Measuring the Unemployment Risk in Northern Greece from the LFS Micro-Data during the Period 1994-2006

This paper investigates unemployment risk and job prospects of individuals in the three Northern Greek regions (Central Macedonia, Western Macedonia, and Eastern Macedonia and Thrace), during the implementation of the second (1994-99) and the third (2000-06) Community Support Frameworks. More specifically, the research focuses on the social and demographic characteristics that increase the chances of individuals in finding a job, and explores the impact of gender, age, marital status, residence location, level of education, immigrant status, registered in the Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) and participation in training courses. Furthermore, there is an investigation whether University graduates face greater difficulties in finding a job than non-University graduates, as a series of studies or aggregate statistics for Greece conclude. Sampling is based on individual anonymized records (micro-data) of the Labour Force Survey for both employed and unemployed at Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics-2 level. The findings of the logit model are mixed for all the variables used, apart from those of registered in OAED for which the results have no differences among regions and years

Outward FDI from Greece and its policy context

With the fall of centrally planned economies in the Balkans, their liberalization and the opening of their borders to free trade and capital movements, Greece became more active in the generation of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI). Greece's OFDI stock increased from US$3 billion in 1990 to US$ 6 billion in 2000 and to US$38 billion in 2010. The Europeanization process of Turkey and the transition of the economies in the Balkans was accompanied by a gradual rise of FDI from Greece into those economies. More than half of Greece's OFDI stock — over US$ 20 billion in 2009 (67% of total) — is located in South-East Europe: in the Balkans, Cyprus and Turkey. While Greece's early OFDI flows were directed to the secondary sector to reduce costs, the bulk of later flows was directed to the services sector, as new markets were opened. This shift signifies the rise of major corporate players. The Greek Balkan policy, which commenced through the European Union, and the upgrading of the Athens Stock Exchange have positively affected Greece's position as a key regional investor. The expectations for sustaining this leading role, however, have been weakened recently since, due to the Greek sovereign debt crisis, Greek multinational enterprises (MNEs) disinvested US$ 1.6 billion from their FDI abroad in 2010

Inward and Outward FDI Country Profiles, Second Edition

This second edition contains a series of 77 standardized country profiles dealing with the inward and outward foreign direct investment (FDI) performance of 40 economies. The profiles have been peer-reviewed by a global network of experts. The publication is intended to contribute to the analysis of trends in foreign direct investment and policy issues related to them. More specifically, the individual profiles discuss FDI trends and developments (country-level developments, the corporate players); effects of the recent global crises; and the policy scene. Each profile contains a standard set of tables, including on FDI stocks and flows, sectoral and geographical FDI distributions, the largest M&As and greenfield investments, the principal foreign affiliates (for inward FDI), and the principal multinational enterprises (for outward FDI). The standardized template used to produce the profiles allows cross-country comparisons. The volume is meant to be a reference tool for anyone interested in foreign direct investment

A macroeconomic estimation of wine production in Greece

Unlike other south European Union countries with tradition in wine production, Greece has not yet exploited the industry׳s export potential. However, there are expectations that under certain policy orientations, a competitive industry with internationally recognized labels could emerge. This paper explores the drivers of wine production in Greece from a macro perspective and assesses their impact vis-à-vis international trade in order to contribute to these orientations for the development of a competitive industry that will assist Greece in the search for an exit from economic depression. The findings indicate that international trade impacts more on wine production in Greece than domestic consumption of Greek wine and that productivity boosts wine production at the same time as personnel costs are a significant impediment. Policy orientations based on the findings are discussed

International business spillovers in emerging markets: the Visegrad group

The literature on technology spillovers, from international trade and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the Visegrad four, brings forward mixed results and leads to contradictory conclusions. This study investigates the effect of international business activity on Visegrad's group labour productivity levels under the lens of European Union (EU) integration process. The findings regarding the influence of FDI and Research and Development (R&D) expenditure on labour productivity are mixed. A neglected relationship is highlighted, however, as approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of the increase in merchandise imports for the Visegrad group is transformed into labour productivity, enhancing it further towards the EU average.FDI; foreign direct investment; international business; multinational corporations; MNCs; productivity; Visegrad group; emerging economies; technology spillovers; emerging markets; European Union; EU integration; research and development; R&D expenditure on labour productivity.

