Suchergebnisse

Differences in national welfare systems are reflected in rates of labour market participation for different segments of labour across the EU member states. The Nordic countries have of course long stressed 'full employment as a key labour market objective. The public sector is thus actively used to replace non-paid care with formal jobs. Germany and Austria on the other hand, both of which have less developed childcare systems, in practice treat males as the primary household wage earners. Moreover, several Southern member states consider the 'extended family' to have responsibility for those family members in need, which obviously limits the chances of certain segments of the population from entering or indeed re-entering the regular labour market. However, notwithstanding such differences in emphasis, the notion of 'full employment' eventually found its way onto the agenda of the European Union. The member states were moreover unanimous in their belief that this goal would require significant levels of investment in the areas of employment and social policy. The notion of the activation of all segments of labour is accentuated: e.g. the goal requires at least 50 per cent of people aged over 55 years in the EU to be employed in 2010. A new sub-goal was also set for the employment rate of women, at 10 percentage points below the male/female average. Common standards are also to be established which will enable EU wide comparisons of access to childcare and to care of the elderly. The differences in employment frequencies between EU member states remain large, but on the whole they now seem to be converging. On the other hand, regional differences within member states are reported to be on the increase. As such, the transitional characteristics of the labour market are becoming more transparent: Each transition or career - such as from education to work, from care to work, or from unemployment to work, etc - can be temporary and repetitious. Transitions can now of course occur at almost any time of one's 'working life'. There are theories explaining the nature and scope of such 'transitional' behaviour exhibited by the current labour force, stressing, among other things, the individual choice of life-style, life chances or career options in different places. The other side of the coin of course is that rapid economic restructuring increases the risk for non-voluntary changes in employment status. The regions within member states thus perform as more or less efficient 'entrepôts' for transitional labour markets, depending primarily on diversity and the vitality of its industrial structure and on the demographic structure of the labour force. In general, labour markets in Metropolitan regions are expected to permit higher rates of transition, reflecting more individual freedom of choice, than do small and less diverse LLMs. However, performance is inevitably moderated by the welfare system prevalent in each country. In all probability then it is the countries that have an 'individual' rather than a 'household' focus on labour market participation that will be better prepared for high rates of transition. The purpose of this paper is thus to outline a typology of local labour markets across Europe, reflecting the current range of variation in economic and geographic structures as well as in social policy, and to- discuss feasible mixes of policy measures to help achieve the common European goal of full employment, and to help facilitate transition in all types of regions.

AbstractCan part time farming help provide security to rural communities? Or is it mainly an obstacle to the development of a rational farm structure? These types of questions arc often raised now that it is obvious that part time farming is not a transitory phenomenon in Sweden. Every second farm requires less than one man year of labour; 57 per cent of farm families' incomes originate from off farm jobs. Part time farms arc heterogeneous. In this article a classification system is suggested that takes into account both the size of farm in terms of labour requirement and the family's off farm employment. Surveys in different Swedish regions show that the importance of part time farming in the production system is far less than the number of farms implies. Model simulations show that the number of farmers occupying full time off farm jobs is likely to increase in the future. Even in peripheral regions part time farming represents an opportunity for a new generation to take over small farms. Though part time farming is shown to contribute little to local employment, it plays a role in rural‐urban economic integration. Least conflict between regional and food policy goals seems to arise in peripheral rural areas, where part timers generally make ‐ or could make ‐ intensive use of land resources to the benefit of local employment, while additions to food surpluses could be neglected.ResumeL'agriculture à temps partiel peut‐elle aider à assurer l'avenir des communautés rurales? Ou bien est‐elle un obstacle au développement d'une agriculture organisée rationnellemcnt? Ces questions se poscnt souvent, maintenant qu'il apparaît clairement que l'agriculture à temps partiel n'cst pas, en Suède, un phénomène transitoire. Les exploitations de ce type exigent moms d'un homme/année de travail, et 57% des revenus de ccs families viennent d'un travail extra‐agricole Mais ccs exploitations son très hétérogènes: l'anicle propose un système de classement en fonction de la dimension de l'exploitation, celle‐ci étant définie par la quantité de travail tequis, et en fonction du travail extra‐agricole.Les enquêtes dans diverses régions suédoises confirment que l'importance de l'agriculturc à temps partiel est bien moindrc en termes de production qu'en termes de nombre d'ex‐ploitations. Des modeles de simulation indiquent que le nombre d'agriculteurs occupant un poste de travail extra agricole à temps plcin va probablement s'accroître. Dans les régions périphériques aussi, l'agriculture à temps partiel offre une chance aux jcunes de reprendre de petites exploitations. Même si elle contribue peu à l'emploi local, elle joue un rôle dans l'intégration économique des villcs et des campagnes: il y a moins de conflit entre la politique alimentaire et la politique régionale dans les régions périphériques qui sont celles oü les agricultcurs à temps partiel ont ou pourraient avoir des pratiques d'usage intensif du sol au profit de l'emploi local, tandis que les apports de produits alimentaires sont négligeables.KurzfassungKann Nebenerwerbslandwirtschaft dazu beitragen, ländlichen Gemeinden Sicherheit zu gewähren? Oder ist sie in erster Lime ein Hindernis für die Entwicklung einer rationellen Agrarstruktur? Dicsc Art von Fragcn wird jetzt oft gestellt, wo offensichtlich ist, daβ Nebenerwerbslandwirtschaft kein Übergangsphänomen in Schweden ist. Jeder zweite Betrieb erfordert weniger als cine Vollarbeitskraft; 57% des Einkommens der landwirtschaftlichen Familien stammt aus auβerbetrieblichen Tätigkciten. Ncbcnerwerbsbe‐triebe sind heterogen. In diesem Artikel wird ein Klassifikationsschema vorgeschlagen, das sowohl die Gröβc des Bctriebes, ausgedrückt durch den Arbeitsbedarf, wie auch die auβerbctriebliche Erwerbstätigkeit der Familie berücksichtigt. Erhebungen in verschiedenen schwedischen Regionen zeigen, daβ die Bcdcutung der Nebenerwerbslandwirtschaft für die Agrarproduktion wesentlich geringer ist als die Zahl der Betriebe vermuten läβt. Modellsimulationen zeigen, daβ die Zahl der Betriebsleiter, die einen auβerlandwirtschaftlichen Hauptberuf innehaben, in Zukunft vermutlich ansteigen wird. Sogar in peripheren Regionen bietet Nebenerwerbslandwirtschaft für die nachwachsende Generation eine Möglichkeit zur Übernahmc klcinerer Betriebe. Obwohl gezeigt wird, daβ Nebenerwerbslandwirtschaft wenig zur Beschäftigung in den Dörfern beiträgt, spielt sie doch eine Rolle für die ökonomischen Intcgrationen von Stadt und Land. Am wenigsten scheinen Konflikte zwischen regional‐ und ernährungspolitischen Ziele in peripheren ländlichen Gebieten zu entstehen, wo Nebenerwerbslandwirte generell das verfügbare Land zur Verbesserung der Beschäftigungssituation intensiv nutzen ‐ oder nutzen könnten, weil die Beiträge zur Vergröβerung der Nahrungsmittelüberschüsse vernachlässigt werden können.

