Regulatory Convergence through the Backdoor: TTIP’s Regulatory Cooperation and the Future of Precaution in Europe

This paper analyzes the possible impact of TTIP's so-called regulatory cooperation on the implementation of the precautionary principle in the EU. The European Commission argues that regulatory cooperation will not impinge on the application of the precautionary principle because, first, it does not change the legislative framework of precautionary legislation and, second, the right to regulate will be safeguarded by the TTIPs horizontal chapters. On the contrary, I argue in this paper, that these guarantees are insufficient. Given the methodological and institutional constraints presented by the TTIP's institutional design, in the long run, regulatory cooperation will undermine the precautionary approach to regulation in the EU

Employee training to increase efficiency in the Saudi private sector

Saudis in the private sector tend to change employers, and this study sought information on whether training and education experience, and access to these, influenced their career choices. A study of a Saudi conglomerate was used as representative of larger firms who offered training to their employees; and the sample, 105 Saudi nationals, were self-selected for an online survey. Analysis of demographics, and the participants\u27 employment and training experience and intentions are presented. Analysis included medians and percentages of demographic characteristics and employee experiences and intentions, then descriptive analyses for relationships between the main questions and the demographic characteristics. The results were a sample median of 35.5 years of age, with 84.5 percent under the age of 41 years. The participants were well educated with 87.6 percent holding Bachelor\u27s degrees or higher; a further 80 percent had family responsibilities. The median work experience was four years; however, 33.3 percent had two years or less in the workforce, and 42.9 percent had changed their employer three or more times (median 2 employers). Over half (58.1%) attended pre-employment training comprising job skills training (31.4%) and workplace behavior training (12.4%). Upon recruitment, nearly two-thirds (62.1%) attended induction courses and 41 percent of these courses were a week or longer. On-the-job training was conducted by a supervisor (30.5%) or a team member (42.9%). A majority (76.2%) of the participants were in training, predominantly (45.7%) with their employer for promotion or higher pay (23.8%). The remainder were training in other parts of the conglomerate (16.2%) or externally (30.5%). Further, over half (58.1%) of the participants stated that their acquired knowledge and skills were portable and could be used with another employer; nearly a half (47.6%) also stated an intention to change employers. Significant relationships between the demographic variables and survey responses were that older and more experienced employees assisted recruits; whilst older employees, those with family responsibilities and those who had more employers also intended to move. Those with higher qualifications were seeking more pay. In conclusion, experience with, and access to training and education were not associated with intention to stay with their employer

Why brazil has not grown: a comparative analysis of brazilian and chinese economic management.

El objetivo de este artículo es responder una pregunta básica que no sólo se hacen los brasileros, sino también personas en otros países en desarrollo en los cuales se sobrevaluaron las agendas de reforma liberales, la pregunta es: ¿por qué China ha crecido tan rápidamente y Brasil no? En la primera sección se establecen las bases para comparar Brasil y China contextualizando estos países dentro del concepto del BRIC. La segunda sección tiene como objetivo una explicación parcial, midiendo los resultados de crecimiento de una generación hija del Consenso de Washington. Dado el agnosticismo sobre los paquetes totalmente liberales y el enigma de por qué los reformadores incompletos crecieron más, el artículo se sumerge en un análisis comparativo de las reformas brasileras y chinas enfocándose únicamente en el tema de política macroeconómica, especialmente los regímenes monetario y cambiarlo, y sus efectos en el crecimiento en la tercera sección. Es decir, la experiencia brasilera con los regímenes de inflación objetivo y tipo de cambio flexible, desde 1999 ha contribuido a un crecimiento lento de pare y siga además de una inflación relativamente alta, mientras que el enfoque favorecido por China, más controlado, ha producido lo contrario. Finalmente, el artículo concluye ofreciendo consejos de política económica a otros países en desarrollo, los del BRIC, el N-11, u otros

