Inequality and Poverty Reduction and the Limits of Social Protection Systems: The Case of Argentina during the Stage of Economic Expansion 2003-2014

Production of INCASI Project H2020-MSCA-RISE-2015 GA 691004Latin America experienced a rapid decrease of poverty and inequality during the first years of the new millennium that eventually decelerated in recent years. In Argentina, a key aspect of poverty and inequality reduction seemed to be simultaneous changes in labour markets and in social protection systems, particularly in social assistance. However, these elements have rarely been considered together at household level in Argentina and in Latin America, even though labour markets and social policies are the core of the welfare regime. Thus, the main aim of the article is to examine how these spheres were articulated among different groups of households and to assess their welfare outcomes. The article draws upon a quantitative methodology using official data and micro-data of the Permanent Household Survey from Argentina for 2003-2014. The main hypothesis is that the expansion of the social protection system coexisted with a persistent labour informality, which maintained the heterogeneity of the welfare regime mitigating the power of social protection to reduce poverty and inequality. Moreover, our study shows the limits in developing countries for sustainable reduction of poverty and for social inclusion in absence of deep changes in labour markets, even in a relatively favourable macroeconomic context for more equitable wealth distributio

Conflict, displacement, and economic revival: the case of the internally displaced minority entrepreneurs in Pakistan

This article examines entreprise activities developed by internally displaced religious minorities (IDRM) and the role that social capital plays in supporting such activities. In particular, the paper examines how social capital is linked to micro enterprise development and the economic survival/revival of internally displaced religious minorities in Pakistan and why the link between entrepreneurship and social capital is critical for contexts with absent or poorly designed enterprise development policies. A three-staged, sequential research design was adopted, which comprised the analysis of secondary data on IDRM, face-to-face survey of entrepreneurs and interviews in two selected study sites. Our evidence shows how the role of social capital in supporting entrepreneurial activities is determined by socioeconomic inequalities as well as the characteristics of the formal enterprise support infrastructure, i.e. where formal institutions are weak, social capital is the main source of entrepreneurial support, with different types of social capital networks delivering different outcomes

Side-Channel Protected MPSoC through Secure Real-Time Networks-on-Chip

The integration of Multi-Processors System-on-Chip (MPSoCs) into the Internet -of -Things (IoT) context brings new opportunities, but also represent risks. Tight real-time constraints and security requirements should be considered simultaneously when designing MPSoCs. Network-on-Chip (NoCs) are specially critical when meeting these two conflicting characteristics. For instance the NoC design has a huge influence in the security of the system. A vital threat to system security are so-called side-channel attacks based on the NoC communication observations. To this end, we propose a NoC security mechanism suitable for hard real-time systems, in which schedulability is a vital design requirement. We present three contributions. First, we show the impact of the NoC routing in the security of the system. Second, we propose a packet route randomisation mechanism to increase NoC resilience against side-channel attacks. Third, using an evolutionary optimisation approach, we effectively apply route randomisation while controlling its impact on hard real-time performance guarantees. Extensive experimental evidence based on analytical and simulation models supports our findings

Mapping the regional social enterprise sector: past approaches, challenges and future direction

Draws on a number of other mapping studies carried out by CEEDR, Middlesex University in the past and involving David Smallbone, Mel Evans, Marcello Bertotti, Ignatius Ekanem, Anne Humbert, Ian Vickers, Rob Baldock and others. They are grateful for their contributions to our thinking on conceptualising social enterprises and are also grateful to input from Les Hem from Guidestar. This paper also benefits from comments from attendees of the Social Enterprise Research Conference and Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship conference. This paper draws on preparatory material used for mapping studies for DTI, Countryside Agency and SEEDA, although all views expressed are those of the authors alone

Territorial capital as a source of firm competitive advantage: evidence from the North and South of Italy

This paper investigates how territorial capital, defined as a mix of tangible and intangible local resources accumulated over time across different territories, becomes a source of competitive advantage for firms. The study draws upon semi-structured interviews with firms’ owner-managers operating in the North and South of Italy and shows how local resources generate firms’ costs and differentiation advantages through acting as territorial externalities or becoming an essential core asset to the firm. Results demonstrate how local resources are highly interconnected, making territorial capital unique in each place and not easily imitable, which ensures long term competitive advantages for those firms that benefit from its endowment. A mix of advanced local resources developed through long term investment is shown to be more valuable for firms than inherited resources, provided by ‘God’ or ‘ancestors’. Using the concept of territorial capital in this manner provides insights into understanding sources of firm competitiveness related to location and the persistence of territorial economic disparities