Reasons for Low Part-Time Employment in Eastern Europe – Any Role for Low Wages?

Many Eastern European countries are characterized by high wage inequalities and a relatively low proportion of labour force being employed on a part-time basis, yet there seem not be so far made any studies on the part time pay penalty. In this article we analyse whether there are any differences in the average wages of part-time and full-time employed in Estonia, a small Eastern European catching up economy. We use Estonian Labour Force Survey data from years 1997-2007; the part time wage gap is estimated by using Oaxaca-Blinder wage decompositions and propensity score matching. The results are quite different for males and females. For females the raw wage gap is in favour of part-timers. After taking into account various worker characteristics, the wage gap becomes even larger. For males the full-time raw premium exists, but it is to a large extent explained by the different labour market characteristics

Tervishoiusüsteemi pettuste ja korruptsiooniriskide uuringust selgusid süsteemi kitsaskohad

Eesti Arst 2011; 90(11):501-50

Ebavõrdsus Eesti tööturul Suure Majanduslanguse ajal

Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsioone.Diskussioon ebavõrdsuse, selle põhjuste ja tagajärgede teemal on sama vana kui inimühiskond. 2000. aastate lõpus aset leidnud majanduskriis, mida tuntakse ka Suure Majanduslangusena (Great Recession), oli viimasel sajandil aset leidnud kriisidest suurim. Kuivõrd täna on arenenud riikide vahelised suhted tunduvalt tihedamad kui paarkümmend aastat tagasi, siis kandus Ameerika Ühendriikidest alguse saanud finantskriis kiiresti Euroopasse, sealhulgas Eestisse. Need arengud mõjutasid otseselt ka tööturu olukorda. Eesti tööturgu tabas kriis sarnaselt ülejäänud kahele Balti riigile eriti teravalt. Hõive langus oli Balti riikides kriisiperioodi alguses ELi riikidest suurim, Eestit edestas vaid Läti. Käesoleva töö fookuses on tööturul ilmnevate ebavõrdsuste areng Eestis kriisi ajal (eeskätt aastatel 2008–2010). Töö eesmärgiks on välja selgitada, millised tööturugrupid olid kriisi ajal kõige enam haavatavamad ning millised muutused toimusid tööturul ilmnevates ebavõrdsustes majanduskriisi perioodil. Töös analüüsitakse, milliseid kohanemismehhanisme kasutati Eesti tööturul kriisiga toimetulemiseks, milline oli institutsioonide roll ning millised olid erinevused sektorite vahel ja soo, vanuse, rahvuse ja haridustaseme lõikes. Lisaks luuakse teoreetiline tööturul ilmnevate ebavõrdsuste raamistik, mis koondab süsteemselt kokku kolm tööturu ebavõrdsuse tahku: hõive, töötundide ja palga ebavõrdsuse. Rahvusvahelistes võrdlustes tuuakse riiki esile positiivse kohandumise näitena, kus hoolimata riigi väiksusest ning kriisi suurest mõjust suutis riik rakendada meetmeid ning seejärel pöörata sügava languse peagi tõusuks. Tulemused näitavad, et Eesti tööturg oli kriisi ajal paindlik. Eestis kasutati kriisiga toimetulemiseks tööturul kõiki kolme kohanemismeedet, eeskätt hõive ja palga, aga ka töötundide kohandamist. Töötuse kasv oli kriisi algusperioodil Eestis üks kõrgemaid ELis, jäädes alla vaid Lätile. Eestis kasutati palkade alandamist märksa enam kui teistes ELi riikides. Töötundide abil kohandamist kasutati kriisiperioodi alguses. Avalikus sektoris toimus kohanemine Eestis peamiselt läbi palga alandamise, töötajate arvu ja töötunde kohandati vähem. Erasektoris olid kohanemismehhanismid tegevusalade lõikes märkimisväärselt erinevad. Neis sektorites, mida kriis mõjutas tugevamalt, kasutati kõiki kolme kohandamise meedet. Palga ebavõrdsus mõõdetuna 1. ja 9. detsiili palkade suhtena ei muutunud kriisiperioodil oluliselt. Küll aga suurenes D9/D5 ja vähenes D5/D1 näitaja, viidates sellele, et majanduskriis mõjutas alguses negatiivselt eeskätt palgajaotuse keskmises osas olijaid. Tööturuinstitutsioonidel (miinimumpalk, ametiühingud) ei olnud Suure Majanduslanguse ajal olulist mõju ebavõrdsuste arengule tööturul, pigem tulenesid muutused ebavõrdsuses sektorilisest ja ametialasest segregeeritusest. Suure Majanduslanguse ajal Eesti tööturul ilmnenud ebavõrdsused võib jaotada kahte gruppi. Esimesse kuuluvad lühiajalised ebavõrdsuste muutused, mis majanduse taastudes kadusid, näiteks meeste-naiste töötuse lõhe kasv. Teine grupp hõlmab ebavõrdsusi, mis võivad pikemas perspektiivis püsima jäädes piirata majanduskasvu ning millega toimetulemiseks on vaja rakendada asjakohaseid poliitikameetmeid. Kriisi ajal ilmnenud ebavõrdsuste analüüs näitab, et noored, vähemusrahvused ja madalama haridustasemega inimesed olid tööturul kriisi mõjude osas kõige enam haavatavad ning taastumisperioodil on pikaajaliste töötute osakaal kasvanud eelkõige vanemaealiste töötute seas. Taastumisperioodil tuleb neile gruppidele pöörata tähelepanu, et tuua nad tagasi tööturule. Lisaks üldisematele arengutele käsitleti töös sügavuti kõrgelt haritud noorte olukorda Eesti tööturul kriisiperioodil. Vastupidiselt üldiselt levinud arvamusele saavad sotsiaalteaduste tudengid tööturul paremini hakkama kui reaalteaduste tudengid. Töötuse määr on mõlema grupi puhul ka kriisiperioodil väga madal, kuid magistri¬tasemel on sotsiaalteaduste lõpetanute palgatase kõrgem kui reaalteaduste lõpetanutel. See on osaliselt selgitatav töökogemuste erinevustega: õpingute ajal töötab märksa suurem osa sotsiaalteaduste tudengitest. Võttes vaatluse alla vaid päevase õppevormi lõpetanud, on reaalteaduste lõpetanute palgad kõrgemad kui sotsiaalteaduste lõpetanutel. Eestis on kõrgkoolilõpetanute seas aasta pärast lõpetamist sooline palgalõhe võrreldav üldise palgalõhega (25%). Seejuures esinevad märkimisväärsed erine¬vused õppevaldkondade lõikes: palgalõhe on