Economic modelling of improved funding and reform arrangements for universities

Implementation of the recommendations of the Review of Australian Higher Education will drive Australian recovery and growth, and provide increases in future skills, productivity, exports and GDP, according to this report. Commissioned by Universities Australia, the KPMG Econtech report indicates that real GDP would increase by an average of $1.6 billion annually over the next decade, then accelerate to an average$38 billion more annually in the 2020’s and $96 billion more in the 2030s as the full benefits flow through.It estimates the return on investment in higher education, putting all costs and benefits together, as representing a real economic rate of return of 14-15$138 billion in real GDP annually by 2040 would require the reform package and outlay of the $6.5 billion over four years, recommended by the Bradley Review in the first instance, then government spending would need to move progressively to the OECD average of 1% of GDP after that. The study shows Australia has fallen well behind OECD public funding norms

The relationship between occupational stress, health status, and temporary and permanent work disability among security guards in Serbia

Purpose. This study aimed to examine the influence of occupational stress on health status and work disability among security guards in Serbia. Methods. Three hundred and ninty nine male security guards (aged 25-65 years) were examined during regular medical preventive check-ups at the Institute of Occupational Health. Data on their health status and permanent and temporary work disability were obtained, and correlations with the levels of occupational stress (measured by occupational stress index [OSI] questionnaire) were analysed. Results. A high prevalence of health impairments, including diabetes (38.8%), dyslipidaemia (82.7%), hypertension (69.9%) and metabolic syndrome (77.7%), was found. Highly significant correlations were shown between reported levels of total stress at work (total OSI score) and measured values of glucose, lipids, blood pressure, heart rate, Framingham cardiovascular risk scale, occurrence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular insults, degenerative eye-fundus changes, and temporary and permanent work disability. All of these correlations remained significant even after adjustments for age, body mass index and smoking status. Regression analysis confirmed the independent effect of occupational stress on the analysed parameters. Conclusions. There is a significant independent impact of occupational stress on development of health impairments and work disability among security guards

What Happened to Australia's Productivity Surge?

"Australia's productivity has grown 1 percentage point per year slower in the current decade than in the 1990s. This article shows that almost one-half of the slowdown is related to unusual developments in the mining industry, the effects of drought and the overstatement of productivity growth in the 1990s. Part of the remainder might be as a result of a combination of slower technological change, unmeasured declines in labour quality, the diminishing effects of past reforms and the increasing profitability of Australian firms." Copyright (c)2009 The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research.