Labour Market Matching Efficiency in the Czech Republic Transition

Using the matching function and the monthly and yearly data from 1992 to 2000 of 76 Czech districts, this paper studies district specific characteristics affecting matching efficiency. Among the conclusions, it was found that the higher the educational level of the labour force and the higher the number of firms in new sectors, except in the commercial one, the more efficient the matching process. The results give evidence supporting the idea that employed workers participate in the matching process and, therefore, they are one of the sources of increasing returns to scale in the Czech matching function. Small new enterprises in the commercial sector are also a source of increasing returns.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/64357/1/wp920.pd

WP 60 - Sample bias, weights and efficiency of weights in a continuous web voluntary survey

Using micro data from a continuous voluntary web survey, the Wage Indicator, the paper analyses the type of bias that such a sampling method produces and discusses a methodology to weight the data in order to correct such bias and make it possible to run analyses to obtain results and conclusions applicable to the whole population. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the weighting methodology to solve the potential sample bias of web surveys, the results are confronted with those obtained from an alternative standard labour survey dealing with the same issues. Since the Wage Indicator is a survey oriented to labour market issues, we considered that a labour market case study was most appropriate for the evaluation of the results. The method of evaluation followed is to calculate mean salaries, inequality indexes and salary regressions before and after implementing the weights using the Wage Indicator Survey data for Spain. The results are compared with those reached using the Structure of Earnings Survey, a wage survey run by the Spanish Statistical Institute.web surveys, data analysis, labour market JEL Classification: C42, C81, J01

A Web Survey Analysis of the Subjective Well-being of Spanish Workers

This paper makes use of a large sample of individual data obtained from web surveys in the WageIndicator project. Data includes extensive information on the quality of working conditions together with different well-being indicators. The paper emphasizes the role of work-related characteristics as a specific and very important aspect of life. In our analysis, we demonstrate the role of working conditions in the following three domains: overall life-satisfaction; satisfaction with ones job; and satisfaction with the combination of family and work. The paper also contributes to the ongoing debate on web survey data quality, reliability, and validity for scientific use. It demonstrates how social sciences can benefit from the use of web survey data in order to overcome the limits of traditional information sources

Determinants of Decent full-time Work in the Spanish employment market: An analysis of Social Security with micro-data

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo identificar los determinantes de ocupar un puesto de trabajo decente (Decent Work) por cuenta ajena y a tiempo completo (TC) en el mercado laboral español. Para ello, se han definido cinco categorías/grados de trabajo decente y, utilizando los datos de la Muestra Continua de Vidas Laboras 2008 (MCLV), se han estimado los determinantes de que un trabajador ocupe un puesto de trabajo decente según cada grado. Se obtienen conclusiones en cuanto al efecto del nivel de ocupación, las experiencias laborales pasadas, las experiencias de desempleo e inactividad de larga duración, la vida familiar, y las diferencias entre hombres y mujeres. Se encuentran evidencias de fenómenos como el atrapamiento en la temporalidad, pero también del trabajo temporal como vía de entrada al trabajo decenteThis study aims to identify the determinants associated with decent self-employed and full-time (FT) work in the Spanish employment market. Five Decent Work categories/grades are defi ned, and using the data from the Spanish Continuous Sample of Working Lives (MCLV) 2008, the determinants of a Decent Work position have been estimated according to each grade. Conclusions are made based on the effect of job level, previous work experience, unemployment and long-term inactivity experience, family life, and differences between males and females. Evidence of phenomena such as entrapment in part time positions has been found, but part-time work as a way of entering into Decent Work has also been observedEste trabajo ha sido realizado gracias a la financiación del Ministerio de Trabajo e Inmigración mediante una subvención del Fondo de Investigación de la Protección Social (proyecto FIPROS 2008/66, subvencionado de acuerdo a lo previsto en la Orden TIN/1305/2008, de 6 de mayo

The roles of general health and COVID-19 proximity in contact tracing app usage: cross-sectional survey study

Background: Contact tracing apps are considered useful means to monitor SARS-CoV-2 infections during the off-peak stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their effectiveness is, however, dependent on the uptake of such COVID-19 apps. Objective: We examined the role of individuals’ general health status in their willingness to use a COVID-19 tracing app as well as the roles of socioeconomic characteristics and COVID-19 proximity. Methods: We drew data from the WageIndicator Foundation Living and Working in Coronavirus Times survey. The survey collected data on labor market status as well as the potential confounders of the relationship between general health and COVID-19 tracing app usage, such as sociodemographics and regular smartphone usage data. The survey also contained information that allowed us to examine the role of COVID-19 proximity, such as whether an individual has contracted SARS-CoV-2, whether an individual has family members and colleagues with COVID-19, and whether an individual exhibits COVID-19 pandemic–induced depressive and anxiety symptoms. We selected data that were collected in Spain, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands from individuals aged between 18 and 70 years (N=4504). Logistic regressions were used to measure individuals’ willingness to use a COVID-19 tracing app. Results: We found that the influence that socioeconomic factors have on COVID-19 tracing app usage varied dramatically between the four countries, although individuals experiencing forms of not being employed (ie, recent job loss and inactivity) consistently had a lower willingness to use a contact tracing app (effect size: 24.6%) compared to that of employees (effect size: 33.4%; P Conclusions: Current public health policies aim to promote the use of smartphone-based contact tracing apps during the off-peak periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. Campaigns that emphasize the health benefits of COVID-19 tracing apps may contribute the most to the uptake of such apps. Public health campaigns that rely on digital platforms would also benefit from seriously considering the country-specific distribution of privacy concerns

