“How Important to a City Are Tourists and Daytrippers? The Economic Impact of Tourism on The City of Barcelona”

In this paper, we devise a methodology that is able to objectively quantify the impact of tourism on the urban economy. This methodology takes various dimensions into account. First, to analyse the impact at sectoral level, it should bear in mind that tourism is a "cross-sectional" activity which affects many sectors, both directly and indirectly. Therefore, it is important to consider the impact of urban tourism on sectors traditionally defined as "tourism-related" (that is, hotels, restaurants, shops, etc.) but also its impact on other sectors (for instance, textiles, food, construction, to name only a few) due to the intersectoral relationships that emerge. Second, we need to calculate the percentage of the turnover of each sector that is due to the tourism industry. Third, it is important to establish the geographic distribution of this impact: how is the effect shared between the city and its neighbouring areas? Finally, the effect of urban tourism should be quantified not only in terms of turnover, but also in terms of its contribution to GDP and employment.Sports; Gambling; Recreation; Tourism; Input–Output Tables and Analysis;Allocative Efficiency; Cost–Benefit Analysis algorithms. JEL classification:

An approximation to household overcrowding: evidence from Ecuador

This paper addresses the household overcrowding problem. To do so, a binary choice model with logit specification is constructed. The cross section data used in the empirical analysis comes from Ecuador which is a developing South American country. Although, household overcrowding has more incidence in developing countries, it also takes place in developed economies. The findings of the research suggest that a set of variables related to the head of the household like his/her gender, age, and level of education affect the probability of being under overcrowding situation in the household. Furthermore, the regime of tenancy under which the household is living in the dwelling also influences the probability of being in overcrowding situation

Commuting and education-job mismatch in Spanish labour market

En este trabajo se analiza cómo el tiempo de trayecto y las características de los mercados laborales locales influyen en el desajuste puesto de trabajo- nivel educativo del individuo, basado en la hipótesis de que los individuos que tienen un mayor tiempo de trayecto al trabajo y mejores condiciones en mercado laboral se asocian a una menor incidencia de la sobreeducación. La sobreeducación afecta a 17 % de los trabajadores en España, y se eleva al 22,4 % para los trabajadores menores de 35 años. El análisis se basa en los datos individuales de los trabajadores españoles que se refiere al período inicial de la crisis económica mundial (2007-2010). La variable dependiente, desajuste educativo-puesto se mide mediante el método subjetivo, basado en las respuestas del individuo a la pregunta de cómo ajusta su nivel de educación a las necesidades del trabajo que actualmente ocupan. La variable de interés son: (a) el tiempo de trayecto, es decir, el tiempo que tarda el individuo en llegar a su trabajo, y (b) dos variables que tienen en cuenta de las condiciones del mercado local: la tasa regional de desempleo (esta variable se refieren a la división territorial de España a nivel NUTS 2 y desglose por sexo y nivel de educación de cada Comunidad Autónoma sobre la base de las cifras medias anuales de la Encuesta de Población Activa española (EPA) para el período 2007-2010) y el tamaño del municipio. Se incluyen las variables de control habituales relativas al puesto de trabajo y variables dummy de los años de la muestra. Los resultados sugieren que las difíciles condiciones de trabajo regionales en términos de altas tasas de desempleo pueden actuar contra el efecto hipotético de la movilidad en la reducción del desajuste educativo, por lo tanto, se obtiene a una conclusión opuesta a la planteada en algunos trabajos anteriores.This paper analyses how commuting time and local labour markets’ characteristics influence individual’s job-education mismatch, based on the hypothesis that both higher commuting times and better labour market conditions are associated with a lower incidence of over-education. Over-education affects 17% of employed workers in Spain, and it rises to 22,4% for workers under 35. The analysis is based on Spanish workers’ individual data referred to the initial period of the global economic crisis (2007-2010). The dependent variable, education-job mismatch is measured through the subjective method, based on the individual’s responses to the question of how well does his/her education level fit the needs of the job they currently occupied. The variable of interest are (a) commuting time, i.e., the time spend by the individual on his/her typical one-way travel-to-work, and (b) two variables that account for local market conditions: the regional unemployment level (this variables is referred to the NUTS 2 division of Spain and disaggregated by sex and level of education for each autonomous community based on the average yearly figures from the Spanish Labour Force Survey (EPA) for period 2007-2010) and the size of town. The usual set of individual and job-related variables, and controls for sample years are also considered. The results suggest that difficult regional working conditions in terms of both high unemployment rates and job densities might act against the hypothesized effect of mobility on the reduction of educational mismatch, therefore leading to a conclusion that opposes some precedent works.We thank the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (R&D&I National Program project CSO2011-29943-C03-02) for financial support

