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The low quality of education is a persistent problem in many developed countries. Parallel to in the last decades exists a tendency towards decentralization in many developed and developing countries. Using micro data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) referred to 22 countries, we test whether there exists an impact of fiscal and political decentralization on student performance in the areas of mathematics, reading skills and science. We observe that fiscal decentralization exerts an unequivocal positive effect on students' outcomes in all areas, while the effect of political decentralization is more ambiguous. On the one hand, the capacity of the subnational governments to rule on its region has a positive effect on students' performance in mathematics. On the other hand, the capacity to influence the country as a whole has a negative impact on mathematics achievement. As a general result, we observe that students' performance in Mathematics is more sensible to these exogenous variations than in Sciences and reading skills.

22 pages ; In this paper we use the notion of distributable surplus, introduced by Allais (1943) and Luenberger (1992), to evaluate the capacity of European countries to repay their debts. In our analysis, we use Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) models to simulate di erent policies that can be implemented to achieve debt sustainability. We rst evaluate the quantity of distributable surplus that can be extracted from policies aiming at increasing the quantity of labor and/or capital available in the economy. We show that the results are very sensitive whether we consider de cits before and after the recent nancial and economic crises. Then, assuming that governments are able to capture all the distributable surpluses, we compute the date at which they are able to repay their debts. In particular, we nd that most EU countries, excepted Germany and to lesser extent France and the UK, cannot achieve debt sustainability. We nally discuss the usefulness of Eurobonds.

Ouvrage publié à l'occasion de l'exposition Lyon au XVIIIe Un siècle surprenant !, Musées Gadagne de Lyon, 22 novembre 2012 au 5 mai 2013 ; International audience ; Au début de l'année 1930 est publié à Lyon un livre de 129 pages à modeste couverture brun-gris titré : Les Cahiers d'Étienne Benoit (1761-1771) Livre de Raison d'un Dessinateur de la Fabrique lyonnaise. L'ouvrage est introduit par Émile Leroudier, dessinateur en soieries, historiographe de la Fabrique lyonnaise investi dans la vie politique et culturelle de la ville. Présenté comme un livre de raison mais composé par Emile Leroudier lui-même, l'ouvrage est constitué de fragments de textes hétérogènes, extraits d'archives et de publications du 18e siècle, matériaux de ses travaux historiques et sources que lui procurent son importante bibliothèque. Il s'agit dès lors de revenir à ces sources et de montrer comment cet ouvrage se rapporte au contexte de l'industrie textile du début du 20e siècle et aux engagements de son auteur dans les institutions lyonnaises.

System of government in Indonesia that has been changed from centralized (top-down) to decentralized (bottom-up)or autonomous regions (Regional Autonomy) is marked based on the Law No. 22/1999 on Regional Government,which was revised by Law No. 32/2004 and supported by Law No. 25/2004 (a combination of top-down and bottomupapproaches). In this case, policy makers as professionals have an important role in the development effectively,namely the Supervision and Control. Policy regarding institutional arrangements (policy level) and the limits ofautonomy in collective decision-making process in accordance with the strata in Indonesia, according to the policylevel, the title and its implementation, involves a variety of development actors (ABG-C: Academician, Business,Government and Community). Policies in community development is the crystallization of the design communityneeds that cannot be separated from the matters that empower and restrict it from the pressures ofideological/cultural and structural, as well as active involvement of communities in the process of day-to-day policy.

The factor of culture in connection with job satisfaction appears prominent nowadays. Thisstudy attempts to determine the direct influence of culture on the job performance of CivilServants. It also determines the direct effect of job satisfaction on the performance of CivilServants as well as to determine the indirect influence of culture on job performance throughjob satisfaction of Civil Servants. This research was conducted at the Office of Tourism andCulture Jember district for 60 days by giving questionnaires to the existing Civil Servant inthe Office of Tourism and Culture Jember district using census techniques where the sampleis all of the existing Civil Servants in the Office of Tourism and Culture Jember regency consistingof 22 people. Research method used explanatory research to explain the influenceamong the variables. Data were analyzed using path analysis. The results show that there isa direct influence of culture on job performance by 72.5%, on job satisfaction performanceby 35.6%, and there is no direct link between culture and job performance through job satisfactionof 20.9%.

Ouvrage publié à l'occasion de l'exposition Lyon au XVIIIe Un siècle surprenant !, Musées Gadagne de Lyon, 22 novembre 2012 au 5 mai 2013 ; International audience ; Au début de l'année 1930 est publié à Lyon un livre de 129 pages à modeste couverture brun-gris titré : Les Cahiers d'Étienne Benoit (1761-1771) Livre de Raison d'un Dessinateur de la Fabrique lyonnaise. L'ouvrage est introduit par Émile Leroudier, dessinateur en soieries, historiographe de la Fabrique lyonnaise investi dans la vie politique et culturelle de la ville. Présenté comme un livre de raison mais composé par Emile Leroudier lui-même, l'ouvrage est constitué de fragments de textes hétérogènes, extraits d'archives et de publications du 18e siècle, matériaux de ses travaux historiques et sources que lui procurent son importante bibliothèque. Il s'agit dès lors de revenir à ces sources et de montrer comment cet ouvrage se rapporte au contexte de l'industrie textile du début du 20e siècle et aux engagements de son auteur dans les institutions lyonnaises.

