TIPping the Scales towards Greater Employment Chances? Evaluation of a Trial Introduction Program (TIP) for Newly-Arrived Immigrants based on Random Program Assignment

A Trial Introduction Program (TIP) for newly-arrived immigrants to Sweden was implemented from October 2006 to June 2008 in order to meet the main criticisms directed at existing introduction programs. Two primary innovations were introduced, flexible language instruction parallel with other labor market activities at the Public Employment Service (PES) and intensive counseling and coaching by PES caseworkers with considerably reduced caseloads. Within participating municipalities, newly-arrived immigrants were randomly assigned into TIP (treatment) or regular introduction programs (control). Results indicate significant treatment effects on the probability of attaining regular employment as well as the probability of entering intermediate PES training programs. Hazard rates into PES training programs were also significantly higher for participants in TIP in comparison to participants in regular introduction programs.Labor Market Policy Evaluation; Integration; Introduction Programs; Experiment

A Gender Perspective on Self-Employment Entry and Performance as Self-Employed

Research on self-employment has increased during recent years and particular attention has been paid to self-employment dynamics and the factors influencing entry and exit rates from self-employment. Using a large panel data set for Sweden, this paper investigates variations in recruitment to self-employment and in self-employment performance by gender and by employment status prior to entering self-employment. As performance measures we use income from self-employment, number of employees, exit rates and destination after self-employment. We find that the probability of becoming self-employed is highest among men who are economically inactive and lowest among women who are wage-earners. Analysing self-employment performance, we find that men have higher incomes than women. Self-employed women more often than self-employed men have employees. For both men and women those who enter from unemployment or inactivity are less successful in terms of income and the probability of having employees than those who enter from paid employment. When exits are divided into paid employment and other employment status, we find that those who entered from unemployment or inactivity face a higher risk of returning to one of these states.self-employment, unemployment, income, occupational mobility, gender differences

Talking About Sustainability Issues When Teaching Business Economics - The ‘Positioning’ of a Responsible Business Person in Classroom Practice

Purpose: This paper presents a study of the roles of a business person privileged by teachers when the concept of ‘sustainable development’ is incorporated into the subject of business economics.Methodology: A logics approach to discourse analysis was used to analyse the empirical material, which consisted of video recorded observations in five teachers’ classrooms collected two years after the inclusion of the concept in the upper secondary school syllabus in Sweden.Findings: The results show how different rules and conditions for doing business are foregrounded in classroom practice. This in turn has different implications for whether a responsible business person is expected to: a) adapt to self-interest, b) respond to customers’ increasing interests in sustainable products, or c) be sensitive to the needs or interests of others (including humans, animals and nature), when making business decisions. The results also illuminate how talking about ‘homo economicus’ as ‘real’ can hinder, how talking about customers in altruistic terms can facilitate, and how talking about the complexity of others’ interests can suggest ways of doing business (more) sustainably.Practical implications: The empirical examples that illuminate the privileging of specific roles could be used for critical reflection in order to make students better equipped to address uncertain and complex sustainability issues

TIPping the Scales towards Greater Employment Chances? Evaluation of a Trial Introduction Program (TIP) for Newly-Arrived Immigrants Based on Random Program Assignment

A Trial Introduction Program (TIP) for newly-arrived immigrants to Sweden was implemented from October 2006 to June 2008 in order to meet the main criticisms directed at existing introduction programs. Two primary innovations were introduced, flexible language instruction parallel with other labor market activities at the Public Employment Service (PES) and intensive counseling and coaching by PES caseworkers with considerably reduced caseloads. Within participating municipalities, newly-arrived immigrants were randomly assigned into TIP (treatment) or regular introduction programs (control). Results indicate significant treatment effects on the probability of attaining regular employment as well as the probability of entering intermediate PES training programs. Hazard rates into PES training programs were also significantly higher for participants in TIP in comparison to participants in regular introduction programs.labor market policy evaluation, integration, introduction programs, experiment

Statistik om bemanningsbranschen. Presentation och jämförelser av två nya databaser.