Explorando las relaciones entre el desplazamiento al trabajo y los cambios de residencia en España : un análisis con datos individuales

En este artículo, se analizan los factores determinantes de los tipos de movilidad más significativos que afectan a los trabajadores: los desplazamientos cotidianos entre la residencia y el lugar de empleo, y los cambios de domicilio. También se explora la influencia que cada uno de estos fenómenos ejerce en el otro. Para ello, se estiman dos modelos alternativos mediante la técnica del logit multinomial. Los datos individuales utilizados se refieren al caso español y proceden del Censo de Población de 2011, con lo que se actualizan estudios previos realizados antes de la gran recesión. Una aportación significativa del artículo es el uso de los mercados locales de trabajo (MLT) españoles como unidad territorial de referencia. Cada uno de dichos mercados agrupa a municipios estrechamente ligados entre sí en términos de movilidad entre la residencia y el lugar de empleo, y están delimitados por fronteras que son cruzadas con poca frecuencia en el curso de dichos desplazamientos, lo que los convierte en unidades funcionales relevantes frente a la alternativa de utilizar referencias geográficas de naturaleza administrativa. El uso de los MLT permite distinguir, a partir de los microdatos censales recodificados por el INE, entre movimientos migratorios (variaciones de lugar de residencia entre MLT distintos) y simples movimientos residenciales dentro de un mismo MLT (que, por tanto, no hacen imprescindible un cambio de ubicación laboral en términos de accesibilidad). Los resultados corroboran que existe una relación significativa entre los dos tipos de movilidad considerados y que las mudanzas a una nueva vivienda tienden a alejar a los empleados de su lugar de trabajo, en vez de acortar dichos desplazamientos.This article discusses the determinants of two of the most significant types of workers' mobility: travel-to-work commuting and changes in the place of residence. It explores, in particular, the extent to which these phenomena influence each other. Accordingly, two alternative models are estimated using the multinomial logit technique. The individual data used come from the Spanish Population Census of 2011, which allows updating previous works that did not take into account the effects of the Great Recession. A significant contribution of the paper is the use of labour market areas (LMAs) as territorial reference units. Each of these areas brings together closely linked municipalities in terms of commuting flows and are delimited by boundaries that are infrequently crossed in the course of such trips; two features which make them relevant for this analysis in contrast with the alternative of using administrative territorial units as the reference geography. The recodification of the census microdata by the INE according to this territorial reference makes it possible to differentiate between migrations (change of residence involving different LMAs) and simple residential moves within a given LMA (which therefore make a change of workplace unnecessary due to the specific accessibility conditions in the LMA). The results confirm that there is a significant link between both types of mobility (commuting and migration/ residential mobility) and, in particular, that changes of residence seem to move workers away from their places of work rather than shortening their commuting trips.En aquest article s'analitzen els factors determinants dels tipus de mobilitat més significatius que afecten els treballadors: els desplaçaments quotidians entre la residència i el lloc de treball, i els canvis de domicili. També s'explora la influència que cadascun d'aquests fenòmens exerceix en l'altre. Per fer-ho, s'estimen dos models alternatius mitjançant la tècnica del lògit multinomial. Les dades individuals utilitzades es refereixen al cas espanyol i procedeixen del Cens de Població de 2011, amb la qual cosa s'actualitzen estudis previs fets abans de la gran recessió. Una aportació significativa de l'article és l'ús dels mercats locals de treball (MLT) espanyols com a unitat territorial de referència. Cada un d'aquests mercats agrupa municipis estretament lligats entre si en termes de mobilitat entre la residència i el lloc de treball, i estan delimitats per fronteres que són creuades amb poca freqüència en el curs d'aquests desplaçaments, cosa que els converteix en unitats funcionals rellevants davant l'alternativa d'utilitzar referències geogràfiques de naturalesa administrativa. L'ús dels MLT permet distingir, a partir de les microdades censals recodificades per l'INE, entre moviments migratoris (variacions de lloc de residència entre MLT diferents) i simples moviments residencials dins d'un mateix MLT (que, per tant, no fan imprescindible un canvi d'ubicació laboral en termes d'accessibilitat). Els resultats corroboren que existeix una relació significativa entre els dos tipus de mobilitat considerats i que les mudances a un nou habitatge tendeixen a allunyar els empleats del seu lloc de treball, en lloc d'escurçar aquests desplaçaments

