully compensates for these effects, consistent with higher early fertility in highly female fields of study being driven by selection of family-oriented students into these fields. We also show that the EU-wide level of gender segregation across fields of study has not changed since 2000, despite heterogeneous country-level evolution. Creation-Date: 20140527 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP22.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 22 Classification-JEL: I23, J13, J16 Keywords: Field-of-Study Gender Segregation, Tertiary Graduates, Fertility Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:22 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Lucia Mýtna Kureková Author-Name-First: Lucia Author-Name-Last: Mýtna Kureková Author-Email: lucia.kurekova@celsi.sk Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: Did post-enlargement labor mobility help the EU to adjust during the Great Recession? The case of Slovakia Abstract: This paper evaluates the mobility patterns of Slovaks into the rest of the European Union (EU) following Slovakia’s EU accession in 2004 and through the Great Recession. Combining information from various data sources including the Slovak Labor Force Survey and conducting our own statistical analysis of selectivity into migration, we study whether and how migration responded to asymmetric economic shocks at home and abroad. We identify a number of shifts in the directionality and composition of migration flows in terms of the destinations, gender, age, educational attainment and occupation, reflecting changing labor market conditions in receiving countries and Slovakia. We show that besides the standard demographic factors, migration propensity was higher among the unemployed and from the more depressed regions of Slovakia. We conclude that labor migration has served as an important adjustment mechanism in the country and more generally in the EU labor market. Creation-Date: 20140612 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP23.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 23 Classification-JEL: F22, J61 Keywords: Adjustment, EU enlargement, labor market, migration, Slovakia Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:23 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Thomas Andrén Author-Name-First: Thomas Author-Name-Last: Andrén Author-Email: Author-Name: Daniela Andrén Author-Name-First: Daniela Author-Name-Last: Andrén Author-Email: daniela.andren@oru.se Title: Gender and occupational wage gaps in Romania: from planned equality to market inequality? Abstract: In Romania, the communist regime promoted an official policy of gender equality for more than 40 years, providing equal access to education and employment, and restricting pay differentiation based on gender. After its fall in December 1989, the promotion of equal opportunities and treatment for women and men did not constitute a priority for any of the governments of the 1990s. This paper analyzes both gender and occupational wage gaps before and during the first years of transition to a market economy, and finds that the communist institutions did succeed in eliminating the gender wage differences in female- and male-dominated occupations, but not in gender-integrated occupations. During both regimes, wage differences were in general much higher among workers of the same gender working in different occupations than between women and men working in the same occupational group, and women experienced a larger variation of occupational wage differentials than men. Creation-Date: 20140825 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP24.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 24 Classification-JEL: J24; J31; J71; J78; P26; P27. Keywords: Romania, female- and male-dominated occupations, gender wage gap, occupational wage gap. Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:24 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Daniela del Boca Author-Name-First: Daniela Author-Name-Last: del Boca Author-Email: Author-Name: Alessandra Venturini Author-Name-First: Alessandra Author-Name-Last: Venturini Author-Email: alessandra.venturini@unito.it Title: Migration in Italy is Backing the Old Age Welfare Abstract: Our research analyzes the effect of changes in migration policies and the accession to the European Union of former countries of emigration, considering the crucial role played by migrants in an aging society. We focus on the demand of family-care workers by using the last five years of the Italian Labour Force Survey dataset. Our results show that especially during the last years of recession, foreign labor (mostly female) has become fundamental in the family sector,favoring the participation of Italian skilled women in the labor market. Creation-Date: 20140905 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP25.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 25 Classification-JEL: J6, J15, F66. Keywords: migration, aging, women's work Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:25 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Jaan Masso Author-Name-First: Jaan Author-Name-Last: Masso Author-Email: Jaan.Masso@mtk.ut.ee Author-Name: Kärt Rõigas Author-Name-First: Kärt Author-Name-Last: Rõigas Author-Email: Author-Name: Priit Vahter Author-Name-First: Priit Author-Name-Last: Vahter Author-Email: Title: Foreign Market Experience, Learning by Hiring and Firm Export Abstract: Export experience of managers and other top specialists is among the key drivers of export decisions in firms. We show evidence of this regularity based on employer-employee level data from the manufacturing industry in Estonia. We find that hiring managers and other high-wage employees with prior experience in exporting to a specific geographical region is associated with a higher probability of export entry to that region. However, there is little evidence of significant effects on export intensity. Notably, the relationship between export experience and a firm’s export decisions is usually stronger if the prior export experience is from an exporter that is located nearby in the product space. Our findings suggest that the contribution of prior trade experience of employees and the firm’s productivity as drivers of export market entry are of comparable magnitude. Creation-Date: 20140916 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP26.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 26 Classification-JEL: F10, F14, J31 Keywords: export experience, export entry, labour mobility, learning-to-export Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:26 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Lucia Mýtna Kureková Author-Name-First: Lucia Author-Name-Last: Mýtna Kureková Author-Email: lucia.kurekova@celsi.sk Author-Name: Martin Guzi Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Guzi Author-Email: martin.guzi@celsi.sk Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: What Explains Immigrant-native gaps in European Labor Markets: The Role of Institutions Abstract: The role of institutions in immigrant integration remains underexplored in spite of its essential significance for integration policies. This paper adopts the Varieties of Capitalism framework to study the institutional determinants of immigrant-native gaps in host labor markets. Using the EU LFS we first measure immigrant-native gaps in labor force participation, unemployment, low-skilled employment and temporary employment. We distinguish the gaps that can be explained by immigrant-native differences in characteristics from those that cannot be explained by such differences, as these require different integration policy approaches. In the second stage we measure the effects of institutional and contextual variables on explained and unexplained immigrant-native gaps. Our findings confirm that institutional contexts play a significant role in immigrant integration, and highlight the importance of tailoring policy approaches with regard to the causes of immigrant-native gaps. Creation-Date: 20150109 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP27.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 27 Classification-JEL: J15, J18, J61 Keywords: immigrant integration, integration policy, discrimination, labor market, Varieties of Capitalism Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:27 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Myant Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Myant Author-Email: martin.myant@uws.ac.uk Title: European Union and Labour’s Legal Resources in Central and East European Countries Abstract: This article investigates the influence of the European Union (EU) on legal resources available to labour to tackle labour market challenges in central and east European countries after their accession to the EU in 2004 and 2007. Its conclusion is that the EU’s impact has been complex and contradictory, with differences between countries and time periods. It has to varying degrees encouraged social partnership and supported a model of employment relations giving high levels of legal and collective protection to employees. Since 2008, the EU has advocated reductions in protection for employees on standard contracts and a very substantial reduction in collective bargaining coverage in one case, only partially balanced by advocacy for improving the lot of those on less secure employment relationships. The EU agenda has in practice been largely irrelevant to the widespread informalization and casualization of employment relations in the region. Creation-Date: 20150413 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP28.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 28 Classification-JEL: Keywords: labour market, labour code, trade unions, collective bargaining, central and eastern Europe Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:28 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Claudio Fassio Author-Name-First: Claudio Author-Name-Last: Fassio Author-Email: Author-Name: Sona Kalantaryan Author-Name-First: Sona Author-Name-Last: Kalantaryan Author-Email: Author-Name: Alessandra Venturini Author-Name-First: Alessandra Author-Name-Last: Venturini Author-Email: alessandra.venturini@unito.it Title: Human Resources and Innovation: Total Factor Productivity and Foreign Human Capital Abstract: The objective of this paper is to analyse the role of migrants in innovation in Europe. We use Total Factor Productivity as a measure of innovation and focus on the three largest European countries – France, Germany and the United Kingdom – in the years 1994-2007. Unlike previous research, which mainly employs a regional approach, we analyse the link between migration and innovation at the sectoral level. This allows us to measure the direct contribution of migrants in the sector in which they are actually employed. Moreover, it allows a distinction between the real contribution of migrants to innovation from possible inter-sectoral complementarities, which might as well foster innovation. We control for the different components of human-capital, such as age, education and diversity of origin. To address the possible endogeneity of migration we draw on an instrumental variable strategy originally devised by Card (2001) and adapt it at the sector level The results show that overall migrants are relevant in all sectors, but some important differences emerge across sectors: highly-educated migrants show a larger positive effect in the high-tech sectors, while middle- and low-educated ones are more relevant in manufacturing. The diversity of countries of origin contributes to innovation only in the services sectors, confirming that in empirical analyses at the regional or national level the diversity measure might capture the complementarity between sectors rather than the contribution of different national skills and should not guide the migration policy which instead should follow the demand for labour not a general attraction highly skilled migrants. Creation-Date: 20150722 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP29.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 29 Classification-JEL: F22, F66, O31, O32 Keywords: migration, innovation, highly skilled migrants, low skilled, migrants, patent Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:29 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Claudio Fassio Author-Name-First: Claudio Author-Name-Last: Fassio Author-Email: Author-Name: Fabio Montobbio Author-Name-First: Fabio Author-Name-Last: Montobbio Author-Email: Author-Name: Alessandra Venturini Author-Name-First: Alessandra Author-Name-Last: Venturini Author-Email: alessandra.venturini@unito.it Title: How do Native and Migrant Workers Contribute to Innovation? A Study on France, Germany and the UK Abstract: This paper uses the French and the UK Labour Force Surveys and the German Microcensus to estimate the effects of different components of the labour force on innovation at the sectoral level between 1994 and 2005. The authors focus, in particular, on the contribution of migrant workers. We adopt a production function approach in which we control for the usual determinants of innovations, such as R&D investments, stock of patents and openness to trade. To address possible endogeneity of migrants we implement instrumental variables strategies using both two-stage least squares with external instruments and GMM-SYS with internal ones. In addition we also account for the possible endogeneity of native workers and instrument them accordingly. Our results show that highly-educated migrants have a positive effect on innovation even if the effect is smaller relative to the positive effect of educated natives. Moreover, this positive effect seems to be confined to the high-tech sectors and among highly-educated migrants from other European countries. Creation-Date: 20150731 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP30.