This book analyses the spatial consequences of current transformation of the industrial structure and of public intervention in Sweden. The analysis is based on a number of empirical studies, not only in Sweden but for comparative reasons also in the state of North Carolina in the US, i.e. representing an environment with a more farreaching influence of market forces. The results indicate the development of a more fragmented and less predictable pattern of problems and options in Swedish regions. Especially the intermediate socio-economic regions - between the metropolitan agglomerations and the traditional peripheral rural areas - are highlighted and hypothesized to include certain comparative advantages in the new context

The first years of the 90s have witnessed thorough political and economic changes in northern Europe. The long period of strong political separation between east and west and the less strong economic separation between the northern and southern sides of the Baltic Sea seemed to be replaced by far-reaching integration. There is no doubt that further integration will have additional impacts on the regional patterns in northern Europe. The amplitude and composition of these changes are difficult to project. In this volume a number of scholars in regional science and related disciplines (geography, economics, environmental and political sciences, planning) have brought together important material on the current processes that reshapes northern Europe. Visions andstrategies on local, national and supranational levels are penetrated in depth. A "mosaic" vision of the regional development pattern emerges highlighting the importance of cooperative and competitive strategies affecting the local conditions of European regions

At the national level the employment system consists of the set of institutions, and policies affecting institutions, which together moderate the level of production, employment and unemployment in the country (Schmid, G. & Gazier, B. eds. 2002. The Dynamics of Full Employment. Edward Elgar). These institutions include employment legislation, taxation policy and the education and training systems. However, the dynamics and the complexity of the national labour markets could only be understood by analysing the systemic character of employment at the regional and local levels. The regional and local social systems function as filters or restrictions, resulting in differing performance of local labour markets. The interaction between the labour market and the local educational and private household systems – including its various preferences and life-style options - is reflected in, and allowing for, differing rates of transition between alternative statuses at the labour market. This seems particularly valid in a country like Sweden, where there is a wide variation of functional labour markets in terms of size, differentiation, settlement and demographic structure. Also, the recent cut backs and weakened intervention of the welfare state in general combined with an increasingly dominating role of the public sector as an employer in regions with an ageing population suggest an emerging divergence in the performance of local labour markets. In this paper, we suggest that the performance of local employment systems should be evaluated in terms of the rate of activation of local pools of labour force and of immigration. Well functioning employment systems should facilitate voluntary and temporary entries to and exits from employment to other statuses, e g to and from education and training. Rapid activation should be facilitated of the local pools of unemployed and other non-employed including persons on long-term sick leave. Preliminary results from empirical analysis based on longitudinal data reveal that there is a wide variation in performance of Swedish local labour markets in these terms and that there are no signs of convergence over the period 1990-99. The results suggest that national policies to affect institutions within the employment system has to be synchronized with and supported by regionally differentiated measures to improve the local social systems, in particular within the local education system, to improve working conditions in certain sectors and also to promote local mobility between economic and non-economic sectors.