Ouvrage publié à l'occasion de l'exposition Lyon au XVIIIe Un siècle surprenant !, Musées Gadagne de Lyon, 22 novembre 2012 au 5 mai 2013 ; International audience ; Au début de l'année 1930 est publié à Lyon un livre de 129 pages à modeste couverture brun-gris titré : Les Cahiers d'Étienne Benoit (1761-1771) Livre de Raison d'un Dessinateur de la Fabrique lyonnaise. L'ouvrage est introduit par Émile Leroudier, dessinateur en soieries, historiographe de la Fabrique lyonnaise investi dans la vie politique et culturelle de la ville. Présenté comme un livre de raison mais composé par Emile Leroudier lui-même, l'ouvrage est constitué de fragments de textes hétérogènes, extraits d'archives et de publications du 18e siècle, matériaux de ses travaux historiques et sources que lui procurent son importante bibliothèque. Il s'agit dès lors de revenir à ces sources et de montrer comment cet ouvrage se rapporte au contexte de l'industrie textile du début du 20e siècle et aux engagements de son auteur dans les institutions lyonnaises.

32 p. : col. ill., port. ; 30 cm. ; Libro Electrónico ; Minister's foreword 1 Overview 4 Summary of Actions 6 Volunteering in Australia 8 Focus area 1: Respond to trends in volunteering 12 Engaging young people 12 Engaging older Australians 14 Building inclusive volunteering 15 Growing volunteering in workplaces 16 Sustaining emergency management volunteering 17 Focus area 2: Harness technology 19 Improving volunteer matching 19 Promoting online or 'virtual' volunteering 20 Focus area 3: Better regulation and risk management 21 Improving access to information 21 Simplifying regulation 22 Focus area 4: Strengthen management and training 24 Improving the quality of volunteer management 24 Meeting the costs of volunteering 25 Focus area 5: Strengthen relationships and advocacy 26 Improving advocacy through stronger relationships 27 Focus area 6: Recognise and value volunteering 28 Recognising volunteering 28 Improving information about volunteering 29 Measuring volunteering in Australia 30 Endnotes 31 ; Mode of access : Internet via World Wide Web. Available at : http://www.dpmc.gov.au/publications/national_volunteering/docs/consultation_report-national_volunteering_strategy.pdf

This chapter analyses the Chinese climate governance landscape that has emerged over the past decade, and focuses on the role of local governments. The central argument is that climate governance in China is predominantly top-down and highly bureaucratic in nature. Local initiatives to address climate change have tended to be responses to policy directions and performance targets imposed from the central government in Beijing. However, there is an interesting transnational dynamic to local climate governance in China as many local governments have embraced the financial opportunities afforded by the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Alongside environmental aid projects funded by multilateral agencies and private foundations, there is considerable climate mitigation activity at the local level because of the CDM. ; postprint ; International Workshop on Climate Change and Local Government Law, Vancouver, Canada, 22-23 October 2011. In Benjamin J. Richardson (Ed.), Local Climate Change Law: Environmental Regulation in Cities and Other Localities. Cheltenham, U.K. ; Northampton, Mass.: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2012, p. 300-324

In Oct 22, 1957, a London Times headline declared: 'Heavy Fog in Channel -- Continent Cut Off.' Britain's tabloid press displayed similar insularity in early December, 2011 after Prime Minister David Cameron vetoed an effort by the other members of the European Union to amend the Lisbon Treaty. While Cameron's room for political maneuvering was limited, the veto was unnecessary and potentially counter-productive to the UK's national interests. It was unnecessary because the proposed EU treaty amendments did not, unlike previous ones, involve any loss of sovereignty since the 'fiscal compact' would have only applied to the eurozone members. The veto was also a misnomer because it did not stop the members of the 'Eurozone Plus' caucus from moving ahead on their own. The impact of the veto on the EU as a whole, including its institutions and its members that share the UK's economic and political philosophy, will be significant, especially if events unfold in a way that leads to the UK's eventual withdrawal. Adapted from the source document.

Ouvrage publié à l'occasion de l'exposition Lyon au XVIIIe Un siècle surprenant !, Musées Gadagne de Lyon, 22 novembre 2012 au 5 mai 2013 ; International audience ; Au début de l'année 1930 est publié à Lyon un livre de 129 pages à modeste couverture brun-gris titré : Les Cahiers d'Étienne Benoit (1761-1771) Livre de Raison d'un Dessinateur de la Fabrique lyonnaise. L'ouvrage est introduit par Émile Leroudier, dessinateur en soieries, historiographe de la Fabrique lyonnaise investi dans la vie politique et culturelle de la ville. Présenté comme un livre de raison mais composé par Emile Leroudier lui-même, l'ouvrage est constitué de fragments de textes hétérogènes, extraits d'archives et de publications du 18e siècle, matériaux de ses travaux historiques et sources que lui procurent son importante bibliothèque. Il s'agit dès lors de revenir à ces sources et de montrer comment cet ouvrage se rapporte au contexte de l'industrie textile du début du 20e siècle et aux engagements de son auteur dans les institutions lyonnaises.