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 30 Classification-JEL: O31, O33, F22, J61 Keywords: innovation, migration, skills, human capital Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:30 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Norbert Švarda Author-Name-First: Norbert Author-Name-Last: Švarda Author-Email: Author-Name: Jana Valachyová Author-Name-First: Jana Author-Name-Last: Valachyová Author-Email: Author-Name: Zuzana Siebertová Author-Name-First: Zuzana Author-Name-Last: Siebertová Author-Email: siebertova@rrz.sk Title: SIMTASK: A Microsimulation of the Slovak Tax-Benefit System Abstract: In this paper we introduce a microsimulation model of the Slovak tax and transfer system SIMTASK. It presents a complex toolkit for static microsimulations. Compared to earlier version of the CBR microsimulation model, simulated results are closer to reality. This has been achieved by recalibrating sample weights of the input database, where the income distribution has been taken into account directly. The improved fit is documented by validating the tax and transfer aggregates using both the original sample weights and the new ones against external data. Along with some other refinements to the model and external data considerations, the paper concludes that the validity of SIMTASK improved in terms of personal income tax simulations, social security contributions simulations, as well as simulations of family related benefits. Creation-Date: 20151005 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP31.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 31 Classification-JEL: C81, I38, H24 Keywords: microsimulation, EUROMOD, tax and transfer policy, Slovakia Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:31 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Norbert Švarda Author-Name-First: Norbert Author-Name-Last: Švarda Author-Email: Author-Name: Jana Valachyová Author-Name-First: Jana Author-Name-Last: Valachyová Author-Email: Author-Name: Matúš Senaj Author-Name-First: Matúš Author-Name-Last: Senaj Author-Email: Author-Name: Zuzana Siebertová Author-Name-First: Zuzana Author-Name-Last: Siebertová Author-Email: siebertova@rrz.sk Title: To Work or Not to Work? Updated Estimates of Labour Supply Elasticities Abstract: This paper provides a revised microeconometric analysis of extensive margin labour supply elasticities in Slovakia. Compared to earlier analysis, we estimate the elasticities for males and females separately. We find that a one percent increase in net wage increases the probability of economic activity by 0.21 and 0.4 percentage points for males and females, respectively. Taking into account tax and transfer system details valid in Slovakia in 2009-2012, a one percent increase in transfers decreases the semi-elasticity of labour force participation by 0.03 percentage points for males and 0.05 percentage points for females. These results are broadly in line with the elasticities usually reported in the literature. Our results show that low-skilled, females and the elderly are the groups that are particularly responsive to changes in taxes and transfers. Labour market policies aimed to boost employment should concentrate on increasing marginal gains to work, especially for low-educated individuals and women. Creation-Date: 20151005 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP32.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 32 Classification-JEL: H31, H53, I38, J21 Keywords: labour supply elasticity, extensive margin, Heckman model, probit Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:32 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Norbert Švarda Author-Name-First: Norbert Author-Name-Last: Švarda Author-Email: Author-Name: Matúš Senaj Author-Name-First: Matúš Author-Name-Last: Senaj Author-Email: Author-Name: Michal Horváth Author-Name-First: Michal Author-Name-Last: Horváth Author-Email: Author-Name: Zuzana Siebertová Author-Name-First: Zuzana Author-Name-Last: Siebertová Author-Email: siebertova@rrz.sk Title: The End of the Flat Tax Experiment in Slovakia Abstract: The paper provides a quantitative assessment of the consequences of departing from a flat-tax system in the context of Slovakia. A behavioural microsimulation model of the labour supply is embedded into a general equilibrium framework with search and matching frictions. Some recently implemented changes in the tax system leave aggregate labour market indicators as well as inequality measures virtually unaffected. We also examine hypothetical revenue-neutral reforms that would significantly increase the progressivity of the system through graduated marginal tax rates. We find that there are narrow limits to what policy makers could accomplish through such reforms in terms of employment and equality of income. Hence, an income tax reform should at best be seen as a complementary tool to other initiatives promoting such objectives. Moreover, we highlight an important trade-off: income tax reforms that promote employment may harm growth. Creation-Date: 20151005 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP33.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 33 Classification-JEL: E24, H24, H31, J22 Keywords: flat tax, microsimulation, general equilibrium, search and matching, labour supply elasticity Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:33 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Lucia Mýtna Kureková Author-Name-First: Lucia Author-Name-Last: Mýtna Kureková Author-Email: lucia.kurekova@celsi.sk Title: Policy Puzzles with Roma Employment in Slovakia Abstract: This paper analyses the implementation of mainstream employment policies in Slovakia with respect to Roma. It highlights positive and negative practices in application, revealing diversity in on-the-ground implementation of different measures as well as institutional deficiencies in the provision of public employment services. By gathering experiences from the stakeholders involved in the implementation, as well as from Roma participants, the paper differs from top-down approaches to analysing employment policies prevailing to date and unveils the experiences, perceptions and practices of Roma themselves. It finds that the employment options available through the mainstream employment framework represent an important opportunity for many Roma in the deprived localities, especially under the economic deprivation aggravated by the recent economic crisis. Efforts should concentrate on up-scaling and targeting the mainstream framework, on fighting institutional discrimination, and on enhanced investment in education and training. Creation-Date: 20151007 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP34.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 34 Classification-JEL: D04, I3, J68 Keywords: employment policies, public employment services, Roma, social inclusion, Slovakia Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:34 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Filip Pertold Author-Name-First: Filip Author-Name-Last: Pertold Author-Email: filip.pertold@cerge-ei.cz Title: What if they take it all? Impact of zero replacement rates on sickness absence Abstract: In this paper I investigate the effect of sickness absence reform that reduced the replacement rate during the first three days of absence to zero. Using rich data on about 900,000 workers each quarter I find substantial decrease of sickness absence incidence. The richness of the data allows for studying heterogeneity of the treatment effect on several dimensions, in particular, job as well as firm characteristics. I show that sickness absence was reduced mainly in manufacturing, hotels and restaurant. Further, the low skilled occupations were affected much more compared to high skilled occupations, conditional on wages. I also find females to be more sensitive with respect to the changes of replacement rate compared to men. Creation-Date: 20151231 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP35.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 35 Classification-JEL: J22, I13 Keywords: sickness absence and incidence, policy reform, heterogeneous impact Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:35 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Klaus F. Zimmermann Author-Name-First: Klaus F. Author-Name-Last: Zimmermann Author-Email: Author-Name: Monica Roman Author-Name-First: Monica Author-Name-Last: Roman Author-Email: monica.roman@csie.ase.ro Author-Name: Milena Nikolova Author-Name-First: Milena Author-Name-Last: Nikolova Author-Email: mnikolova01@gmail.com Title: Left Behind but Doing Good? Civic Engagement in Two Post-Socialist Countries Abstract: The fall of socialism in Central and Eastern Europe restored ordinary citizens’ rights and freedoms and ended their political and social isolation. While the freedom of movement was quickly embraced, civil society revival lagged due to the eroded civic norms, declining social capital, and worsening economic conditions. In this paper, we examine the link between the out-migration of relatives and friends and the pro-social behavior of the left behinds in two post-socialist countries—Bulgaria and Romania—the EU’s poorest, unhappiest, and among the most corrupt members. We show that having close contacts abroad is consistently positively associated with civic engagement and that the cultural transmission of norms from abroad could be driving the results. Specifically, the strength of the civic engagement culture of the family or friend’s destination matters for the pro-social behavior of respondents in the home countries. Our results imply that the emigration of family and friends may have positive but previously undocumented consequences for the individuals and communities left behind in Bulgaria and Romania. Given civil society’s role for development in post-socialist Europe and the socio-economic and institutional challenges that Bulgaria and Romania face compared with the rest of the EU, understanding the channels fostering civil society and well-being are important for national and EU policymakers. Creation-Date: 20160119 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP36.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 36 Classification-JEL: I30, I31, F22, P30, Z10 Keywords: : international migration, left behind, civic engagement, social remittances, post-socialism Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:36 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Matija Vodopivec Author-Name-First: Matija Author-Name-Last: Vodopivec Author-Email: Author-Name: Primož Dolenc Author-Name-First: Primož Author-Name-Last: Dolenc Author-Email: Author-Name: Suzana Laporšek Author-Name-First: Suzana Author-Name-Last: Laporšek Author-Email: Author-Name: Milan Vodopivec Author-Name-First: Milan Author-Name-Last: Vodopivec Author-Email: milan.vodopivec@gmail.com Title: The Effect of Unemployment Benefit Generosity on Unemployment Duration: Quasi-experimental Evidence from Slovenia Abstract: The paper analyses the effects of a 2011 increase in the unemployment benefit replacement rate on the job-finding rate of Slovenian benefit recipients. Using registry data on the universe of Slovenian unemployment benefit recipients, we exploit legislative changes that selectively increased the replacement rates for certain groups of workers while leaving them unchanged for others. Applying this quasi-experimental approach, we find that increasing the replacement rate significantly decreases the hazard rate of the transition from unemployment to employment, with an implied elasticity of the hazard rate with respect to benefit replacement rate being 0.7 to 0.9. The results also show that increase of the unemployment benefit replacement rate does not affect the job-finding probability of jobseekers whose reason for unemployment is employer exit, and that the effects of the increase of replacement rate are present only upon exit to employment and not to inactivity. Creation-Date: 20160120 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP37.