THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF LABOR REFORM IN COLOMBIA

This paper analyzes the entire reformist effort that spans from 1990 until 2002, emphasizing the second wave that ended with the issuing of a new labor code in 2002. A successful reform has to surpass a set of deals" along the streamline of design, consensus building within civil society, submission to Congress and parliamentary debate, before it gets approved. The paper presents the story of two failed attempts for producing these "deals" within the government, along with labor unions and private sector firm confederations, before the 2002 labor reform was finally enacted. It shows what economic and social considerations created the need for reform, describes the actual policy changes implemented and evaluates their impact. The paper delves deep into the political aspects of the reform effort. Public officials of two governments pursued different lines of reform, discussion strategies and mechanisms for creating consensus, before the initiative gained momentum and circumvented key obstacles. The text of the 2002 reform proposal changed little during five years, but received important additions in the floor of Congress, with little technical support. Finally, an interesting dispute between lawyers and economists is presented regarding the role of the labor code for job creation and its function in the economic cycle. In the case of this reform, economists believed more on the computed elasticities, while lawyers believed more in the stability of established rules and in the limited role of norms. Economists should pay more attention to the workings of the political economy of reform and to the "life cycle of government", both of them critical for success."labor reform

Measuring the impact of minimum wages : evidence from Latin America

The authors provide an overview of minimum wage levels in Latin America and their true impact on the distribution of wages, using both numerical measures and kernal density plots for eight countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, and Uruguay). They especially try to identify"numeraire"effects--where the minimum is used as a reference higher in the wage distribution--and"lighthouse"effects--where it influences wage setting in the unregulated or"informal"sector. Their main findings: First, statutory minimum wages are often misleading, and graphical methods may be more reliable. Second, the minimum wage's effect on wage setting extends far beyond what is usually considered and probably beyond the effect in industrial countries. Using panel employment data from Colombia, where minimum wages seem high and binding, the authors quantify the minimum wage's effects on wages and on the probability of becoming unemployed. The Colombian case confirms the evidence offered by kernal density estimates: 1) The minimum wage can have an important impact on wage distribution in the neighborhood of the minimum wage. 2) The effects echo up the wage distribution in a clear demonstration of the"numeraire"effect. That this effect is stronger in Latin America than in the United States suggests that the minimum wage induces further-reaching rigidities in the labor market. The trade-off between any possible effect on poverty and reduced flexibility is likely to be more severe in countries where this is the case. The effects on employment, and unemployment, are substantial. 3) Informal salaries wages are also affected, confirming the graphical evidence of strong lighthouse effects. Self-employment earnings are not, however, confirming that the minimum wage is not simply serving as a measure of inflationary expectations.Labor Policies,Wages, Compensation&Benefits,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Environmental Economics&Policies,Public Health Promotion,Environmental Economics&Policies,Child Labor,Wages, Compensation&Benefits,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Poverty Assessment

Efecto económico de la actividad turística en la provincia de Tungurahua, Ecuador

Este trabajo busca medir la actividad turística a partir de los beneficios económicos; entre los principales están la reducción de la pobreza, la generación de empleo y la distribución de los ingresos. Sin embargo, existen pocos datos al respecto a nivel local, por lo cual se ha planteado bajo el enfoque cuantitativo y del método de análisis y síntesis, a través de encuesta a los empresarios dedicados a la actividad turística sobre los ingresos, dependientes económicos, variaciones de temporada, para ser utilizados bajo la distribución del ingreso del modelo de Curva de Lorenz, complementado con el Coeficiente de Gini. De esto se obtuvo que existe una mejor distribución del ingreso en el sector turístico de la Zona Consolidada de Tungurahua con un Coeficiente de Gini de 0.403 menor que el coeficiente del Ecuador. Además, se observó que los ingresos anuales superan los 21 millones de dólares, de lo cual se concluye que el beneficio económico del turismo produce distribución e igualdad entre los habitantes de una zona geográfica, pues permite la equiparación de oportunidades. Se indica que impulsar el turismo como fuente de empleo, desarrollo y emprendimiento incrementará el nivel de vida de los habitantes