Die malische Regierung hat ihren Fahrplan für die Transitionsphase vorgelegt. Priorität haben danach die Wiederherstellung der territorialen Einheit und das Abhalten von freien Wahlen. Ein Zeitplan ist allerdings nicht enthalten (RFI 26. Januar 2013).


Mali galt 20 Jahre lang trotz schwieriger Ausgangsbedingungen als Vorzeigedemokratie des afrikanischen Kontinents. Doch am 22. März 2012 stürzte ein Militärputsch das Land in eine tiefe Demokratie- und Sicherheitskrise. Den Hintergrund für diese Entwicklung bilden das Nachlassen der Friedensdividende der malischen Demokratie, schwache demokratische Institutionen und ein Vertrauenslust in die Problemlösungskompetenz der Regierung des ehemaligen Präsidenten Amadou Toumani Touré.

Der Anfang der 1990er Jahre mit den Tuareg-Rebellen im Norden geschlossene Frieden hatte sich als brüchig erwiesen. Die militärisch erstarkten Rebellen und kriminelle sowie islamistische Gruppen aus dem Ausland breiteten sich in der malischen Sahelregion aus.

Dem waren erfolglose Integrationsversuche der Bevölkerung des Nordens in den malischen Staat vorausgegangen. Zudem hatten sich die staatlichen Institutionen Malis als schwach erwiesen.

Die auf Konsens ausgerichtete und personenfokussierte Politik Amadou Toumani Tourés höhlte demokratische Repräsentationsorgane wie politische Parteien und das Parlament aus. Daher konnten diese Institutionen nur sehr eingeschränkt zur Konsolidierung des malischen Demokratisierungsprozesses beitragen.

Trotz internen und externen Drucks waren die seit den 1990er Jahren offensichtlichen Defizite der Wahlinstitutionen nicht wirklich behoben worden. Dadurch entstanden Zweifel an der Möglichkeit, durch Wahlen einen demokratisch legitimierten Machtwechsel zu erreichen.

Die mangelnde Problemlösungskompetenz der Regierung Amadou Toumani Tourés im Umgang mit der prekären Sicherheitslage in den Nordregionen legitimierte den Aufstieg des Militärs zum zentralen politischen Akteur im Land.

Economic theory suggests that it is optimal for governments to use precautionary saving as a countercyclical tool. However, the availability of surplus funds often triggers political pressure for tax cuts and spending increases. Mechanisms for alleviating that pressure include limiting the transparency of slack resources and limiting politicians' discretion to use slack resources for purposes other than stabilization. This article investigates the extent to which these two mechanisms are substitutes. In particular, the authors examine whether the widespread adoption of budget stabilization funds (BSFs) in the U.S. states over the past several decades has been accompanied by a decline in conservative revenue forecast bias. Using panel data from 47 states over a 22‐year period, they find that the adoption of a BSF reduces revenue underestimation by approximately two‐thirds; however, the size of the effect depends in part on how much a state saves in the BSF and the rules governing BSF deposits and withdrawals. The results suggest that BSFs have the unintended effect of increasing fiscal transparency.

Abstract. During the second half of 2002, from late June to mid December, the University of Northampton Radon Research Group operated two continuous hourly-sampling radon detectors 2.25 km apart in the English East Midlands. This period included the Dudley earthquake (ML = 5, 22 September 2002) and also a smaller earthquake in the English Channel (ML = 3, 26 August 2002). Rolling/sliding windowed cross-correlation of the paired radon time-series revealed periods of simultaneous similar radon anomalies which occurred at the time of these earthquakes but at no other times during the overall radon monitoring period. Standardising the radon data in terms of probability of magnitude, analogous to the Standardised Precipitation Indices (SPIs) used in drought modelling, which effectively equalises different non-linear responses, reveals that the dissimilar relative magnitudes of the anomalies are in fact closely equiprobabilistic. Such methods could help in identifying anomalous signals in radon – and other – time-series and in evaluating their statistical significance in terms of earthquake precursory behaviour.

The repeal of the Prohibition Act in 1933 introduced many state‐specific regulations in wine markets. For example, 15 states currently have laws that restrict wine sales in grocery stores. Several of these states have proposed changes that would expand the distribution of wine; however, the proposals have met significant resistance from key stakeholders and none have resulted in legislation. It is widely expected that additional proposals will be initiated, but with more attention given to mechanisms that would address some of the transitional issues. A simulation model is developed here to assess the likely economic effects of introducing wine into grocery stores in New York State. Results indicate that tax revenue would increase by $22 million annually, revenue for in‐state wineries would increase by approximately 13%, and revenue for liquor store owners is calculated to fall by 28%. Simulation results are subsequently used to develop a framework for evaluating the transitional costs of policy reform in this highly regulated industry. (JEL K23, Q18)