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 37 Classification-JEL: J64, J65 Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:37 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Miroslav Beblavý Author-Name-First: Miroslav Author-Name-Last: Beblavý Author-Email: Author-Name: Lucia Mýtna Kureková Author-Name-First: Lucia Author-Name-Last: Mýtna Kureková Author-Email: lucia.kurekova@celsi.sk Title: Labour regime in the ‘new economy’: The case of software industry in Central Europe Abstract: The software industry in Central Europe has seen a fast growth in exports and in employment over the past decade. Given the core importance of human capital, this paper studies how the institutional framework in the organisation of skill provision and labour market regulation, developed with the specific aim of sustaining the growth of traditional manufacturing sectors, provides (or not) adequate conditions for the growth of innovative industries where organisation of the workforce has specific demands. We propose a model of skill hierarchy which helps us to better understand particular employee profiles, employment relations dynamics and recruitment practices in the sector. We show that various forms of labour market flexibility and labour pool flexibility have been important factors in explaining sectoral success and growth, not only in the automotive sector, but also in the IT industry, and have contributed to an improved position of Central Europe in the global division of tasks. The current model might be reaching its limits, however, particularly for more sophisticated and home-grown firms. Creation-Date: 20160405 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP38.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 38 Classification-JEL: Keywords: Czech Republic, employment, labour market regulation, skills, Slovakia, software industry Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:38 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Ștefan Guga Author-Name-First: Ștefan Author-Name-Last: Guga Author-Email: Author-Name: Dragoș Adăscăliței Author-Name-First: Dragoș Author-Name-Last: Adăscăliței Author-Email: Title: Taking stock of the crisis: A multilevel analysis of the Romanian trade union movement Abstract: This paper analyses the evolution of industrial relations in Romania since the onset of the crisis from a multilevel perspective. It shows that the crisis has contributed to a significant decline in the power of trade unions at the national and sectoral levels as employers capitalized on weaknesses the union movement had accumulated during the previous decade. We discuss why the repeated attempts by unions to block labour marketreforms or to push for the government to roll them back once they were adopted have been unsuccessful. For national union confederations, these shifts have rendered the question of reconsidering their relation with local constituencies and organizations positioned lower down the union hierarchy more urgent than ever. In this context of problematic labour relations at the national level, we find the local picture to be more nuanced. By looking at the example of the Romanian automotive industry, a traditional stronghold for trade unions, we analyse how trade unions defend their interests at the local level. We find that variation in union success between assembly plants depends on the power resources that local unions themselves possess and that immediate union success or failure has progressively become uncoupled from supralocal resources and forms of organization. For local unions, the sweeping reforms after the onset of the crisis have nonetheless emphasized the need to reconnect with the national union movement and secure an influence on supralocal decision-making processes. Creation-Date: 20160607 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP39.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 39 Classification-JEL: Keywords: economic crisis, automotive industry, trade unions, Romania Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:39 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Norbert Švarda Author-Name-First: Norbert Author-Name-Last: Švarda Author-Email: Author-Name: Jana Valachyová Author-Name-First: Jana Author-Name-Last: Valachyová Author-Email: Author-Name: Zuzana Siebertová Author-Name-First: Zuzana Author-Name-Last: Siebertová Author-Email: siebertova@rrz.sk Title: Improving the Validity of Microsimulation Results: Lessons from Slovakia Abstract: This paper summarizes the lessons learned in the process of building a microsimulation tool tailored to country-specific conditions and involving a maximum degree of user control. The objective to construct a model useful in the process of budgeting and fiscal forecasting has been achieved by paying attention to policy simulation details as well as to the representativeness of the underlying micro-dataset. The validity of simulated results improved significantly after the input database sample has been reweighted in such a way that the new weights replicate, among other factors, the earned income distribution and selected age cohorts directly.Innovative approaches in bringing the model closer to legislation as well as data highlight the benefits of having more user control compared with standardized microsimulation tools. Creation-Date: 20160912 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP40.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 40 Classification-JEL: Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:40 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Norbert Švarda Author-Name-First: Norbert Author-Name-Last: Švarda Author-Email: Author-Name: Jana Valachyová Author-Name-First: Jana Author-Name-Last: Valachyová Author-Email: Author-Name: Matúš Senaj Author-Name-First: Matúš Author-Name-Last: Senaj Author-Email: Author-Name: Zuzana Siebertová Author-Name-First: Zuzana Author-Name-Last: Siebertová Author-Email: siebertova@rrz.sk Title: Labour Force Participation Elasticities and Move Away from the Flat Tax: the Case of Slovakia Abstract: This paper provides a microeconometric analysis of labour force participation elasticities in Slovakia. Using a fully parametric framework, a probability model for participation in labour force is estimated. Our results show that low-skilled and females are the groups that are particularly responsive to changes in income taxes and transfers. We perform a microsimulation analysis of two counterfactual scenarios of abolition of the flat tax regime. We find out that recent departure from the flat-tax system in Slovakia reduces the average probability of being economically active by 0.1 percentage points. The same average effect is found in the hypothetical scenario simulating a departure from the flat-tax system by reintroducing five tax brackets. However, we show that the impact of the two scenarios on selected subgroups of population is different. Creation-Date: 20160912 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP41.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 41 Classification-JEL: Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:41 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Mariola Pytlikova Author-Name-First: Mariola Author-Name-Last: Pytlikova Author-Email: Marp@asb.dk Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: The Economic Impact of East-West Migration on the European Union Abstract: This study contributes to the literature on destination-country consequences of international migration with investigations on the effects of immigration from new EU member states and Eastern Partnership countries on the economies of old EU member states over the years 1995-2010. Using a rich international migration dataset and an empirical model accounting for the endogeneity of migration flows we find positive and significant effects of post-enlargement migration flows from new EU member states on old member states’ GDP, GDP per capita, and employment rate and a negative effect on output per worker. We also find small, but statistically significant negative effects of migration from Eastern Partnership countries on receiving countries’ GDP, GDP per capita, employment rate, and capital stock, but a positive significant effect on capital-to-labor ratio. These results mark an economic success of the EU enlargements and EU’s free movement of workers. Creation-Date: 20170216 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP42.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 42 Classification-JEL: J15, J61, J68 Keywords: EU enlargement, free mobility of workers, migration impacts, European Single Market, east-west migration, Eastern Partnership Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:42 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Remus Gabriel Anghel Author-Name-First: Remus Gabriel Author-Name-Last: Anghel Author-Email: Author-Name: Monica Roman Author-Name-First: Monica Author-Name-Last: Roman Author-Email: monica.roman@csie.ase.ro Author-Name: Alina Botezat Author-Name-First: Alina Author-Name-Last: Botezat Author-Email: Author-Name: Ioana Manafi Author-Name-First: Ioana Author-Name-Last: Manafi Author-Email: Author-Name: Anatolie Coșciug Author-Name-First: Anatolie Author-Name-Last: Coșciug Author-Email: Title: International Migration, Return Migration, and their Effects. A Comprehensive Review on the Romanian Case Abstract: Romanian migration is today one of the largest, complex, and dynamic migration to Western Europe. This paper is a comprehensive review of the existing literature that aims at providing a full picture of this dynamic migratory process and discussing its far-reaching consequences. It first presents and characterizes the Romanian migration through the different phases during and after state socialism. The second part of the paper is dedicated to unfolding the socio-economic effects of the Romanian migration addressing the remitting behavior and its development over the past years. The issue of return migration is also addressed stressing that return is not much developed, however it has significant impacts through the emergence of returnees’ entrepreneurship. Finally we address some of the consequences of the medical doctors’ migration which is today considered one of the main migration challenges the country is facing. Creation-Date: 20170216 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP43.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 43 Classification-JEL: F22, F24, J15, P36 Keywords: Romania, international migration, remittances, return migration, physicians migration Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:43 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Marta Kahancová Author-Name-First: Marta Author-Name-Last: Kahancová Author-Email: marta.kahancova@celsi.sk Title: Workers' participation in Czechia and Slovakia Abstract: This paper reviews the formation of worker participation and its current regulation and practice in Czechia and Slovakia. The formation of worker participation in these countries is traced back to the legacies of state socialism prior to 1989, economic transformations in the 1990s as well as EU accession and the implementation of the EU Directive on Information and Consultation of Employees after 2002. The paper shows that worker participation in Czechia and Slovakia is firmly institutionalized and embedded in both countries’ legal systems. Trade unions are the most important organizations representing workers’ interests, whereas the relevance of works councils and other participation forms remains marginal. However, the actual practice of worker representation and participation is declining due to decreasing union and employer densities and bargaining decentralization; and due to the strong dependence of employment relations in Czechia and Slovakia on labour legislation. To maintain a strong role of worker participation at the plant level, it is essential to overcome power struggles between trade unions and works councils and develop direct initiatives facilitating workplace democracy. Creation-Date: 20171001 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP44.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 44 Classification-JEL: Keywords: trade unions, works councils, worker participation, Czechia, Slovakia, postsocialism, legal system, labour legislation Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:44 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Guzi Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Guzi Author-Email: martin.guzi@celsi.sk Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Author-Name: Lucia Mýtna Kureková Author-Name-First: Lucia Author-Name-Last: Mýtna Kureková Author-Email: lucia.kurekova@celsi.sk Title: How Immigration Grease Is Affected by Economic, Institutional and Policy Contexts: Evidence from EU Labor Markets Abstract: Theoretical arguments and previous country-level evidence indicate that immigrants are more fluid than natives in responding to changing labor shortages across countries, skill-groups or industries. The diversity across EU member states enables us to test this hypothesis across various institutional, economic and policy contexts. Drawing on the EU LFS and EU SILC datasets we study the relationship between residual wage premia as a measure of labor shortages in different skill-industry-country cells and the shares of migrants and natives working in these cells. We find that immigrants’ responsiveness to labor market shortages exceeds that of natives in the EU15, in particular in member states with higher unemployment rates, higher levels of (recent) immigration, and more open immigration and integration policies; but also those with barriers to citizenship acquisition or family reunification. Whereas higher welfare expenditures seem to exert a lock-in effect, a comparison across different types of welfare states indicates that institutional complementarities neutralize that effect. Creation-Date: 20171011 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP45.