Interactive Visual Analysis of Process Data

Data gathered from processes, or process data, contains many different aspects that a visualization system should also convey. Aspects such as, temporal coherence, spatial connectivity, streaming data, and the need for in-situ visualizations, which all come with their independent challenges. Additionally, as sensors get more affordable, and the benefits of measurements get clearer we are faced with a deluge of data, of which sizes are rapidly growing. With all the aspects that should be supported and the vast increase in the amount of data, the traditional techniques of dashboards showing the recent data becomes insufficient for practical use. In this thesis we investigate how to extend the traditional process visualization techniques by bringing the streaming process data into an interactive visual analysis setting. The augmentation of process visualization with interactivity enables the users to go beyond the mere observation, pose questions about observed phenomena and delve into the data to mine for the answers. Furthermore, this thesis investigates how to utilize frequency based, as opposed to item based, techniques to show such large amounts of data. By utilizing Kernel Density Estimates (KDE) we show how the display of streaming data benefit by the non-parametric automatic aggregation to interpret incoming data put in context to historic data

Fiscal Decentralisation and Local Government Financing in Serbia and Montenegro

This book focuses on the fiscal decentralisation processes and the systems of local government financing in Serbia and Montenegro in the period 2000-2015. The retrospective analysis of the decentralisation processes in both countries show that they have been moving back and forth between decentralisation and centralisation, constantly swinging the pendulum of political discourse and the legal framework on intergovernmental fiscal governance. During the observed period, the systems of local government financing in both countries have often undergone drastic changes. Thus, this study focuses on the analysis of the impact of the legal framework related to intergovernmental fiscal relations, fiscal decentralisation and local government financing in Serbia and Montenegro on local government budgets. By applying both normative and economic analyses, as well as both quantitative and qualitative research methods, the study evaluates the legal quality and economic and factual effects of relevant legislation on local government budgets and status in the period 2000-2015. The study is divided into four parts: 1) Introduction; 2) Case Study: Serbia; 3) Case Study: Montenegro (both case studies include normative, economic and empirical analyses of the fiscal decentralisation process and the system of local government financing); 4) Comparative conclusions and recommendations

Dutkat: A Privacy-Preserving System for Automatic Catch Documentation and Illegal Activity Detection in the Fishing Industry

United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 14 aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans and their resources for the benefit of people and the planet. This includes protecting marine ecosystems, preventing pollution, and overfishing, and increasing scientific understanding of the oceans. Achieving this goal will help ensure the health and well-being of marine life and the millions of people who rely on the oceans for their livelihoods. In order to ensure sustainable fishing practices, it is important to have a system in place for automatic catch documentation. This thesis presents our research on the design and development of Dutkat, a privacy-preserving, edge-based system for catch documentation and detection of illegal activities in the fishing industry. Utilising machine learning techniques, Dutkat can analyse large amounts of data and identify patterns that may indicate illegal activities such as overfishing or illegal discard of catch. Additionally, the system can assist in catch documentation by automating the process of identifying and counting fish species, thus reducing potential human error and increasing efficiency. Specifically, our research has consisted of the development of various components of the Dutkat system, evaluation through experimentation, exploration of existing data, and organization of machine learning competitions. We have also implemented it from a compliance-by-design perspective to ensure that the system is in compliance with data protection laws and regulations such as GDPR. Our goal with Dutkat is to promote sustainable fishing practices, which aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal 14, while simultaneously protecting the privacy and rights of fishing crews

Early Cities or Large Villages? Settlement dynamics in the Trypillia group, Ukraine

This thesis investigates the development of the largest sites - megasites - in Europe during the Chalcolithic (4th millennium BC) and seeks to discuss their urban nature within the wider settlement context of the Trypillia group in modern Ukraine. The study brings together a number of different archaeological datasets and sources, including remote sensing, field survey and legacy data, into a single GIS-based interpretative framework. The assessment of the potential of these sources of information is carried out in order to establish a new field methodology, as well as a nuanced theoretical framework, for the study of the nature of megasites. Quantitative analyses are performed in order to describe trans-scalar patterns in the settlement data, and an interpretative narrative is proposed to explain these patterns and their relevance for the definition of the ‘urban’ nature of megasites. Concepts like ‘seasonality’ and ‘heterarchy’ are used to explain the development and the social organization of megasites, which are conceived as temporary gathering places where an ‘urban-like’ identity starts to develop. The results suggest that Trypillia megasites can be defined as ‘urban forms’ within their coeval settlement and social context, but in the long-term perspective of the last six millennia they are “only” large/overgrown villages. The contribution of this thesis is not only to the specific field of Trypillia archaeology, but it also provides new insights into the wider investigation of the origins of global urbanism