Credit shocks and the European Labour market

Más de cinco años después del inicio de la crisis de la deuda soberana en Europa, su impacto sobre las variables del mercado laboral no está claro. El objetivo de este documento es contribuir a llenar este vacío. Utilizamos datos cualitativos a escala de empresa para 24 países europeos, recopilados en la Wage Dynamics Network (WDN) del SEBC. Primero, construimos un conjunto de índices que miden las dificultades para acceder al mercado crediticio en los 24 países para el período 2010-2013. En segundo lugar, describimos la relación entre las dificultades crediticias y los ajustes en las variables laborales tanto en el margen extensivo como intensivo del empleo, así como en los salarios. Encontramos una correlación fuerte y significativa entre las dificultades crediticias y los ajustes a lo largo del margen extensivo y del margen intensivo. En cuanto a los salarios, en presencia de dificultades del mercado de crédito, las empresas reducen el componente variable de los salariosMore than five years after the start of the Sovereign debt crisis in Europe, its impact on labour market outcomes is not clear. This paper aims to fill this gap. We use qualitative firm-level data for 24 European countries, collected within the Wage Dynamics Network (WDN) of the ESCB. We first derive a set of indices measuring difficulties in accessing the credit market for the period 2010-13. Second, we provide a description of the relationship between credit difficulties and changes in labour input both along the extensive and the intensive margins as well as on wages. We find strong and significant correlation between credit difficulties and adjustments along both the extensive and the intensive margin. In the presence of credit market diffi culties, firms cut wages by reducing the variable part of wages. This evidence suggests that credit shocks can affect not only the real economy, but also nominal variable

Aliens Coming by Ships: Distribution and Origins of the Ocellated Skink Populations in Peninsular Italy

The ocellated skink (Chalcides ocellatus) is a widespread lizard, naturally distributed between the Maghreb and coastal Pakistan, with few insular populations in the Mediterranean coastal area. Some populations of this species have also been recorded in peninsular Italy, Campania and Southern Tuscany due to accidental introductions via touristic and commercial routes. In this work, we conducted genetic analyses on mitochondrial DNA COXI, cytb and 16S mtDNA genes on a sample of Italian insular and peninsular populations. Differently from what previously suggested, the nucleus in Portici (Southern Italy) may have originated from Sardinia. The intense trade and touristic traffic between Sardinia and Southern Tuscany may have been responsible for the introduction of this lizard also to Central Italy

Books’ Impact in Digital Social Reading: Towards a Conceptual and Methodological Framework

The aim of this panel is to debate the challenges and opportunities offered by online reviews for measuring the impact that books can have on readers (Boot and Koolen, 2020). The focus is specifically on culture- and language- specificity, thus we will compare insights from the analysis of Korean, English, Italian, German, and Dutch reviews. Digital social reading platforms – like Goodreads, Lovelybooks, or Naver Books – host millions of reviews and, thus, offer unique possibilities for research into literature, reading, and reader response (Rebora et al., 2021; Walsh and Antoniak, 2021). Computational tools are especially relevant, given the large amount of available data, but finding associations between textual features, cultural conventions (e.g. genre), and cognitive, affective, and aesthetic responses is not a straightforward task (Koolen et al., 2020; Pianzola et al., 2020). By comparing research done with different platforms, datasets, and languages, we aim at improving the methods that we employ, in a dialogue involving both data-driven insight and theoretical reflection on literature and readers. Questions that we will address are: what aspects of a book’s impact on readers can reviews help us to measure? What are the limitations of online book reviews for studying impact? How do we know to what extent these review texts reflect the actual reading experiences? What are unwanted, confounding influences (e.g. reviewers projecting a favourable self-image, socially desired responses, aspects of identity formation, fake reviews). How do online book reviews differ from experimentally controlled gathering of reader responses (lab studies, questionnaires, psychologically validated scales) (Lendvai et al., 2020)? How do platforms for reviewing and social interactions around books influence reviewers and their perceptions? How do reviewers compare to other readers? To answer such questions, we will present four case studies dealing with different languages and cultures, followed by an open discussion of the results and methods, reflecting on their generalizability, efficacy and limitations

A cohesive model to predict the loading bond capacity of concrete structures repaired/reinforced with HPFRC/UHPFRC and stressed to mixed mode

The risk of cracking/debonding of a cement overlay used to repair or strengthen an existing structure is still a key issue. Current bond test methods are not designed to measure the combined effect of peeling (mode I) and shear (mode II) on the interface. A few existing models propose theoretical approaches to predict that, but they were fitted on specific cases and lack in generality. In addition, controversial opinions about the influence of both the moisture level of the substrate surface prior to the application of the overlay and properties of the latter on the loading bond capacity call for further investigations. In this work, a cohesive model is developed to predict the loading bond capacity of an existing concrete structure overlaid by a layer of HPFRC/UHPFRC. Different bond tests were specifically designed for calibrating the cohesive parameters employed into the model, which also takes into account the type of the overlay used and the moisture conditioning level. An experimental campaign confirmed the reliability of the predictions of the proposed theoretical model

The impact of credit shocks on the European labour market

The sovereign debt crisis led to financial difficulties for European firms and a decline in the use of labour input. We use qualitative firm-level data for 24 European countries, collected within the third wave of the Wage Dynamics Network (WDN3) of the ESCB, to propose a cross-country analysis of the relationship between a credit shock and labour markets. We first derive a set of indices measuring difficulties in accessing the credit market for the period 2010–2013. Second, we provide a description of the relationship between credit difficulties and changes in labour input, both along the extensive and the intensive margins as well as on wages. We find strong and significant correlation between credit difficulties and adjustments along both the extensive and the intensive margin. In the presence of credit market difficulties, firms also cut wages by reducing the variable part of wages. This evidence suggests that credit shocks can affect not only the real economy, but also nominal variables

Worldwide distribution and phylogeography of the agave weevil Scyphophorus acupunctatus (Coleoptera, Dryophthoridae): the rise of an overlooked invasion

Global plant trade represents one of the main pathways of introduction for invertebrates, including insects, throughout the world. Non-native insects include some of the most important pests affecting cultivated and ornamental plants worldwide. Defining the origins and updating the distribution of non-native invasive species is pivotal to develop effective strategies to limit their spread. The agave weevil, Scyphophorus acupunctatus (Coleoptera, Dryophthoridae), is a curculionid beetle native to Central and North America, although it also occurs in Eurasia, Africa, Oceania and South America as a non-native species. Despite being widespread, the extent of occurrence and origins of European populations of the agave weevil have been overlooked. In the present study, the current and potential worldwide distribution of S. acupunctatus was assessed and an analysis of its genetic diversity in the native and non-native ranges was performed. By analysing occurrences from local phytosanitary bulletins and citizen-science platforms, the agave weevil was confirmed to be widely distributed and to occur on all continents, except Antarctica. Additionally, there is potential for expansion throughout the world, as estimated by species distribution models. Nucleotide and haplotype diversity of the COXI mitochondrial gene (about 650 bp) was lower in the non-native (n = 39 samples) than native populations (n = 26 samples). The majority of introduced individuals belonged to the same haplotype, suggesting that most introductions in Europe might have occurred from a small geographical area in Central America. Constant transboundary monitoring and national laws must be considered to reduce the spread of the agave weevil, given that a bridgehead effect may occur from non-native populations to new suitable areas