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 45 Classification-JEL: J15, J24, J61, J68 Keywords: labor supply, skill matching, migration, labor shortage, welfare state,institutions, policy Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:45 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Magdalena M. Ulceluse Author-Name-First: Magdalena M. Author-Name-Last: Ulceluse Author-Email: Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: Does employment protection legislation promote immigrant self-employment? Abstract: The paper analyses the effect of employment protection legislation on immigrant self- employment rates, using OECD indicators on the strictness of employment protection legislation (EPL). As migrants are outsiders in the labour market, the effect of employment protection on their probability of finding a job should be most likely negative, even if the net effect of employment protection on aggregate employment is unclear. We find no significant effects of EPL of migrant self-employment rates, in a multivariate context. Creation-Date: 20171113 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP46.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 46 Classification-JEL: J81, J88, J15 Keywords: immigrant self-employment, employment protection legislation Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:46 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Magdalena M. Ulceluse Author-Name-First: Magdalena M. Author-Name-Last: Ulceluse Author-Email: Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: Self-employment effects of restrictive immigration policies: the case of transitional arrangements in the EU Abstract: The paper contributes to existing debates concerning the effectiveness of immigration policies, by investigating the particular case of transitional arrangements implemented during the European Union enlargement rounds of 2004 and 2007. A number of authors have argued that instead of deterring immigration, the arrangements have changed the channels EU8 and EU2 migrants have chosen to enter the country of destination, by becoming self-employed. Self- employed individuals were not subjected to restrictions. Our results suggest that EU2 migrants have indeed turned to self-employment as a way to circumvent the restrictions, and point to a substitution effect in the case of EU8 migrants. The results have broader research and policy implications, revealing the importance of considering the effect immigration policies have in shaping the volume and skill composition of migrants, as well as their labour market trajectories and subsequent economic activities. Creation-Date: 20171113 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP47.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 47 Classification-JEL: J15, J18, J61, J68 Keywords: transitional arrangements, immigration policy, immigrant self-employment, EU enlargement, EU mobility Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:47 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Author-Name: Martin Guzi Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Guzi Author-Email: martin.guzi@celsi.sk Title: How Immigrants Helped EU Labor Markets to Adjust during the Great Recession Abstract: The economic literature starting with Borjas (2001) suggests that immigrants are more flexible than natives in responding to changing sectoral, occupational, and spatial shortages in the labor market. In this paper, we study the relative responsiveness to labor shortages by immigrants from various origins, skills and tenure in the country vis-à- vis the natives, and how it varied over the business cycle during the Great Recession. We show that immigrants in general have responded to changing labor shortages across EU member states, occupations and sectors more fluidly than natives. This effect is especially significant for low-skilled immigrants from the new member states or with the medium number of years since immigration, as well as with high-skilled immigrants with relatively few (1-5) or many (11+) years since migration. The relative responsiveness of some immigrant groups declined during the crisis years (those from Europe outside the EU or with eleven or more years since migration), whereas other groups of immigrants became particularly fluid during the Great Recession, such as those from new member states. Our results suggest immigrants may play an important role in labor adjustment during times of asymmetric economic shocks, and support the case for well-designed immigration policy and free movement of workers within the EU. Paper provides new insights into the functioning of the European Single Market and the roles various immigrant groups play for its stabilization through labor adjustment during times of uneven economic development across sectors, occupations, and countries. Creation-Date: 20180119 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP48.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 48 Classification-JEL: J24, J61, J68 Keywords: immigrant worker, labor supply, skilled migration, labor shortage, wage regression, Great Recession Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:48 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Mauro Lanati Author-Name-First: Mauro Author-Name-Last: Lanati Author-Email: Author-Name: Alessandra Venturini Author-Name-First: Alessandra Author-Name-Last: Venturini Author-Email: alessandra.venturini@unito.it Title: Cultural Change and the Migration Choice Abstract: Cultural differences play an important role in shaping migration patterns. The conventional proxies for cross country cultural differences - such as common language, ethnicity, genetic traits or religion - implicitly assume that cultural proximity between two countries is constant over time and symmetric, which is far from realistic. This paper proposes a tractable model for international migration which explicitly allows for the time varying and asymmetric dimensions of cultural proximity. Similarly to Disdier et al (2010) we assume that the evolution of bilateral cultural affinity over time is reflected in the intensity of bilateral trade in cultural goods. Our empirical framework includes a comprehensive set of high dimensional fixed effects which enables for the identification of the impact of cultural proximity on migration over and beyond the effect of pre-existing cultural and historical ties. The results are robust across different econometric techniques and suggest that positive changes in cultural relationships over time foster bilateral migration. Creation-Date: 20180226 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP49.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 49 Classification-JEL: F16, F22, Z10 Keywords: Migration, Trade in Cultural Goods, Gravity Model Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:49 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Norbert Švarda Author-Name-First: Norbert Author-Name-Last: Švarda Author-Email: Author-Name: Jana Valachyová Author-Name-First: Jana Author-Name-Last: Valachyová Author-Email: Author-Name: Matúš Senaj Author-Name-First: Matúš Author-Name-Last: Senaj Author-Email: Author-Name: Michal Horváth Author-Name-First: Michal Author-Name-Last: Horváth Author-Email: Author-Name: Zuzana Siebertová Author-Name-First: Zuzana Author-Name-Last: Siebertová Author-Email: siebertova@rrz.sk Title: The end of the flat tax experiment in Slovakia: An evaluation using behavioural microsimulation linked with a dynamic macroeconomic framework Abstract: The paper introduces a new way of linking microsimulation models with dynamic general equilibrium frameworks to obtain an evaluation of the impact of detailed tax and benefit measures on the aggregate economy. In the approach presented in this paper, income heterogeneity interacts with the macro-economy via aggregated individual labour supply decisions which influence, and are influenced by, the dynamic evolution of the real wage rate. The method involves a reduced-form representation of the information flow between the macroeconomic and microeconomic blocks. The practical usefulness of the approach is demonstrated by evaluating actual and hypothetical tax reforms that involve abandoning the flat tax system in Slovakia. A hypothetical move to a highly progressive tax structure is shown to generate some employment gains but is associated with a drop in aggregate income and tax revenue. Creation-Date: 20181004 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP50.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 50 Classification-JEL: E24, H24, H31, J22 Keywords: microsimulation, dynamic general equilibrium, unemployment, labour supply elasticity, tax reform, flat tax Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:50 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Norbert Švarda Author-Name-First: Norbert Author-Name-Last: Švarda Author-Email: Author-Name: Jana Valachyová Author-Name-First: Jana Author-Name-Last: Valachyová Author-Email: Author-Name: Matúš Senaj Author-Name-First: Matúš Author-Name-Last: Senaj Author-Email: Author-Name: Zuzana Siebertová Author-Name-First: Zuzana Author-Name-Last: Siebertová Author-Email: siebertova@rrz.sk Title: The Evaluation of Fiscal Consolidation Strategies Abstract: In this paper, we present a framework and perform an assessment of different fiscal consolidation strategies both on the revenue as well as on the expenditure sides of the budget in the context of Slovakia. The model we use for simulations is a behavioural general-equilibrium what_if model. We analyse the simulated impacts of consolidation strategies on growth and on fiscal balance (both in short- and long- term). The microsimulation approach allows us also to evaluate the distributional impacts. In addition, the approach permits to compare the statutory with the resulting tax incidence in the long-run. We simulate strategies based on taxing labour income, taxing consumption as well as cutting expenditures on social transfers. We document that corporate and labour taxes are more unfavourable to output growth, while consumption taxes belong to less damaging instruments for consolidation. We show that spending cuts may promote employment and are not detrimental to output growth. Creation-Date: 20181004 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP51_rj7WAyv.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 51 Classification-JEL: C63, H22, I38 Keywords: MICROSIMULATION, GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM, TAX AND TRANSFER SYSTEM, GOVERNMENT POLICY Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:51 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Shoshana Neuman Author-Name-First: Shoshana Author-Name-Last: Neuman Author-Email: shoshana.neuman@biu.ac.il Author-Name: Tzahi Neuman Author-Name-First: Tzahi Author-Name-Last: Neuman Author-Email: Author-Name: Teresa García-Muñoz Author-Name-First: Teresa Author-Name-Last: García-Muñoz Author-Email: tgarciam@ugr.es Title: A Fresh Look at the Health-Wealth Correlation: A Case Study of European Countries Abstract: This paper contributes to the development-health literature by studying the correlation between development measures (see below) and health measures - one subjective ('self-assessed-health-status'), and the other one objective (the individual's 'number of chronic diseases'). Correlations are examined for 29 European countries, using the SHARE data set, and country-level development measures. Specifically, we examine whether country fixed-effects in regressions of health measures, controlling for individual socio-demographic variables, are significantly correlated with country development variables, which include: logarithm of per-capita GDP; the Human Development Index; the Social Progress Index; life expectancy; percentage of GDP spent on health; and the novel measure expressed by the Environmental Health Index. The novelty of our study is the introduction of a channel for the significant health-wealth correlation, speculating that the driving forces are psychological. Creation-Date: 20191007 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP52_A9cNKYY.