GINI DP 9: Comparable Indicators of Inequality Across Countries

This paper addresses the key issue for the GINI project of how best to approach the measurement of income inequality and wage inequality to enhance comparability across different studies. It focuses fi rst on income inequality, dealing with the defi nition of income, the income recipient unit, and the unit of analysis. The summary measures used to capture inequality are also discussed, with an emphasis on capturing trends at different points in the distribution, and sources for comparative data on inequality levels and trends are discussed. The paper then turns to inequality in earnings among employees and discusses the same set of issues in that context. The above bears directly on any analysis of inequality itself but it is also important for an analysis of the direct impacts of inequality at micro-level. For a (multilevel) analysis based on aggregate inequality as an input the paper provides an understanding of the need for comparable concepts and defi nitions across countries and links to data sources as well as aggregate levels. It also links to practical experiences of researchers with different datasets. For this and the datasets see the Data Portal at "gini-research.org":http://www.gini-research.org

How (Not) to Palatini

We revisit the problem of defining non-minimal gravity in the first order formalism. Specializing to scalar-tensor theories, which may be disguised as `higher-derivative' models with the gravitational Lagrangians that depend only on the Ricci scalar, we show how to recast these theories as Palatini-like gravities. The correct formulation utilizes the Lagrange multiplier method, which preserves the canonical structure of the theory, and yields the conventional metric scalar-tensor gravity. We explain the discrepancies between the na\"ive Palatini and the Lagrange multiplier approach, showing that the na\"ive Palatini approach really swaps the theory for another. The differences disappear only in the limit of ordinary General Relativity, where an accidental redundancy ensures that the na\"ive Palatini works there. We outline the correct decoupling limits and the strong coupling regimes. As a corollary we find that the so-called `Modified Source Gravity' models suffer from strong coupling problems at very low scales, and hence cannot be a realistic approximation of our universe. We also comment on a method to decouple the extra scalar using the chameleon mechanism.Comment: 18 pages, LaTeX; added references and minor improvements in sec

Combating In-Work Poverty in Continental Europe: An Investigation Using the Belgian Case

Recent studies find in-work poverty to be a pan-European phenomenon. Yet in-work poverty has come to the fore as a policy issue only recently in most continental European countries. Policies implemented in the United States and the United Kingdom, most notably in-work benefit schemes, are much discussed. This article argues that if it comes to preventing and alleviating poverty among workers, both the policy options and constraints facing Continental European policymakers are fundamentally different from those facing Anglo-Saxon policymakers. Consequently, policies that work in one setting cannot be simply emulated elsewhere. We present micro-simulation derived results for Belgium to illustrate some of these points. Policy options discussed and simulated include: higher minimum wages, reductions in employee social security contributions, tax relief for low-paid workers, and the implementation of a stylised version of the British Working Tax Credit. The latter measure has the strongest impact on in-work poverty but in settings where wages are compressed, as in Belgium, a severe trade-off between coverage and budgetary cost presents itself. The article concludes that looking beyond targeted measures to universal benefits and support for employment of carers may be important components of an overall policy package to tackle in-work poverty.negative income taxes, in-work poverty, low pay, in-work benefits

Immersive Visualization for Enhanced Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis

Modern biomedical computer simulations produce spatiotemporal results that are often viewed at a single point in time on standard 2D displays. An immersive visualization environment (IVE) with 3D stereoscopic capability can mitigate some shortcomings of 2D displays via improved depth cues and active movement to further appreciate the spatial localization of imaging data with temporal computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results. We present a semi-automatic workflow for the import, processing, rendering, and stereoscopic visualization of high resolution, patient-specific imaging data, and CFD results in an IVE. Versatility of the workflow is highlighted with current clinical sequelae known to be influenced by adverse hemodynamics to illustrate potential clinical utility

Measuring the competitiveness of the UK construction industry. Volume 1

EBS’s estimates of relative productivity in construction are as follows: 1. The US is about 25-35% ahead of the UK and Germany in terms of average labour productivity (ALP). 2. The UK is ahead of Germany in ALP on an output per worker basis, but not on an output per hour worked basis (this is due to Germans working fewer hours per week on average). These results are largely unchanged under various sensitivity tests, for example, using GDP PPP exchange rates instead of construction PPP exchange rates to convert national currencies to a common currency. The EBS estimate for the US-UK comparison is supported by UCL/DL (who estimate a US lead in ALP of 42% in 1999). UCL/DL’s estimates for the Germany-UK comparison are also similar to those of EBS, since they show Germany level with the UK in ALP on an output per worker basis, but ahead on an output per hour worked basis. Productivity comparisons of the UK with France are subject to difficulties. Depending on the exchange rates they use for conversion purposes, EBS find that France is well ahead of Britain on some measures of ALP (and indeed is close to the US) but on other measures French ALP is much the same as in Britain. UCL/DL argue strongly for using an exchange rate, which shows French construction ALP to be well ahead of the UK. They state that: ‘The French construction PPPs have been controversial for some time….[and tend to lead to] underestimates of French construction output’. There are difficulties in conducting this type of analysis that are hard to surmount, for example it is unlikely that labour inputs are well measured in any country because of illegal immigration, ‘ the hidden economy’, etc. However, unless there is reason to think that the proportion of uncounted construction workers is significantly higher or lower in Britain as compared to, say, the United States, then it seems reasonable to accept that ALP in the US construction industry is some way ahead of the UK. In many ways cross-country comparisons of productivity levels across the whole construction industry are not comparing like with like since the composition of construction output differs greatly from country to country. It is therefore hard to construct reliable national rankings based on aggregated data for construction given the present state of the data

TEACHER-CENTERED OR STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING APPROACH TO PROMOTE LEARNING?

This study investigates English department students learning needs including their attitudes towards student-centered and traditional teaching approaches, culture learning in English as Foreign Language (EFL) program, attitudes towards authority in class, the main problems encountered in the course in learning English and their practice of language learning strategies. In this empirical study, following Xiao’s (2006) questionnaire, the data are collected from undergraduates and postgraduates students. In analyzing the groups, one-way ANOVA Test is used to identify whether the mean score on a variable differed significantly from one group to another by taking into account variation within groups as well as between groups. The findings of this research provide EFL teachers with insightful information on students’ learning needs as an input to syllabus and material planning, to lesson planning and classroom instruction practice. The study demonstrates the importance of a good understanding of students’ variables in TEFL programs at university level in Indonesia.