Pending issues in protection, productivity growth, and poverty reduction

This paper selectively synthesizes much of the research on Latin American and Caribbean labor markets in recent years. Several themes emerge that are particularly relevant to ongoing policy dialogues. First, labor legislation matters, but markets may be less segmented than previously thought. The impetus to voluntary informality, which appears to be a substantial fraction of the sector, implies that the design of social safety nets and labor legislation needs to take a more integrated view of the labor market, taking into account the cost-benefit analysis workers and firms make about whether to interact with formal institutions. Second, the impact of labor market institutions on productivity growth has probably been underemphasized. Draconian firing restrictions increase litigation and uncertainty surrounding worker separations, reduce turnover and job creation, and poorly protect workers. But theory and anecdotal evidence also suggest that they, and other related state or union induced rigidities, may have an even greater disincentive effect on technological adoption, which accounts for half of economic growth. Finally, institutions can affect poverty and equity, although the effects seem generally small and channels are not always clear. Overall, the present constellation of labor regulations serves workers and firms poorly and both could benefit from substantial reform.Labor Markets,Labor Standards,Economic Theory&Research,Work&Working Conditions,Labor Management and Relations

El Desarrollo Sostenible en el Entorno Marítimo y Portuario. Una Mirada Desde Principios del Siglo XXI

The objective of this research is to provide insights into research trends and contributing authors in the development of sustainability in the global maritime and port environment since the 21st century, starting from the concept conceived by the United Nations and the creation of the 'Smart Port' concept for the continuous improvement of this industry. It is a document-bibliographic analysis, based on bibliometric software, applying default probabilistic statistics, and utilizing machine learning resources provided by the Scopus database. It was determined that the main thematic trends were related to coastal zone management, fisheries management, climate change, green ports, innovation, and energy efficiency. Representative authors included Castilla J.C., Pauly D., Notteboom T., and Lam J.S. The missing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 1, 2, 3, and 4 in this contribution.En esta investigación se analizan las principales tendencias de investigación y sus aportaciones a la construcción del desarrollo sostenible en el entorno marítimo y portuario global, desde principios del siglo XXI, Basado en la idea concebida por la Organización de las Naciones Unidas ONU, y la creación del concepto “Smart Ports”, para la mejora continua de este sector industrial. Se desarrolló un análisis documental-bibliográfico basado en software bibliométrico, aplicando estadística probabilística por defecto y utilizando machine learning proporcionados por la base de datos de Scopus. Se encontró que las principales tendencias temáticas estuvieron relacionadas con la gestión de zonas costeras, gestión pesquera, cambio climático, puertos verdes, innovación y eficiencia energética. Los autores representativos fueron Castilla J.C., Pauly D., Notteboom T. y Lam J.S. Se observó que en las investigaciones analizadas de este sector no se consideran los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS 1, 2, 3, 4)

Acercamiento Conceptual de Recreación y Actividad Física en Relación con el Desarrollo Humano en Aprendices del Sena, Colombia

Within SENA, it is important to highlight that the academicals training in sports, Recreation, and Physical Activity areas is relatively new and the Physical Activity and Culture Training Center have been giving the possibility to the Human talent in Bogotá to qualify and to technify their labor around the necessities of the productive and social context. The concepts of Recreation and Physical Activity inside the Training Center are included cross-cutting in all the programs, but it is necessary to identify what scenario they are focused on and according to the context what their contributions to social construction and human development would be. Each concept has three categories that were detected in the survey and these are the ones that make it possible to discuss the entire investigative process, reflecting the contextualization of training at the national level in the training centers involved.Al interior del SENA, es importante resaltar que la formación en el sector deporte, Recreación y Actividad Física es relativamente nueva y el Centro de Formación en Actividad Física y Cultura viene dando la posibilidad para que el talento humano en Bogotá cualifique y tecnifique su labor alrededor de las necesidades de este contexto productivo y social. Los conceptos de Recreación y Actividad Física al interior del Centro de Formación se dan transversalmente en todos los programas, pero es necesario identificar hacia qué escenario van enfocados y según el contexto cuáles serían sus aportes a la construcción social y al desarrollo humano. Cada concepto tiene tres categorías (tiempo libre, entretenimiento, educación-aprendizaje; movimiento, gasto energético, musculo esquelético) que se detectaron en la encuesta y estas son las que permiten hacer la discusión de todo el proceso investigativo, dejando plasmado la contextualización de la formación a nivel nacional en los Centros de Formación involucrados