praktiliselt olematu teenindus¬valdkonna lõpetanute hulgas ning 40% tervise ja heaolu valdkonna lõpetanutel. Palgalõhe on osaliselt selgitatav meeste ja naiste ametialase segregeeritusega, kuid oluline roll on ka ühiskonna tasandi suhtumisel (sh naiste madalamal palgaootusel), mille muutmine on pikemaajalisem protsess.Discourse on the concept of inequality dates back to ancient times. The recent crisis, which has also been named the Great Recession, was the most severe of the recessions Estonia has experienced. As a small open economy with a small domestic market, Estonia is vulnerable to external shocks. The global financial crisis and the slump in private capital flows affected the country heavily. The crisis had a severe effect on the Estonian labour market, the most severe in EU comparison after Latvia. In the thesis the focus is on inequalities on the Estonian labour market during the financial crisis (years 2008-2010). The aim of the thesis is to ascertain which labour market groups have been most vulnerable since the onset of the recession in Estonia and which changes occurred in inequalities on the labour market during the Great Recession. It is analysed which adjustment mechanisms were used in the Estonian labour market to cope with the crisis, which was the role of institutions and which were differences between industries and based on gender, age, nationality and educational level. In addition, a theoretical system of inequalities on the labour market is developed that draws together the employment and remuneration side of such inequalities. In the international comparison Estonia is highlighted as a best practice example where country implemented proper measures and enabled to overcome the crisis despite its small size and severe effects of the crisis. The results of the analysis indicate that Estonian labour market remained highly flexible during the Great Recession. All three adjustment mechanisms – reductions in employment, wages and working hours – were used. Compared to other EU countries Estonia clearly stands out, since employment, hours and wage adjustments occurred in the very early phase of the recession and the negative consequences for the labour market were particularly severe. In the beginning of the crisis the increase in employment was one of the highest in EU comparison in Estonia. In Estonia wage decreases were much more widespread than in other EU countries. Adjustment via working hours occurred mostly in the beginning of the recession. In Estonia’s public sector, austerity was mainly achieved via internal devaluation, mostly via pay cuts during the recession. Employment and hours decreases were used less. Wages were reduced in many Estonian public sector organisations as early as 2008–2009, which was exceptional in Europe. In the private sector the adjustment mechanisms were remarkably different across sectors. In those sectors which suffered the most during the recession, all three adjustment measures were used. Wage inequality measured as a P90/P10 ratio remained largely unchanged during the recession, indicating that those at the upper and lower ends of wage distribution experienced wage cuts to a similar extent. Middle-wage earners, however, were hit harder during the recession. Labour market institutions (minimum wage, trade unions) had a limited influence of inequalities on the labour market during the recession, the main reason for changes was sectoral and occupational segregation. Analysis has shown that inequalities emerging on the Estonian labour market during the global financial crisis can be divided into two groups. The first group includes those inequalities that were short-lived and diminished during the recovery period. The second group of inequalities includes those that demand appropriate policy attention now. The experience of the recession indicated that like other EU countries the most vulnerable groups on the labour market in Estonia were youth, non-Estonians and the lower-educated. During the recovery the share of long-term unemployed has increased the most among elderly. Proper policy measures need to be applied in order to bring these people back to the labour market. In addition to mapping general labour market developments during the crisis, one group was more specifically surveyed in the thesis: university graduates. It is often claimed that Estonia’s higher education system ‘overproduces’ social sciences graduates and that their labour market prospects are gloomy compared to those of real sciences graduates. However, the results of our analysis do not support this hypothesis. The unemployment remained low in both groups even during the crisis, but contrary to popular belief, a social sciences education is worth more on the labour market than one in real sciences in terms of wages, at least at the master’s/doctoral level and shortly after completing studies. The wage differences are partly explained by differences in work experience: compared to real sciences students, those in the social sciences are more engaged with the labour market while studying, and if we exclude extramural students the wage gap is in favour of graduates of real sciences. The gender wage gap between university graduates is about the same in magnitude as the overall gender wage gap in Estonia (25%). The gender pay gap varies considerably across fields of study undertaken – from close to zero in services to more than 40% in health and welfare. Occupational segregation is the most important factor explaining part of the wage gap, but the role of the traditions and norms inherent in society also play an important role. Therefore, changing attitudes is necessary