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 52 Classification-JEL: I1; I15 Keywords: development; self-assessed-health-status; diseases; environmental hazards; psychological motives; SHARE; Europe Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:52 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Manuela Stranges Author-Name-First: Manuela Author-Name-Last: Stranges Author-Email: Author-Name: Daniele Vignoli Author-Name-First: Daniele Author-Name-Last: Vignoli Author-Email: Author-Name: Alessandra Venturini Author-Name-First: Alessandra Author-Name-Last: Venturini Author-Email: alessandra.venturini@unito.it Title: “Comparison is the thief of joy”. Does social comparison affect migrants’ subjective well-being? Abstract: This paper contributes to the growing strand of literature that investigates migrants’ subjective wellbeing by analysing how the social comparison with two reference groups (natives and other migrants) within the host country affects migrants’ life satisfaction. Using data from six rounds of the European Social Survey, we constructed two measures of economic distance that compare each migrant’s situation with the average of the group of natives and the group of migrants with similar characteristics. Our results indicate that when the disadvantage between the migrant and the reference groups becomes smaller, migrant’s life satisfaction increases. The effect of the social comparison with natives appears larger than the social comparison with migrants and, in both cases, it is stronger for individuals with higher levels of education. We also show that social comparison is stronger for second generation migrants than for first generation migrants and, within this latter group, it intensifies as length of stay in the host country increases. Overall, the role of social comparison seems crucial to understanding patterns of integration in an enlarged Europe. Creation-Date: 20191009 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP53_FzwaXzm.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 53 Classification-JEL: I31, F22 Keywords: subjective well-being, migrants, social comparison Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:53 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Michal Horváth Author-Name-First: Michal Author-Name-Last: Horváth Author-Email: Author-Name: Zuzana Siebertová Author-Name-First: Zuzana Author-Name-Last: Siebertová Author-Email: Title: Employment Effects of Income Tax Reforms: Lessons from Slovakia Abstract: Fundamental income tax reforms are usually justified by or opposed because of large employment implications. The employment gains and losses are supposed to originate from various behavioural and dynamic effects of tax reforms over the medium to long term. To test the limits of such arguments, we study hypothetical radical measures designed to have potentially large employment effects in the context of Slovakia. A close inspection of the different implications of such tax reforms for adjustment on the extensive margin of the labour market reveals that promises or worries of large employment effects have little empirical support. This is because labour supply responses to ‘making work pay’ are small, the requirement of revenue neutrality limits the extent to which (dis)incentivising work is feasible, and because income effects arising from positive assortative mating within families counteract total individual-level effects. Our framework suggests the focus of tax reformers should be on the variation in effective labour supply coming from intensive margin effects. Creation-Date: 20191107 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP54_VqtQadN.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 54 Classification-JEL: E24, H24, H31, J22 Keywords: microsimulation, dynamic general equilibrium, employment, labour supply elasticity, tax reform Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:54 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Marta Kahancová Author-Name-First: Marta Author-Name-Last: Kahancová Author-Email: marta.kahancova@celsi.sk Author-Name: Monika Martišková Author-Name-First: Monika Author-Name-Last: Martišková Author-Email: monika.martiskova@celsi.sk Author-Name: Carl Nordlund Author-Name-First: Carl Author-Name-Last: Nordlund Author-Email: Title: Enhancing the Effectiveness of Social Dialogue Articulation in Europe: Conceptual and Analytical Framework in a Multi-Level Governance Perspective Abstract: This paper elaborates a conceptual and analytical framework to study social dialogue articulation and its effectiveness in the EU. The framework derives from a multi-level governance perspective that seeks to account for the diversity of state and non-state actors involved at various levels of social dialogue. Effectiveness of social dialogue is conceptualized as the ability of social dialogue committees to deliver specific outcomes, while the effectiveness of social dialogue articulation in conceptualized as the ability to transpose social dialogue outcomes achieved at one level of social dialogue to another level of social dialogue and to implement EU-level social dialogue outcomes in nationally specific institutional and legislative conditions of diverse EU members states. The framework for analysis also includes three interrelated methodological suggestions for empirical study, including a quantitative survey among social partners, qualitative interviews for in-depth insights as well as network analysis in order to identify strong ties between involved actors that inform expectations on effective articulation of social dialogue between national and EU-level social dialogue structures. Creation-Date: 20191127 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP55.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 55 Classification-JEL: J08, J50, J51, J81, P52, Z13 Keywords: social dialogue, articulation, EU-level social dialogue, multi-level governance Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:55 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Enrico Bertacchini Author-Name-First: Enrico Author-Name-Last: Bertacchini Author-Email: Author-Name: Roberto Zotti Author-Name-First: Roberto Author-Name-Last: Zotti Author-Email: Author-Name: Alessandra Venturini Author-Name-First: Alessandra Author-Name-Last: Venturini Author-Email: alessandra.venturini@unito.it Title: Drivers of cultural participation of immigrants: evidence from an Italian survey Abstract: The paper aims to explore the drivers of immigrants’ participation to cultural and leisure activities in host countries. First, we discuss how the main analytical approaches on cultural participation can be extended to incorporate factors specific to migrants’ characteristics and behaviour, namely dimensions of proximity to the native population’s culture and the level of integration in the host society. Secondly, we investigate migrants’ propensity for consumption of cultural and leisure activities using data of a special national survey on Income and Living conditions (2011-2012) on foreign households in Italy. Italy represents an interesting case because it is a recent immigration country, making the analysis particularly suitable for studying the behaviour of first-generation immigrants. Our findings suggest that language proficiency, duration of stay and intention to remain in the host country significantly increase the probability to access various types of leisure and cultural activities. Interestingly, after controlling for standard individual predictors, several dimensions of an immigrant’s cultural background and proximity with the culture of the host society still significantly explain variation in cultural participation rates, confirming that cultural differences play a role in migrants’ cultural consumption choice. Creation-Date: 20200212 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP56_C827b8B.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 56 Classification-JEL: Z11, J15, J61 Keywords: cultural participation, migrants, cultural proximity Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:56 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Brian Fabo Author-Name-First: Brian Author-Name-Last: Fabo Author-Email: fabobrian@gmail.com Title: The English and Russian Language Proficiency Premium in the post-Maidan Ukraine – an Analysis of Web Survey Data Abstract: The Maidan uprising and the successive fall of president Yanukovych has been a subject of substantial scholarly attention. Nonetheless, the focus has been largely on political aspects of these events, which the economic implications have not been tackled nearly to the same extent. This study aims to contribute to filling this gap by analyzing the post-Maidan changes to the Russian language earnings premium in the country. Past research has identified sizable advantage of earnings enjoyed by Russian language speakers over Ukrainian language speakers. Meanwhile, the literature on Maidan suggests, that the upheaval has strengthened Ukrainian speaking, pro-Western forces in the society over the interests rooted in the Russian speaking community and thus is could be expected that this premium could have disappeared. Our analysis, nonetheless, shows that it remains present. Additionally, we test the effect of proficiency in English, the main commerce language of the West, to see whether the proWestern orientation of the new Ukrainian government generated effect a similar effect to the Russian language premium. However, once we control for characteristics of the respondent, we found no strong evidence of such an effect. Creation-Date: 20200212 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP57_CAgXQ8w.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 57 Classification-JEL: J15, J70, J82 Keywords: Maidan, earnings differences, ethnic premium, foreign language skills, Ukraine Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:57 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Shoshana Neuman Author-Name-First: Shoshana Author-Name-Last: Neuman Author-Email: shoshana.neuman@biu.ac.il Author-Name: Yael Goldfarb Author-Name-First: Yael Author-Name-Last: Goldfarb Author-Email: Title: Better Integration in the Labor Market by Responding to Work Motives: Lessons from a Field Experiment among Israeli Ultra-Religious Women Abstract: Low employability among specific populations (e.g., religious/traditional women, the elderly, disabled workers, immigrants) has unfavorable consequences on the: unemployed individual, society, and the state economy. The latter include: poverty, a heavy toll on welfare budgets, diminished growth, and an increase in the "dependency ratio". We suggest a rather novel policy (borrowed from the field of Career Psychology) that could lead to successful integration into the labor market of low-employability populations: the design of tailor-made training programs that respond to work motives; coupled with a working environment that caters to special needs/ restrictions; and complemented with counseling and monitoring. The suggested strategy was illustrated and investigated using a case study of Israeli ultra-religious women, who exhibit lower employment rates than other Israeli women. The motives behind their occupational choices were explored based on data collected by a field experiment. Factor Analysis was then employed to sort out the motives behind their occupational choices, and regression analysis was used to associate job satisfaction with work motivation. Policy implications were suggested based on the findings. There is already some evidence on the successful outcomes of the proposed strategy. Creation-Date: 20200213 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP58.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 58 Classification-JEL: D13, D91, I38, J08, J24, Z12 Keywords: low-employability; ultra-Orthodox/religious (Haredi); Israel; occupation; motives; job satisfaction; old-age dependency-ratio Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:58 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Author-Name: Lukáš Lafférs Author-Name-First: Lukáš Author-Name-Last: Lafférs Author-Email: Author-Name: Bernhard Schmidpeter Author-Name-First: Bernhard Author-Name-Last: Schmidpeter Author-Email: Title: The Impact of Mass Antigen Testing for COVID-19 on the Prevalence of the Disease Abstract: More than a year since the first outbreak in China in December 2019, most countries are still struggling to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Mass antigen testing has been proposed as an instrument to mitigate the spread of the disease and allow the economy to re-open. We investigate the potential benefits of mass antigen testing for the mitigation of the pandemic, using data from a uniquely designed testing that took place in Slovakia in autumn 2020. As the first country in the world, Slovakia implemented and repeated mass rapid antigen testing. After the first round of nation-wide testing, only districts above an ex-ante unknown prevalence threshold were re-tested. Comparing districts in the neighborhood above and below the threshold using a quasi-experimental design, we find that repeated mass antigen testing reduces infections by about 25-30% and results in a decrease in R0 of 0.3 two weeks after the testing. These effects peaked about 15 days after the second round of testing and gradually dissipated afterward. These results suggest that mass testing could be an effective tool in curbing the spread of COVID-19, but for lasting effects it would need to be conducted regularly in relatively short intervals. Creation-Date: 20210129 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP_59_0_1.