Income mobility and deprivation dynamics among the elderly in Belgium and the Netherlands

This paper analyzes the dynamics of income and deprivation among the elderly in Belgium and the Netherlands between 1985 and 1988. It appears that, in 1985, the average level of deprivation in Belgium and the Netherlands was about the same. However, Belgium saw an increase between 1985 and 1988, while deprivation remained at a stable level in the Netherlands. In both countries, the difference in deprivation between the non-elderly and the elderly increased. However, while the elderly in the Netherlands were worse off than the non-elderly in 1988, the opposite situation was found in Belgium. At the level of individuals, the analysis of deprivation dynamics indicated that the majority of the elderly as well as the non-elderly population experienced substantial changes in deprivation status. Overall, living conditions turned out to be more stable in the Netherlands than in Belgium and, among the Dutch, more stable among the elderly than among the non-elderly. The income position of the elderly appeared to be comparable between the two countries. Regarding income mobility, income loss and, consequently, inflow into poverty were more likely among those retiring early than among those not retiring early. However, from an analysis of the relationship between income mobility and deprivation dynamics, it appeared that the living conditions of the elderly were not directly affected by changes in income. One explanation for this result may be ability to draw on savings to avoid deprivation, at least for some time.incomes;incomes policy;early retirement

Does perceived support in employee development affect personnel turnover?

This article focuses on whether it is beneficial for firms to invest in the general skills of their workforce or whether these training investments merely encourage personnel turnover. Estimation results derived from a sample of 2833 dutch pharmacy assistants show that participation in general training does not induce employees' intention to quit, as predicted by human capital theory. We find that a firm's investments in general training significantly contribute to the perceived support in employee development (psed) among the workforce, as predicted by social exchange theory. Moreover, we show that psed is negatively related to employees' intention to quit the firm; however, this effect is to a large extent mediated by employee job satisfaction. Our findings support the importance of social exchange theory in explaining turnover behaviour as a consequence of personnel development practices

Financiële prikkels en geprefereerde pensioenleeftijd.

vervroegde uittreding, gefaseerde uittreding,;pensioenleeftijd, vignettenmethode;

Escaping low pay: do male labour market entrants stand a chance?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent and the human-capital determinants of low-wage mobility for labour market entrants in the UK and Germany. Design/methodology/approach – Using panel data for the UK (BHPS) and Germany (GSOEP), a competing-risks duration model is applied that allows the study of transitions from low pay to competing destination states: higher pay, self-employment, unemployment and inactivity. Unobserved heterogeneity is tackled by a non-parametric mass-point approach. Findings – It is found that low pay is only a temporary state for most young job starters. However, there is a small group of job starters that is caught in a trap of low pay, unemployment or inactivity. In the UK, job starters escape from low pay mainly by developing firm-specific skills. In Germany, involvement in formal vocational training and the attainment of apprenticeship qualifications account for low pay exits. Originality/value – Over the past decades, unemployment and low-wage employment have emerged as major challenges facing young labour market entrants. While most empirical studies focus exclusively on the transition from low pay to high pay, the paper shows that a significant percentage of young entrants are caught in a low-pay-non-employment trap. Moreover, it is shown that, depending on the institutional context, different types of human capital investments can account for a successful low-pay exit