A guide with useful tips to help in the development of speaking skills

PDFLa presente investigación tiene como objetivo determinar la influencia de vincular los sonidos en la mejora de la habilidad para hablar. Esta investigación se aplicó a estudiantes del 7º año de educación básica de la Escuela Pública "Dr. Euclides Masson Benitez”, a través de encuestas, etc., para identificar los problemas de hablar y escuchar al aprender un idioma extranjero. Las bases teóricas se establecieron a través de una búsqueda exhaustiva de información de fuentes bibliográficas sobre las habilidades de escuchar y hablar que respaldan esta investigación, con el fin de mejorar su pronunciación y detectar las deficiencias que existen en el proceso actual de enseñanza y aplicar estrategias en el aprendizaje a través de nuestro guía con consejos útiles para ayudar en el desarrollo de habilidades para hablar y escuchar. Después de la interpretación de los resultados de esta investigación, se puede concluir que la implementación de consejos de conectar sonidos durante la pronunciación en la clase tiene una influencia positiva en el desarrollo de las habilidades de hablar y escuchar inglés de los estudiantes. Este es el propósito principal para el cual el autor propone una guía con consejos útiles para mejorar la capacidad de hablar y escuchar con el fin de obtener un acento natural en el idioma extranjeroThe present research aims to determine the influence of linking sounds on the improvement of speaking skills. This research was applied to students of the 7th year of basic education of the Public School “Dr. Euclides Masson Benitez”, through surveys, etc., in order to identify the speaking and listening problems in learning a Foreign language. The theoretical bases were established through an exhaustive search of information from bibliographic sources about listening and speaking skills which support this research, in order to improve their pronunciation and detect the deficiencies that exist in the current process of teaching and apply strategies in the learning through our guide with useful tips to help in the development of speaking and listening skills. After the interpretation of the results of this research, it can be concluded that the linking sounds tips implementation on pronunciation in the class has a positive influence on the development of students’ English speaking and listening skills. This is the main purpose for which the author proposes a guide with useful tips for speaking and listening improvement in order to get a natural accent in the foreign language