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 59 Classification-JEL: D04, I18, J22 Keywords: COVID-19, COVID-19 policies, Causal impact, Antigen testing, Mass testing, Non-pharmaceutical interventions Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:59 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Guzi Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Guzi Author-Email: martin.guzi@celsi.sk Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Author-Name: Magdalena M. Ulceluse Author-Name-First: Magdalena M. Author-Name-Last: Ulceluse Author-Email: Title: Europe's migration experience and its effects on economic inequality Abstract: This chapter provides the historical context for the past half-century in Europe focusing specifically on the link between migration and economic development and inequality. The literature review suggests that there are several channels through which migration affects economic inequality between countries in one or the other direction. The net effects are an open empirical question and are likely to depend on the economic, demographic and institutional and policy contexts; sources, types and selectivity of migration, as well as responses of the receiving societies as well as migrants themselves. We undertake an empirical analysis and find that immigration has contributed to reducing inequality within the 25 EU countries over the 2003-2017 period. As the EU attracted relatively highly qualified immigrants throughout this period, our results are consistent with the ameliorating effect of skilled migration on within-country inequality, as predicted by theory. Creation-Date: 20210305 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP60.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 60 Classification-JEL: D31; D60; O15 Keywords: immigration, inequality, labour mobility, income distribution, EU enlargement Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:60 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Elena Nikolova Author-Name-First: Elena Author-Name-Last: Nikolova Author-Email: nikolova.ele@gmail.com Author-Name: Jakub Polansky Author-Name-First: Jakub Author-Name-Last: Polansky Author-Email: Title: Children and Female Employment in Mongolia Abstract: Although a large body of literature has argued that motherhood has a profound and long-lasting negative effect on the employment and earnings of women, there is little evidence focusing on the post-communist region. This paper exploits the latest round of the EBRD-World Bank Life in Transition Survey (LiTS) and of the Mongolian National Statistics Office Household Socio-Economic Survey (HSES) to examine the correlation between the presence of children of different age categories in a family and female employment in Mongolia in 2016. We examine the availability of childcare, social norms and attitudes towards women, as well as household decision-making as potential explanations. We find that small children decrease the probability of female employment relative to women with no small children. In particular, women with two children aged one to six years are 21.5 percentage points less likely to be employed. Our results also suggest that cultural biases against women may be – at least partially – responsible for the low female employment levels which we uncovered. These results are unlikely to be driven by omitted variable bias. Creation-Date: 20220720 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP61_CELSI_J6ABtyB.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 61 Classification-JEL: Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:61 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Lucia Mýtna Kureková Author-Name-First: Lucia Author-Name-Last: Mýtna Kureková Author-Email: lucia.kurekova@celsi.sk Author-Name: Martin Guzi Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Guzi Author-Email: martin.guzi@celsi.sk Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: The Impact of Immigration and Integration Policies On Immigrant-Native Labor Market Hierarchies Abstract: Across European Union (EU) labor markets, immigrant and native populations exhibit disparate labor market outcomes, signifying widespread labor market hierarchies. While significant resources have been invested in migration and integration policies, it remains unclear whether these contribute to or mitigate labor market hierarchies between natives and immigrants. Using a longitudinal model based on individual-level EU LFS and country-level DEMIG POLICY and POLMIG databases, we explore variation in changes of immigration and integration policies across Western EU member states to study how they are associated with labor market hierarchies in terms of unemployment and employment quality gaps between immigrant and native populations. Our findings imply that designing less restrictive policies may help mitigate immigrant-native labor market hierarchies by reducing existing labor market disadvantages of immigrants and making the most of their potential. Creation-Date: 20221118 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/DP62_CELSI_final_1_fYHgeKB.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 62 Classification-JEL: J15, J18, J61, K37 Keywords: decomposition, immigrant-native gaps, labor market, DEMIG POLICY database, immigrant integration, hierarchies Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:62 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Lucia Kováčová Author-Name-First: Lucia Author-Name-Last: Kováčová Author-Email: lucia.kovacova@celsi.sk Author-Name: Katarína Lukáčová Author-Name-First: Katarína Author-Name-Last: Lukáčová Author-Email: katarina.lukacova@celsi.sk Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: Industrial Relations and Unemployment Benefit Schemes in the Visegrad Countries during the COVID-19 Pandemic Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing economic and technological adjustment increased the risk of unemployment, underemployment and skills mismatch across Europe. These increased risks highlighted the importance of national unemployment benefit schemes for income security. This article examines the role of industrial relations in shaping unemployment benefit regimes in the Visegrad countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. We adopted an actor-oriented approach based on desk research and 12 semi-structured interviews with the representatives of trade unions and employers in all the Visegrad countries. Our research showed that the capacities of the trade unions and employers' associations to shape the unemployment benefit regimes were rather limited. State control over social policy remained very strong and shaped the dynamics of industrial relations, without inclusive involvement of social partners. National governments sought to implement measures to protect employment (mainly wage subsidies), rather than to reform existing unemployment support regimes. Creation-Date: 20221121 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSIDP_63_final_.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 63 Classification-JEL: J51, J52, J58, J65, J68 Keywords: Unemployment benefits, short-time work, industrial relations, Visegrad countries, Central and Eastern Europe, COVID-19 pandemic Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:63 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Andrea Ricci Author-Name-First: Andrea Author-Name-Last: Ricci Author-Email: Author-Name: Cristina Mosso Author-Name-First: Cristina Author-Name-Last: Mosso Author-Email: Author-Name: Alessandra Venturini Author-Name-First: Alessandra Author-Name-Last: Venturini Author-Email: alessandra.venturini@unito.it Title: Cultural Policies for migrant inclusion: a survey Abstract: Integration of migrants is a priority in destination countries, but high unemployment and low wages and a strong segmentation still dominate the picture. The linguistic distance and the cultural distance are at the basis of the lack of soft skills which limit their inclusion. Cultural policies which have been considered redundant, are instead a priority for their positive effects on individuals and, in particular, on the foreigners. The present survey reviews the extensive research in the field using choir participation as pivotal activity. The results are measured with physiological and psychological indicators to understand the increase in self-esteem, self-efficacy and social inclusion which are needed for migrants to grasp the social capital of destination countries needed for integration. Even if the empirical studies are not scientifically convincing, i.e. small samples, no randomization, the numerosity and variety persuades about the positive effect. Creation-Date: 20231030 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_discussion_paper_64.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 64 Classification-JEL: C23, J31, J61 Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:64 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Guzi Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Guzi Author-Email: martin.guzi@celsi.sk Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: Welfare Migration Abstract: The welfare magnet hypothesis, also referred to as welfare shopping or welfare tourism, that migrants make location choices based on the provision of welfare benefits in alternative destinations, has resonated in the academic as well as public discourse on migration. This chapter summarizes theoretical models behind the welfare magnet hypothesis and reviews the empirical evidence on welfare-induced migration. The literature is inconclusive on the matter. Whereas there are theoretical arguments why welfare might matter for migration flows and several studies find a small positive association between welfare and migration, other studies find no such effects. In particular, some studies show that controlling for the endogeneity of welfare in the welfare-migration nexus reduces or eliminates the effect of welfare generosity on immigration. On the other hand, recent quasi-experimental studies demonstrate some effects of welfare on the location choices of asylees and refugees. Exploring a unique European dataset, this chapter contributes to this literature by providing some evidence that better accessibility of social assistance for immigrants is associated with larger immigrant inflows. Overall, the consensus in the literature is that the effects of welfare on migration are relatively small compared to other drivers of migration. The chapter concludes with highlighting the broader implications of the welfare magnet hypothesis and provides guidance for future research about it. Creation-Date: 20231121 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_discussion_paper_65.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 65 Classification-JEL: H53, J15, J61, J68 Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:65 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Vassil Kirov Author-Name-First: Vassil Author-Name-Last: Kirov Author-Email: Author-Name: Lucia Kováčová Author-Name-First: Lucia Author-Name-Last: Kováčová Author-Email: lucia.kovacova@celsi.sk Author-Name: Martin Guzi Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Guzi Author-Email: martin.guzi@celsi.sk Author-Name: Jan Czarzasty Author-Name-First: Jan Author-Name-Last: Czarzasty Author-Email: jczarz@sgh.waw.pl Author-Name: Dragoș Adăscăliței Author-Name-First: Dragoș Author-Name-Last: Adăscăliței Author-Email: Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: Preserving Jobs in COVID-19 Times in CEE Countries: Social Partners’ Responses and Actions Abstract: Eleven Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries joined the European Union in 2004, 2007 and 2013. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social partners in CEE have been active in efforts to mitigate the negative consequences of the economic downturn; however, evidence on the scope, scale, and effects of their roles in shaping policy responses to the pandemic remains scant. This paper provides early evidence on the role of social partners in shaping job preservation policies, focusing on three main types: short-time working arrangements; wage subsidies; and flexible work arrangements. It presents the main characteristics of the industrial relations systems and main social partners are five CEE countries: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, social partners in Bulgaria have engaged in an intensive social dialogue leading to national-level agreements and have actively taken part in the formulation of job preservation measures. Creation-Date: 20231207 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_discussion_paper_66_DuWzLV1.