The Business Excellence Attraction Composite Index (BEACI). Design and application to the Municipalities of the Barcelona Province

The location of economic activity, in general, and of that of activities of business excellence (high-tech or knowledge-intensive businesses that have a low environmental impact), in particular, is not dependent on one single factor, but rather on a series of economic, geographical, social and political variables. Against this background, the aim of this paper is to design a composite index for assessing the capacity to attract this kind of economic activity. As a case study, we have calculated this index for 26 of the main municipalities in the province of Barcelona, Spain

The imperative of happiness in positive psychology : Towards a psychopolitics of wellbeing

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UABPositive Psychology has reconstructed how we understand happiness. The practices and discourses it presents to perform that reconceptualization appear as if free from political interest or intentionality. However, this article will show that its proposals define a subtle new form of government which we will call Psychopolitics. Instead of placing the population or the body of the citizen at the centre of political struggles, it focuses on the psyche. Through an extreme defence of positive emotions and happiness as the key to a good life, Positive Psychology promotes a type of friendly power relations, which instead of punishing motivates and empowers the individual's creativity. To illustrate all of this, we conducted a case study with a Positive Psychology training course taught in a Spanish state university. Content analysis was used to explain the recurring themes and practices of this new discipline of positivity, showing how health is redefined around the happiness axis, and how happiness becomes an individual responsibility. We conclude that all these dimensions are simply a categorical definition of a new type of power relations which may characterise the 21st century

Explorando las relaciones entre el desplazamiento al trabajo y los cambios de residencia en España. Un análisis con datos individuales

En este artículo, se analizan los factores determinantes de los tipos de movilidad más significativos que afectan a los trabajadores: los desplazamientos cotidianos entre la residencia y el lugar de empleo, y los cambios de domicilio. También se explora la influencia que cada uno de estos fenómenos ejerce en el otro. Para ello, se estiman dos modelos alternativos mediante la técnica del logit multinomial. Los datos individuales utilizados se refieren al caso español y proceden del Censo de Población de 2011, con lo que se actualizan estudios previos realizados antes de la gran recesión. Una aportación significativa del artículo es el uso de los mercados locales de trabajo (MLT) españoles como unidad territorial de referencia

On the links between spatial variables and overeducation

This article considers the role that diverse spatial variables play in explaining overeducation. Unlike previous analyses of the Spanish case, we have directly tested the links between current mobility (commuting and migration) and overeducation, and in contrast to previous literature, we have included a direct measure of potential spatial flexibility at an individual level (worker availability to migrate, in response to the needs of his/her firm). Regional labour market conditions are also considered in the analysis. Our results show that the links between overeducation and spatial variables vary depending on the specific sub-group of wage earners considered, based on gender and education

How Important to a City Are Tourists and Daytrippers? The Economic Impact of Tourism on The City of Barcelona

In this paper, we devise a methodology that is able to objectively quantify the impact of tourism on the urban economy. This methodology takes various dimensions into account. First, to analyse the impact at sectoral level, it should bear in mind that tourism is a cross-sectional activity which affects many sectors, both directly and indirectly. Therefore, it is important to consider the impact of urban tourism on sectors traditionally defined as tourism-related, -that is, hotels, restaurants, shops, etc.- but also its impact on other sectors -for instance, textiles, food, construction, to name only a few- due to the intersectoral relationships that emerge. Second, we need to calculate the percentage of the turnover of each sector that is due to the tourism industry. Third, it is important to establish the geographic distribution of this impact: how is the effect shared between the city and its neighbouring areas QUESTION Finally, the effect of urban tourism should be quantified not only in terms of turnover, but also in terms of its contribution to GDP and employment