Fecal microbiota transplant as a new therapeutic in the management of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Introduction Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is a global public health problem, and is one of the main causes of disability, premature death and complications, resulting from poor glycemic control, poor monitoring and underlying chronic pathologies. The budget for care is increasingly scarce, which is why there is a need to find new cost-effective therapeutic options that offer multiple benefits and contribute to achieving therapeutic objectives.Objective: to determine the efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation as a new therapy in the management of type 2 diabetes.Results: In the literature review of both human and animal models using FMT, a reduction in blood glucose values, body mass index (BMI), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), systolic blood pressure, triglycerides and total cholesterol is reported, improving cost-effectiveness in treatment.Conclusion: FTM is an excellent cost-effective alternative or complementary to conventional treatment of type 2 DM; the benefits are significant in terms of therapy and budget reduction in health systems, however, in developing countries its implementation is not feasible.

From Interactive Open Learner Modelling to Intelligent Mentoring: STyLE-OLM and Beyond

STyLE-OLM (Dimitrova 2003 International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 13, 35–78) presented a framework for interactive open learner modelling which entails the development of the means by which learners can inspect, discuss and alter the learner model that has been jointly constructed by themselves and the system. This paper outlines the STyLE-OLM framework and reflects on the key challenges it addressed: (a) the design of an appropriate communication medium; this was addressed by proposing a structured language using diagrammatic presentations of conceptual graphs; (b) the management of the interaction with the learner; this was addressed by designing a framework for interactive open learner modelling dialogue utilising dialogue games; (c) the accommodation of different beliefs about the learner’s domain model; this was addressed with a mechanism for maintaining different views about the learner beliefs which adapted belief modal logic operators; and (d) the assessment of any resulting improvements in learner model accuracy and learner reflection; this was addressed in a user study with an instantiation of STyLE-OLM for diagnosing a learner’s knowledge of finance concept, as part of a larger project that developed an intelligent system to assist with learning domain terminology in a foreign language. Reviewing follow on work, we refer to projects by the authors’ students and colleagues leading to further extension and adoption of STyLE-OLM, as well as relevant approaches in open learner modelling which have cited the STyLE-OLM framework. The paper points at outstanding research challenges and outlines future a research direction to extend interactive open learner modelling towards mentor-like intelligent learning systems

La Contablidad desde un enfoque ambiental

The research refers to a new approach of accounting from the environmental point of view, which should be considered for economic, financial and administrative processes of enterprises, organizations and institutions. Was a literature review with the aim of analyzing environmental accounting as a very important criterion, with environmental responsibility, so each process accounting is performed considering the positive and negative impacts to the environment.La investigación hace referencia a un nuevo enfoque de la contabilidad desde el punto de vista ambiental, el cual debe ser considerado para los procesos económicos, financieros, administrativos de las empresas, organizaciones e instituciones. Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica con el objetivo de analizar a la contabilidad ambiental como un criterio muy importante, con responsabilidad ambiental, a fin de que cada proceso contable se realice considerando los impactos positivos y negativos al medio ambiente

Akadeemilise töötaja arusaam õppe- ja teadustöö seostest ning teadustöö toetamise võimalustest Sisekaitseakadeemia õppejõu kogemuse näitel

https://www.ester.ee/record=b5510362*es