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 66 Classification-JEL: J08, J38, J5 Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:66 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Marek Hlaváč Author-Name-First: Marek Author-Name-Last: Hlaváč Author-Email: mhlavac@alumni.princeton.edu Title: The End of Slovakiaʼs Convergence in GDP per Capita at PPP: Role of Shortcomings in Input Data Submitted to Eurostat Abstract: According to official statistics, Slovakia’s GDP per capita at PPP has been declining compared to the EU-27 average since 2016. This unfavorable evolution is influenced by shortcomings in the input data provided to Eurostat – especially in expenditures on housing rentals and in housing stock data. Using the Eurostat-OECD methodology for calculating purchasing power parities, we estimate alternative scenarios that correct these shortcomings. Our results still suggest that Slovakia’s convergence level has been stagnating since 2016. They are less optimistic than those by other Slovak institutions, and are not very sensitive to changes in assumptions about the prices of rentals. Creation-Date: 20231207 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_DP_67.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 67 Classification-JEL: E01, E31, O47 Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:67 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Guzi Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Guzi Author-Email: martin.guzi@celsi.sk Author-Name: Maciej Duszczyk Author-Name-First: Maciej Author-Name-Last: Duszczyk Author-Email: Author-Name: Peter Huber Author-Name-First: Peter Author-Name-Last: Huber Author-Email: Author-Name: Ulrike Huemer Author-Name-First: Ulrike Author-Name-Last: Huemer Author-Email: Author-Name: Marcela Veselková Author-Name-First: Marcela Author-Name-Last: Veselková Author-Email: Title: Pathways to Inclusion: Labour Market Perspectives on Ukrainian Refugees Abstract: The paper provides an overview of the situation of Ukrainian refugees in the labour markets of Austria, Czechia, Poland, and Slovakia, emphasizing the initiatives aimed at facilitating their integration. Refugees face challenges in securing employment adequate to their skills due to language barriers, limited capacity in childcare services, strict entry conditions for skilled occupations, and uncertainty surrounding their refugee status. The chapter concludes with recommendations for enhancing the labour market integration of refugees. Creation-Date: 20240715 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_discussion_paper_68.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 68 Classification-JEL: E24, F22, J41 Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:68 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Salvatore Carrozzo Author-Name-First: Salvatore Author-Name-Last: Carrozzo Author-Email: Author-Name: Elisabetta Lodigiani Author-Name-First: Elisabetta Author-Name-Last: Lodigiani Author-Email: Title: Does migrants’ consumption of cultural goods impact on their economic integration? Disclosing the culture-to-market pathway Abstract: The consumption of cultural goods can play a crucial role in the social and economic integration of immigrants into their destination country. In this paper, we investigate the effect of the cultural national program, IoStudio, designed to enhance the consumption of cultural goods among upper secondary students in Italy, on post-secondary investment in education and early labor market conditions among young immigrants. Using data from a unique survey conducted by the Institute for Multiethnic Studies (ISMU) on a repre-sentative sample of the entire immigrant population in the Italian Lombardy region and employing a difference-in-differences estimator, we find that the IoStudio policy has pos-itive effects on investment in post-secondary education. Additionally, young foreigners exposed to the policy exhibit higher earnings, at least in the short run, when they enter the labour market. We claim that cultural consumption by immigrants is a relevant concern, deserving close attention in terms of increasing social capital and labour market inclusion. Creation-Date: 20240716 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_DP_69.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 69 Classification-JEL: Z11, J61, J62, I26 Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:69 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Dumitru Sandu Author-Name-First: Dumitru Author-Name-Last: Sandu Author-Email: dumitru.sandu@gmail.com Title: Selectivity in intra-European migration intentions Abstract: Migration intentions are an approximation of future migration behaviours. How can we reach, at the level of the European Union, approximations of intra-European emigration? We could be all the closer to this target if we manage to have a better identification of the "net" country selectivity patterns, keeping under control the role of other factors that contribute to country selectivity about migration between European Union countries. This is the target we have set ourselves, using data from Special Eurobarometer 528, conducted in 2022. After running, country by country, the same multiple regression model, we grouped countries with similar models of predicting potential emigration. Of course, the specification of the regression models was dependent on the data available in that international survey. To test the validity of the working model, we used multiple analyses (cluster, regression, sensitivity). The results indicate nine clusters of European countries with similar patterns of selectivity in determining potential intra-European migration. One of the solid guarantees of the validity of the analysis we propose is the proximity of the countries that are included in the same grouping. Creation-Date: 20240826 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_DP_70_CRm9nJG.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 70 Classification-JEL: migration sociology Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:70 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Daniela Andrén Author-Name-First: Daniela Author-Name-Last: Andrén Author-Email: daniela.andren@oru.se Author-Name: Thomas Andrén Author-Name-First: Thomas Author-Name-Last: Andrén Author-Email: Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: Immigration, Partnership Dynamics and Welfare Persistence Abstract: When economic crises destabilize labor markets, they offer unique opportunities to explore welfare dynamics and the interplay between partnership formation and social assistance. Using data from Sweden’s 1990s economic crisis, characterized by high unemployment, expanding budget deficit, and a large inflow of war refugees from the former Yugoslavia, we examine state dependence in social assistance, which refers to the increased likelihood that households will receive benefits in the future if they have previously received them. Because Swedish social assistance eligibility depends on household-level resources and that partnership formation may correlate with unobserved factors, we focus on individuals who were single in 1990, prior to the recession, tracking their social assistance receipt and household composition over the sub-sequent decade. This approach allows us to compare individuals who remain single throughout the decade with those who form partnerships, assessing how gender, country of birth, and part-nership choices affect state dependence in social assistance. Using a dynamic discrete choice model that addresses both unobserved heterogeneity and initial conditions, we found differ-ences in structural state dependence both between and within the samples of Swedish-born (SB) and foreign-born (FB) individuals. Among singles, SB women exhibit lower structural state dependence than SB men, whereas FB women display slightly higher structural state dependence than FB men but lower than SB men. For FB individuals, the structural state dependence decreases when they partner with a SB individual but increases when they partner with another FB individual, suggesting that partnering with an SB individual may reduce the structural impact of prior welfare dependency, while partnering with an FB individual may reinforce it. Creation-Date: 20250304 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_DP_71_QsjyQcI.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 71 Classification-JEL: I30, I38, J18 Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:71 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Daniela Andrén Author-Name-First: Daniela Author-Name-Last: Andrén Author-Email: daniela.andren@oru.se Author-Name: Thomas Andrén Author-Name-First: Thomas Author-Name-Last: Andrén Author-Email: Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: Structural State Dependence in Social Assistance through the Lens of Couples’ Ethnic Composition. Evidence from Swedish Panel Data Abstract: This study investigates whether couple ethnic composition shapes household welfare dependence, a relevant dimension overlooked in previous studies. Using fifteen years of Swedish panel data and a dynamic discrete-choice model that addresses initial-conditions and unobserved heterogeneity, we analyze structural state dependence in social assistance across households of intra-ethnic and inter-ethnic couples. Consis-tent with previous studies, we find that thatwelfare participation is much higher for foreign-born individuals in both intra- and inter-ethnic couples than for couples of na-tives. However, the lowest structural state dependence in social assistance was found for households of inter-ethnic couples, while individuals from couples of natives show the strongest state dependence, nearly five times higher than for households of couples com-prising foreign-born women with Swedish-born men and stable couples of foreign-born men and Swedish-born women. Our findings offer important policy implications for ad-dressing social assistance needs across diverse household configurations in increasingly multicultural and fiscally constrained societies. Policy and political discourse focused primarily on reducing immigrants’ welfare dependency may be misguided, as house-holds of native-born individuals exhibit stronger structural state dependence despite lower overall participation rates. Policymakers should broaden their focus to include households of couples of natives in efforts to reduce welfare persistence. Creation-Date: 20250520 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_DP_72.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 72 Classification-JEL: Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:72 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Jaan Masso Author-Name-First: Jaan Author-Name-Last: Masso Author-Email: Author-Name: Maja Breznik Author-Name-First: Maja Author-Name-Last: Breznik Author-Email: Author-Name: Liis Roosaar Author-Name-First: Liis Author-Name-Last: Roosaar Author-Email: Author-Name: Tibor T Meszmann Author-Name-First: Tibor T Author-Name-Last: Meszmann Author-Email: tibor.meszmann@celsi.sk Title: Under Pressure from Migrant Labour: Challenges of Deregulation, Reregulation and Industrial Relations in Estonia, Slovakia and Slovenia Abstract: The growth of immigrant labour in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has put pressure on labour market institutions and actors shaping industrial relations. Estonia, Slovakia and Slovenia – countries representing different models of capitalism – have adopted different regulatory strategies to address the growing need for temporary migrant labour. In some sectors, the high presence of migrant workers on temporary contracts puts pressure on wages and working conditions, creating conditions for sectoral and company-based migrant labour regimes (MLR). Starting with the thesis on the divergence of industrial relations in the EU's eastern periphery, we investigate the roles of employers and trade unions in Estonia, Slovakia, and Slovenia in addressing the issues arising from the temporary employment of migrant workers. While there are convergences towards similar outcomes, there are also clear differences: from the near-absence of trade union action to help migrant workers to new forms of employee representation. In all three countries, the driving force behind the increased reliance on migrant labour has been some employers’ economic need to fill low-paid jobs. Our article shows that trade unions and employer organisations are involved to varying degrees in the national regulatory processes concerning changes to the labour market access of TCNs. However, their influence on sectoral or company-level migrant worker employment practices is low to non-existent. While these sector- and company-based MLRs are growing in significance, trade unions in particular are caught in a vicious cycle of deregulation and reregulation. Creation-Date: 20251029 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_DP_73_9VnHPSA.