Solucionando necesidades específicas con GNU/LINUX

Los conocimientos recibidos gracias al desarrollo del curso, se aplican consolidando todos los puntos a implementar en este articulo a nivel de seguridad con la implementación de un sistema operativo server y una plataforma de control llamada Zentyal, donde nos permite manejar las funciones que brinda los módulos como temas de dhcp, dns, proxy, cortafuegos y vpn, demostrando la funcionalidad de cada una de estos modulos.The knowledge received thanks to the development of the course is applied consolidating all the points to be implemented in this article at the security level with the implementation of a server operating system and a control platform called Zentyal, where it allows us to manage the functions provided by the modules as dhcp, dns, proxy, firewall and vpn themes, demonstrating the functionality of each of these modules

Descripción de las dimensiones del clima organizacional: caso de estudio en las PYMES de la ciudad de Barranquilla, Colombia

Objective: The study describes the dimensions of the organizational climate in outsourced staff of small and medium-sized companies in the city of Barranquilla. Methodology: quantitative paradigm, descriptive type, transectional design, descriptive analysis, using the survey technique through a questionnaire consisting of 24 items, applied to 60 subjects. Results: it is evidenced that the dimensions of the organizational climate notably affect the structure of companies, regardless of their nature, which socially impacts the employee's motivation, identity, leadership and communication; originating in human capital the disarticulation with corporate goals and detriment of the resources used, associated with strategic management.Objetivo: El estudio describe las dimensiones del clima organizacional en personal tercerizado de las pequeñas y medianas empresas de la ciudad de Barranquilla. Metodología: paradigma cuantitativo, de tipo descriptiva, diseño transeccional, análisis descriptivo, utilizándose la técnica de la encuesta por medio un cuestionario constituido por 24 ítems, aplicado a 60 sujetos. Resultados: se evidencia que las dimensiones del clima organizacional afectan notoriamente la estructura de las empresas, indiferentemente de su naturaleza, lo cual impacta socialmente la motivación del colaborador, identidad, liderazgo y comunicación; originando en el capital humano la desarticulación con las metas corporativas y detrimento de los recursos utilizados, asociados a la gestión estratégica

Propuesta en Supply Chain Management y Logística en la empresa Nacional de Chocolates

Se hace la entrega final del informe de la propuesta en Supply Chain Management y Logística en la empresa Nacional de ChocolatesReport Supply Chain Management y Logística en la empresa Nacional de Chocolate

Overexpression of cathepsin f, matrix metalloproteinases 11 and 12 in cervical cancer

BACKGROUND: Cervical carcinoma (CC) is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide and the first cause of death among the Mexican female population. CC progression shows a continuum of neoplastic transitions until invasion. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and cathepsins play a central role on the enhancement of tumor-induced angiogenesis, cell migration, proliferation, apoptosis and connective tissue degradation. MMPs -2 and -9 expression has been widely studied in cervical cancer. Nevertheless, no other metalloproteinases or cathepsins have been yet related with the progression and/or invasion of this type of cancer. METHODS: Three HPV18 CC cell lines, two HPV16 CC cell lines and three HPV16 tumor CC tissues were compared with three morphologically normal, HPV negative, cervical specimens by cDNA arrays. Overexpression of selected genes was confirmed by end point semiquantitative reverse transcription-PCR with densitometry. In situ hybridization and protein expression of selected genes was further studied by means of two tissue microarrays, one consisting of 10 HSIL and 15 CC and the other one of 15 normal cervical and 10 LSIL tissues. RESULTS: TIMP1, Integrins alpha 1 and 4, cadherin 2 and 11, Cathepsins F, B L2, MMP 9, 10 11 and 12 were upregulated and Cathepsin S, L, H and C, Cadherins 3 and 4, TIMP3, MMP 13, Elastase 2 and Integrin beta 8 were found to be downregulated by cDNA arrays. Endpoint RT-PCR with densitometry gave consistent results with the cDNA array findings for all three genes selected for study (CTSF, MMP11 and MMP12). In situ hybridization of all three genes confirmed overexpression in all the HSIL and CC. Two of the selected proteins were detected in LSIL, HSIL and CC by immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSION: Novel undetected CC promoting genes have been identified. Increased transcription of these genes may result in overexpression of proteins, such as CTSF, MMP11 and MMP12 which could contribute to the pathogenesis of CC