Decisive FDI obstacles as an explanatory reason for limited FDI inflows in an EMU member state: The case of Greece

A questionnaire survey covering MNCs that had invested in Greece during the period 1995-2003 is carried out in order to determine the barriers of inward FDI in Greece through a phase of increased expectations on foreign investment from hosting the 2004 Olympiad. The underlying assumption made is that the views of the local managers reflect the views of the mother company when deciding to invest. Although the findings represent the time that the investment took place, the influence of the conditions shaping the economic environment at the time the survey was carried out is also discussed. The findings indicate that the primary barriers to foreign investors are bureaucracy, taxation, corruption, and the labor market structure and support those of previous quantitative studies, leading to the conclusion that there is no progress made regarding these factors, in order to enhance FDI attractiveness. It becomes crucial for Greece to modernize and upgrade state mechanisms, through a more effective organization and administrative policies.Multinational corporations Foreign direct investment Greece

Diet Composition and Feeding Strategies of the Stone Marten (Martes foina) in a Typical Mediterranean Ecosystem

Stone martens (Martes foina) are documented as generalist throughout their distributional range whose diet composition is affected by food availability. We tested if this occurs and what feeding strategies it follows in a typical Mediterranean ecosystem in Central Greece by analysing contents from 106 stomachs, seasonally collected from three different habitats during 2003–2006. Seasonal variation in diet and feeding strategies was evident and linked to seasonal nutritional requirements, but possibly imposed by strong interference competition and intraguild predation. Fleshy fruits and arthropods predominated in the diet, but also mammals and birds were frequently consumed. An overall low dietary niche breadth (BA=0.128) indicated a fruit specialization tendency. A generalised diet occurred in spring with high individual specialisation, whereas more animal-type prey was consumed than fruits. A population specialization towards fruits was indicated during summer and autumn, whereas insects were consumed occasionally by males. In those seasons it switched to more clumped food types such as fruits and insects. In winter it selectively exploited both adult and larvae insects and partially fruits overwinter on plants. The tendency to consume particular prey items seasonally reflected both the population specialist behaviour and the individual flexibility preyed on different food resources

Figure 3 in Home range and foraging habitat selection by breeding lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni) in Greece

Figure 3. Percentage of foraging locations over used habitats (open columns) of radio-tagged male and female lesser kestrels in relation to habitat available (black columns) within home ranges, during breeding stages in central Greece, 2008.Published as part of Vlachos, Christos G., Bakaloudis, Dimitrios E., Kitikidou, Kyriaki, Goutner, Vassilis, Bontzorlos, Vasileios, Papakosta, Malamati A. & Chatzinikos, Evangelos, 2014, Home range and foraging habitat selection by breeding lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni) in Greece, pp. 371-381 in Journal of Natural History 49 (5) on page 376, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2013.825022, http://zenodo.org/record/400409

Figure 1 in Home range and foraging habitat selection by breeding lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni) in Greece

Figure 1. Minimum convex polygon home ranges (outer: 100%, interior: 95% of locations) of male (A) and female (B) lesser kestrels during the breeding season in central Greece, 2008.Published as part of Vlachos, Christos G., Bakaloudis, Dimitrios E., Kitikidou, Kyriaki, Goutner, Vassilis, Bontzorlos, Vasileios, Papakosta, Malamati A. & Chatzinikos, Evangelos, 2014, Home range and foraging habitat selection by breeding lesser kestrels (Falco naumanni) in Greece, pp. 371-381 in Journal of Natural History 49 (5) on page 375, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2013.825022, http://zenodo.org/record/400409