Bemanningsbranschen är en ny och expanderande bransch i Sverige och i andra länder. Ett problem vid en analys av branschen både i Sverige och i andra länder är att det saknats bra officiell statistik. Vi har i samarbete med SCB skapat två internationellt sett unika databaser över arbetsställen och anställda i branschen. I denna artikel presenterar vi de båda databasernas information om antal arbetsställen och sysselsatta. Databaserna innehåller ytterligare information, bl a om egenföretagare, som vi dock inte presenterar här. Den första databasen bygger på en inventering år 2000 av arbetsställen i bemanningsbranschen verksamma år 1999. Med hjälp av SCB kopplades sedan arbetsställena till de sysselsatta i branschen år 1999 men också 1998 och 2000. Den andra databasen bygger på att SCB från och med 2002 års statistik har infört en egen SNI-kod för bemanningsbranschen. Det går på så sätt få uppgifter om de anställda i branschen. Genom en kombination med den första databasen blir täckningen än bättre och vi kan också följa branschens utveckling mellan 1998 och 2002.-

Stadsbyggnadsideal i Sverige : igår, idag och imorgon

Sammandrag Bostadsbrist och ohälsa har varit den problematik som främst präglat Sveriges stadsbyggnadsideal från sent 1800-tal till idag. En väldig befolkningsökning och omflyttning av befolkningen från landsbygd till tätort har ställt stora krav på en omfattande bostadsproduktion. Under andra halvan av 1900-talet har logistik blivit ett stort bekymmer när staden utökat sin yta och befolkningen bor på en plats medan arbete och service finns på en annan. Om man tittar på de stadsbyggnadsideal som präglat staden finns en tydlig vågrörelse och pendling mellan kvalitativa värden som är svåra att mäta och kvantitativa värden som baseras på ekonomiska aspekter. Ett stadsbyggnadsideal som haft stort fokus på kvantitet följs av ett med fokus på kvalitet. De idévisioner som stadsbyggnadsidealen vilat på präglar lösningen på problemen men retorik och argumentation spelar en väsentlig roll för genomförandet av ett ideal. Det är genom slagkraftigheten hos idéerna som förespråkarna av ett ideal gör sina åsikter hörda och får gehör eller inte för sina visioner.Abstract Housing shortage and poor health have been the problems that primarily characterized the city planning theories of Sweden of the late 1800s to today. A huge population growth and migration of population from rural to urban areas has put great demands on an extensive housing production. During the second half of the 1900s, logistics became a major concern when the city expanded its surface and the population lived in one place while they found work and service in another. If you look at the urban planning ideals that shaped the city, there is a clear motion and oscillation between qualitative values that are difficult to measure and quantitative values that are based on economic considerations. A city planning theory with a major focus on quantity is followed by one with a focus on quality. The visions that city planning relies on are significant for the solution to the problems although rhetoric and argumentation play a significant role in the implementation of ideas. It is through the power of the ideas that the advocates are heard or not and can make their vision come true

Växtmaterial för klättrande barn

Barns fysiska uppväxtmiljö har genom förskolan homogeniserats. Nästan 90% av alla 1-5åringar vistas i förskola merparten av sin vakna tid. Därför är det angeläget att kritiskt granska vad denna miljö erbjuder barn. Uppsatsen fokuserar på växtmaterialet barn klättrar i på förskolor. Studien omfattar växtmaterial med klätterslitage på 65 förskolor i Lund. I studien har en metod att värdera växtmaterial efter barns klätterslitage uppfunnits och implementerats. Resultatet av studien har konkretiserats i en sammanställning av användbara arter. Verktyget klätterindex har utvecklats-en möjlighet att bedöma lekbarheten i växtmaterial för klättring.The physical environment of children has been homogenised through pre-schools. Almost 90% of all 1 to 5-year old’s are at pre-schools most of their waking hours. Therefore, it is significant to critically examine what this environment offers children. This essay focuses on the plant materials children climb in at pre-schools. The study includes plant materials with signs of the wear and tear of children climbing, from 65 pre-schools in Lund. In the study, a method has been developed and implemented to evaluate damages on plants caused by the climbing of children. The result of the study has been concretised in a compilation of useful species. The tool climbing-index has been invented, the possibility to assess the opportunity to climb in plants