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 73 Classification-JEL: Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:73 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Quivine Ndomo Author-Name-First: Quivine Author-Name-Last: Ndomo Author-Email: Author-Name: Elif Naz Kayran Author-Name-First: Elif Naz Author-Name-Last: Kayran Author-Email: Author-Name: Ilona Bontenbal Author-Name-First: Ilona Author-Name-Last: Bontenbal Author-Email: Author-Name: Simona Brunnerová Author-Name-First: Simona Author-Name-Last: Brunnerová Author-Email: simona.brunnerova@celsi.sk Author-Name: Sarah Tornberg Author-Name-First: Sarah Author-Name-Last: Tornberg Author-Email: Author-Name: Mirjam Pot Author-Name-First: Mirjam Author-Name-Last: Pot Author-Email: Author-Name: Selma Kadi Author-Name-First: Selma Author-Name-Last: Kadi Author-Email: Author-Name: Martin Kahanec Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Kahanec Author-Email: martin.kahanec@celsi.sk Title: Care on the Margins: Migrant Labour Regimes and the Reproduction of Segmented Long-Term Care Work in the EU Abstract: This article investigates how migrant labour regimes shape long-term care (LTC) work in Austria, Finland, and Slovakia, amid rising demographic pressures and EU-wide care workforce shortages. Drawing on 39 qualitative interviews with migrant care workers and stakeholders, we apply a layered theoretical framework combining labour process theory and migrant labour regime theory centred on legal dualism, transnationalism, and labour agency to analyse the lived experiences of migrant LTC work. The study reveals how migration, industrial relations, and welfare regimes interact with labour agency to produce segmented and structurally marginal care roles for migrants. Despite divergent pathways into LTC including circular self-employment in Austria, education-based integration in Finland, and informal agency recruitment in Slovakia, all three regimes converge in their reliance on precarious, undervalued migrant labour. Migrant workers navigate these conditions through individualised strategies of resilience and reworking, with limited access to collective representation. Our findings highlight the emergence of niche migrant labour regimes that sustain care provision while reinforcing exclusion from core labour protections. The article contributes to industrial relations scholarship by theorising migrant LTC work as a labour process shaped by legal differentiation, constrained agency, and multi-scalar governance, raising critical questions about equity and sustainability in European care systems. Creation-Date: 20251029 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_DP_74_AUOHjZb.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 74 Classification-JEL: Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:74 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Maja Breznik Author-Name-First: Maja Author-Name-Last: Breznik Author-Email: Author-Name: Nermin Oruč Author-Name-First: Nermin Author-Name-Last: Oruč Author-Email: Author-Name: Veronika Bajt Author-Name-First: Veronika Author-Name-Last: Bajt Author-Email: Author-Name: Amela Kurta Author-Name-First: Amela Author-Name-Last: Kurta Author-Email: Author-Name: Katerina Kočkovska Šetinc Author-Name-First: Katerina Author-Name-Last: Kočkovska Šetinc Author-Email: Title: Educational institutions in the service of transnational migration? Cases of Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina Abstract: This paper examines higher education institutions as a factor facilitating international labour migration. Drawing on the notion of the education-migration nexus, it explores the role of higher education institutions as channels of labour migration in Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina within the transnational labour migration regime. Our research data, obtained through the compilation of statistics, contextual factors, and interviews, show that educational institutions have resolved internal contradictions, such as declining enrolment in Slovenia and the lack of labour market absorption capacity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by aligning with migration policies. These linkages have led to international students being exploited as a workforce for sweatshops in Slovenia and to a workforce being produced for foreign labour markets in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This paper provides both a theoretical contribution and new empirical insights into the education-migration nexus from the perspectives of two Western periphery countries that have been largely neglected in the existing literature. Creation-Date: 20251029 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_DP_75_15uowt2.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 75 Classification-JEL: Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:75 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Lisa Berntsen Author-Name-First: Lisa Author-Name-Last: Berntsen Author-Email: Author-Name: Sonila Danaj Author-Name-First: Sonila Author-Name-Last: Danaj Author-Email: Author-Name: Paul de Beer Author-Name-First: Paul Author-Name-Last: de Beer Author-Email: Author-Name: Nikko Bilitza Author-Name-First: Nikko Author-Name-Last: Bilitza Author-Email: Title: Sourcing in or sourcing out? Diverging migrant labour regimes and use of temporary labour in the Dutch and Austrian food industries Abstract: This article contributes to a nuanced theoretical understanding of industrial relations dynamics driving cross-country differences in the expansion and containment of precarious migrant labour, by investigating the role of industrial relations actors, labour market regulations and collective bargaining specifically. It compares the differential reliance on temporary and migrant labour in the food (and meat) sector in the Netherlands and Austria, two countries with a strong corporatist industrial relations tradition. The analysis draws on desk and policy research and interviews with trade union representatives, inspectors, employers, works councillors and migrant workers. The findings highlight the importance of regulations regarding flexible employment, the strength of sectoral industrial relations and collective bargaining, and representation at the workplace to explain the different outcomes for migrant workers. Creation-Date: 20251029 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_DP_76_fujPrY8.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 76 Classification-JEL: Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:76 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Dragan Aleksić Author-Name-First: Dragan Author-Name-Last: Aleksić Author-Email: Author-Name: Mihail Arandarenko Author-Name-First: Mihail Author-Name-Last: Arandarenko Author-Email: Author-Name: Ines Chrťan Author-Name-First: Ines Author-Name-Last: Chrťan Author-Email: ines.chrtan@uniba.sk Author-Name: Tibor T Meszmann Author-Name-First: Tibor T Author-Name-Last: Meszmann Author-Email: tibor.meszmann@celsi.sk Title: Expansion of Flexibility and Its Limits. The Rise and Retreat of Serbian Temporary Workers in Slovak Automotives Abstract: Serbian migrant workers have played a prominent role in the expansion of the Slovak automotive sector in the 2016-2019 period, but became a less dominant migrant group by 2023. Analysing statistical data on Serbian labour migrants in Slovakia, migrant workers in Slovak automotive companies, as well as secondary sources and interviews, in this article we shed light on the determinants of temporary or circular labour migration and its interrelation with a sectoral and company-based labour regime. Our assessment incorporates factors such as the needs of employers, sector-specific considerations, the role of intermediaries and the motivations of migrant workers. We show that migrant workers’ labour was a key factor in subsidiaries of global automotive companies' strategy to expand production and employment, and simultaneously cut costs, putting constant pressure on working conditions and wages. Thus we found that employers - user companies were consciously shaping such a migrant labour based regime. Unions could only modestly remedy the highly flexible arrangement. Finally, our exercise shows that Serbian workers integrated in a highly precarious manner in Slovak automotives, which corresponds to declining migration trends from Serbia since 2019. Creation-Date: 20251029 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_DP_77_mCfOdMB.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 77 Classification-JEL: Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:77 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Nathan Lillie Author-Name-First: Nathan Author-Name-Last: Lillie Author-Email: Author-Name: Lisa Berntsen Author-Name-First: Lisa Author-Name-Last: Berntsen Author-Email: Author-Name: Olena Fedyuk Author-Name-First: Olena Author-Name-Last: Fedyuk Author-Email: olenafedyuk@gmail.com Author-Name: Tibor T Meszmann Author-Name-First: Tibor T Author-Name-Last: Meszmann Author-Email: tibor.meszmann@celsi.sk Title: Migrant labour regimes and the Regulation of Temporary Labour Migration in Europe: an Introduction Abstract: The labour market presence of temporary migrant workers in EU member states, coming both from other EU member states and outside its borders has increased dramatically since 2020 (Eurostat). Migrant workers have begun to appear in locations and in jobs where they haven’t been seen before, mainly in poorly remunerated and precarious jobs. The magnitude of the change is partly obscured by the invisibility of this workforce. Part of the attraction of this workforce for employers is its frequently circular, short-term and precarious nature, which also limits its visibility to mainstream society in host countries. It often occurs outside ‘normal’ labour migration pathways, ‘normal’ in this context meaning the regular organized visa and migrant integration systems that regulate migration. This does not necessarily mean the migrants are undocumented: there are a variety of legal frameworks that regulate third country labour migration, and inter-EU migration is of course regulated under EU free movement principles. However, this migration is shaped by employers and other fragmented constellations of actors, rather than host country regulation per se, creating pressure on national labour market norms and industrial relations systems, sometimes challenging them directly but more often undermining them by circumventing them. Temporary migrants are often vulnerable to exploitation, due to the nature of their work contracts, precarious residence status, poor access to social protection, and weak links to host country trade unions and civil society. The systems by which they are recruited and their labour process is managed tend to reproduce these sources of vulnerability, rather than alleviate them. Creation-Date: 20251030 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_DP_78_PWUIFwu.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 78 Classification-JEL: Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:78 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Magdalena Adamus Author-Name-First: Magdalena Author-Name-Last: Adamus Author-Email: Author-Name: Martin Guzi Author-Name-First: Martin Author-Name-Last: Guzi Author-Email: martin.guzi@celsi.sk Author-Name: Eva Ballová Mikušková Author-Name-First: Eva Author-Name-Last: Ballová Mikušková Author-Email: Title: Evaluators’ masculine gender identity may drive gender biases in peer evaluation of business plans Abstract: The paper investigates gender biases and differential treatment of women and men in the business start-up phase. A sample of 498 entrepreneurs from Slovakia participated in an online experiment and evaluated three fictitious business plans in terms of the applicants’ competence, likeability, and business ability. The start-ups were positioned in three different sectors—cosmetics production, services provision, and software development—where men’s and women’s chances of success may be viewed differently. Following Goldberg’s paradigm, half of the evaluators received business plans presented as written by female and half by male applicants; otherwise the plans were identical. Results imply that female applicants are assessed similarly to male applicants, but more masculine evaluators assess women’s business plans and their potential in entrepreneurship more critically. The study advises caution in recommending more female evaluators in the business plan assessment. If women who become involved in entrepreneurship are excessively masculine and masculinity is associated with a less favourable evaluation of potential female entrepreneurs, such policies could backfire against women, putting them in a more disadvantaged position. Creation-Date: 20251103 File-URL: https://celsi.sk/media/discussion_papers/CELSI_DP_79.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf Number: 79 Classification-JEL: Keywords: Handle: RePEc:cel:dpaper:79