Monitoring SMEs’ performance in Europe: Methodological assessment of the SME Scoreboard 2017

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), with the scientific support by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), assesses the Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Europe, depending on the performance in the ten principles of: (1) Entrepreneurship, (2) ‘Second chance’, (3) ‘Think small first’, (4) ‘Responsive administration’, (5) State aid & public procurement, (6) Access to finance, (7) Single market, (8) Skills and innovation, (9) Environment, and (10) Internationalisation. This JRC technical report describes the underlying rationale behind the quantitative measurement of these principles and discusses the methodological approach which has been followed to calculate how countries perform in the outlined principles, from the choice of the indicators, to the data quality controls (including missing data and outliers), normalization and weightings, to the statistical coherence and robustness checks of the 2017 edition.JRC.I.1-Modelling, Indicators and Impact Evaluatio

Mobile Research Methods

Daily activity sees data constantly flowing through cameras, the internet, satellites, radio frequencies, sensors, private appliances, cars, smartphones, tablets and the like. Among all the tools currently used, mobile devices, especially mobile phones, smartphones and tablets, are the most widespread, with their use becoming prevalent in everyday life within both developed and developing countries. Shopping, reading newspapers, participating in forums, projecting and completing surveys, communicating with friends and making new ones, filing tax returns and getting involved in politics are all examples of how ingrained mobile technology is to modern lifestyleMobile devices allow a wide range of heterogeneous activities and, as a result, have great potential in terms of the different types of data that can be collected. The use of mobile devices to collect, analyse and apply research data is explored here. This book focuses on the use of mobile devices in various research contexts, aiming to provide a detailed and updated knowledge on what is a comparatively new field of study. This is done considering different aspects: main methodological possibilities and issues; comparison and integration with more traditional survey modes or ways of participating in research; quality of collected data; use in commercial market research; representativeness of studies based only on the mobile-population; analysis of the current spread of mobile devices in several countries, and so on. Thus, the book provides interesting research findings from a wide range of countries and contexts. This book was developed in the framework of WebDataNet’s Task Force 19. WebDataNet, was created in 2009 by a group of researchers focusing on the discussion on data collection methods. Supported by the European Union programme for the Coordination of Science and Technology, WebDataNet has become a unique, multidisciplinary network that has brought together leading web-based data collection experts from several institutions, disciplines, and relevant backgrounds from more than 35 different countries

Access to finance and labor market performance in the EU 28

This paper examines the relationship between access to finance and labor market performance in the EU28 for the period 2003-2017. For this purpose, we first construct a composite indicator to measure access to finance by equal-weighting information about days needed to be paid, rejected loans, the willingness of banks to provide a loan, interest rate for small loans, venture capital, private equity, business angels, and public funding. Secondly, using a Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS), we estimate the relationship between the employment and unemployment growth rates on our access to finance indicator while controlling for main macro-economic variables. Our results suggest that improved access to finance is likely to stimulate labor market performance - increased access to finance generates increased employment growth rates, and decreased unemployment growth rates respectively. Findings contribute to empirical literature and have important policy implications. Improving business environment conditions for SMEs through access to finance could improve labor market outcomes.JRC.I.1-Monitoring, Indicators & Impact Evaluatio

Life Dissatisfaction and Anxiety in COVID-19 pandemic

The rising numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths, prolonged lockdowns, substantial restrictions on public life and an economic downturn negatively affect personal well-being. In this paper, we explore COVID-19-related determinants of life dissatisfaction and feelings of anxiety using data collected from March 23 to April 30 2020 in 25 advanced and developing countries from four continents. We find that persons with better general health, with a paid job, living with a partner, daily exercising and those avoiding loneliness report less dissatisfaction and less anxiety. The presence of children and a pet in the household has no effect. Women report anxiety feelings more often than men. Older people report lower dissatisfaction and anxiety, remarkable given that the older population is among the most vulnerable in the current pandemic. Job-related changes due to COVID-19 such as income reduction and increase or decrease of workload are associated with more dissatisfaction and more anxiety. In reaction to the pandemic governments have adopted a range of measures. We show that restrictions on mobility and requirements to wear protective gear in public increase dissatisfaction and that the state-imposed emergency increase feelings of anxiety. We find that a growing number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increases dissatisfaction and anxiety but that this effect levels off with a higher number of cases. Our findings support targeted government policies to preserve economic security, and increase stability of employment.JRC.I.1-Monitoring, Indicators & Impact Evaluatio