Australiens landsprofil : En guide för privatpersoner

Det här lärdomsprovet är en landsprofil av Australien, som är skriven som en guide för privatpersoner. Syftet med mitt lärdomsprov är att förse privatpersoner med praktisk information, som de kan använda om de tänkt åka till Australien för att arbeta. I den teoretiska delen av lärdomsprovet kan man läsa allmänt om Australien, landets affärskultur och hur arbetsmarknaden ser ut i landet. Andra saker som man också kan läsa i teorin är vad man skall tänka på då man söker arbete, hur man hittar en passande bostad samt saker vad som kan vara bra att förbereda innan man åker iväg till Australien. Den empiriska delen består av en kvalitativ undersökning, som jag genomförde med hjälp av personliga intervjuer. Alla de personer som jag intervjuade har antingen varit eller är i Australien och arbetar. Sedan har jag sammanställt intervjuerna, där kan man läsa om respondenternas erfarenheter i landet samt så har de gett några användbara tips. Sammanfattningsvis kan man säga att samtliga respondenter, som deltog i undersökningen, har haft bra erfarenheter av att bo och arbeta i Australien. Ingen av dem stötte på några större problem och alla respondenter rekommenderade att resa till Australien om man vill och har chansen.This thesis is a country profile of Australia, which is written like a guide for private persons. The aim is to provide private persons with useful information, which they can use if they have thought about going to Australia to work. The theoretical part of the thesis contains general information about Australia, the country’s business culture and how the labor market looks in the country. Other things you also can read about in the theoretical part is what you should think about when looking for a job, how to find an appropriate accommodation and also things which can be good to prepare before travelling to Australia. The empirical part consist of a qualitative survey, which I conducted using personal interviews. All the people that I interviews have either been or are in Australia working. Then I have compiled the interviews, where you can read about the respondents’ experiences in the country and they have also given some useful tips. In summary, one can say that all the respondents, who took part in the survey, have had good experiences of living and working in Australia. None of them encountered any major problems and all respondents recommended to travel to Australia if you want to and have the chance

Bemanningsbranschen 1998-2005: En bransch i förändring?

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Providing Breastfeeding Support: Experiences from Child-Health Nurses

Background: Breastfeeding problems are common during the early period but can often be prevented or overcome with adequate support. Child-health nurses meet almost all children during their first weeks of life and play an important role in promoting breastfeeding and in strengthening parents’ confidence and their belief in their own ability. It is, therefore, important to gain more knowledge about child-health nurses’ experiences. Objective: To describe child-health nurses’ experiences of providing breastfeeding support. Methods: This qualitative study is descriptive with an inductive approach. A purposive sample of eight child-health nurses recruited from district health care centers participated. Data were collected through focus group interviews and analyzed with content analysis. Results: Child-health nurses consider it to be important to provide early breastfeeding support and that early hospital discharge following birth can complicate breastfeeding. Furthermore, the introduction of infant formula and tiny tastes given to the baby can be a barrier to breastfeeding. Parents’ confidence had an effect on breastfeeding, and breastfeeding is promoted by confident parents. Trends and cultural differences have an influence on parents’ attitudes toward breastfeeding. Child-health nurses stated the importance of having a consensus breastfeeding policy. Conclusion and Recommendation: A number of factors affect breastfeeding, and breastfeeding support from child-health nurses is important in the early stages after birth. To conclude, the support must be individually tailored with a focus on the parents’ needs. There is a need for greater cooperation between the maternal care and child-health care staff in order to provide adequate and continuous breastfeeding support throughout the care chain