The relationships between expectations and the major mood dimensions of hedonic tone, activity level and tension were investigated. It was hypothesized that expectations of positive events should create a pleasant and active mood while negative expectations should give an unpleasant
and tense mood Furthermore, it was also assumed that values and beliefs should determine mood mainly through their products. The hypotheses were partly confirmed in a group of subjects who rated their mood and expectations one week, and one night, before going on a vacation journey to a distant
country. It was found that negative aspects of the events anticipated tended to have stronger impact on mood than positive ones. Since the momentary ratings of mood also correlated with general mood levels, general optimism and extraneous factors, it was suggested that mood is influenced by
several factors on different levels of processing.

Starting from a three-dimensional conception of mood (pleasantness, activation, and calmness) it was assumed that activation and/or calmness should reflect strength and centrality of desires present, while pleasantness should reflect expected goal achievement. These assumptions
were tested in a study where a mood questionnaire and rating scales concerning task aspects were administered to students before and after an undergraduate exam. It was found that expected goal achievement correlated with calmness. The subjects who did not accord to this postulated pattern
gave indications in their data and in their verbal comments that the task studied was of less importance for them, a finding also in accordance with the present approach to mood.

The purpose of this research was to psychometrically evaluate the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), modified for use with new, first-time parents by extending the items of communication, sensuality, and sexuality. A total of 820 Swedish respondents, 6 months after the birth of their first child, participated in the study. Psychometric evaluation was conducted with factor analysis. The obtained factor structure was tested with multitrait analysis program. Thirty-three itemswere found to fit into a five-factor solution, explaining 50% of the total variance. Descriptive data revealed thatmost new parentswere satisfied with their intimate relationship in general, but dissatisfied with their sexual lives. Themodified DAS, now called the Quality of Dyadic Relationship Instrument includes 33 items and seems to be a useful, updated measurement for assessing quality of the intimate relationship in new first-time parents.

In this paper will seek to provoke a discussion on the emergence and the potential characteristics of a future common labour market in the Baltic Sea Region. Based on a study of labour force migration from Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to Sweden and Finland during the past decade, the focus is placed on analysing the integration processes following immigration. The study relies on individual gross-stream data that allows for detailed analysis and for the comparison of labour market careers. As such, the contribution of recent westbound immigrants with differing background characteristics (individual socio-economic assets e.g. level of education, cultural background e.g. country of origin) to economic integration/segregation can be pointed out. In addition, the importance of labour migration in the Baltic Sea Region for different sectors of the old and the emerging new economy will also be discussed. Supplemented by official statistics, the Swedish pattern is then compared to similar migration characteristics in the context of Finland. ; Introduction Nordic Experiences of the Common Labour Market 1954–2000 Immigration Policy in Sweden and Finland – Organisations and Regulations Sweden Finland Migration from Eastern BSR Countries to the Nordic Countries in the 1990s Immigration from Eastern BSR Countries to Sweden The Background Characteristics of Eastern BSR Immigrants 1991–96 Labour Market Integration by East-to-West Migration Patterns of Labour Market Careers by Eastern BSR Immigrants, 1991–96 Migration Flows between Finland and the Baltic Sea Region Labour Market Integration of BSR immigrants The Impact of the Enlargement of the European Union Active Immigration Policy The Potential for East-to-West Migration in the BSR after EU Enlargement post-2004 References.

Although unemployment is a persistent problem in several countries, the issue of labour shortages is now emerging as an increasingly stubborn obstacle to growth across Europe. The concurrence of relatively high levels of unemployment and labour shortages essentially reflects the highly differentiated nature of the labour market and the lack of coherence between the growth of demand for labour and the skills on offer among those looking for work. Recruitment difficulties tend to be reported in particular sectors even in periods of recession. In periods of recovery and as unemployment falls – or, more accurately, as the excess supply of labour diminishes – it is to be expected that skill bottlenecks will become more serious, the more so, naturally, in regions where unemployment is relatively low, but also in other areas where the skills of the unemployed do not match the demands of employers. If economic growth at present rates is sustained over the longer term, the problem of this "skills imbalance" is expected to be compounded by the projected slowdown in labour force growth over the next 10-15 years. In some regions we have already seen a decline. EU countries differ considerably in terms of their internal labour market structures and economic performance. Well functioning labour markets are those which secure high labour force participation for all groups on the labour market, where transition from unemployment, sickness or education to work is relatively easy, and opportunities to lifelong learning are present. Labour market performance has been closely related to labour market and welfare policies. In this paper have chosen to analyse national policies on welfare and labour markets. ; Introduction Emerging Challenges to Labour Market Efficiency Purpose of the Paper Northern Landscapes of Demographic Change A Typology with Regard to Natural Population Change and Migration Country Differences Explanatory Components Modes of Renewal of Local Economies and Labour Markets A Career Approach Nordic Employment Policy Performance of Nordic Labour Markets Local Labour Market Performance Policy Implication Conclusion References.