The Effects of Labor Market Policies in an Economy with an Informal Sector

In many economies, there is substantial economic activity in the informal labor market, beyond the reach of government policy. Labor market policies, which by definition apply only to the formal-sector can have important spillover effects on the informal sector. The relative sizes of the informal and formal sectors adjust, the skill composition of the workforce in the two sectors changes, etc. In this paper, we build an equilibrium search and matching model to analyze the effects of labor market policies in an economy with an informal sector. Our model extends Mortensen and Pissarides (1994) by allowing for ex ante worker heterogeneity with respect to formal-sector productivity. We analyze the effects of labor market policy on informal- and formal-sector output, on the division of the workforce into unemployment, informal-sector employment and formal-sector employment, and on wages. Finally, our model allows us to examine the distributional implications of labor market policy; specifically, we analyze how labor market policy affects the distributions of wages and productivities across formal-sector matches.search, matching, informal sector

Efficiency in a Search and Matching Model with Endogenous Participation

We show that in a search/matching model with endogenous participation in which workers are heterogeneous with respect to market productivity, satisfying the Hosios rule leads to excessive vacancy creation. The reason is that the marginal worker does not internalize the effect of his or her participation on average productivity.search, matching, participation, Hosios rule, efficiency

The Effects of Labour Market Policies in an Economy with an Informal Sector

In this paper, we build an equilibrium search and matching model of an economy with an informal sector. Our model extends Mortensen and Pissarides (1994) by allowing for ex ante worker heterogeneity with respect to formal-sector productivity. We use the model to analyze the effects of labour market policy on informal-sector and formal sector output, on the division of the workforce into unemployment, informal-sector employment and formal-sector employment, and on wages. Finally, we examine the distributional implications of labour market policy; specifically, we analyse how labour market policy affects the distributions of wages and productivities across formal-sector matches. Keywords: Informality and Labour Market Policy

Efficiency in a Search and Matching Model with Endogenous Participation

We show that in a search/matching model with endogenous participation in which workers are heterogeneous with respect to market productivity, satisfying the Hosios rule leads to excessive vacancy creation. The reason is that the marginal worker does not internalize the effect of his or her participation on average productivity.participation, efficiency, matching, search, Hosios rule

Where are the urban elderly? Clustered and concentrated in aged spaces: Three examples Kitchener-Waterloo, Halifax and Victoria (Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia)

This research uses enumeration area data from the 1991 census and a methodology consisting of principal components analysis (PCA), cluster and discriminant analysis to define \u27aged spaces\u27, highly localized concentrations of the elderly, in Kitchener-Waterloo, Halifax and Victoria.. The results show that: (1) it is possible to define aged spaces on the basis of the old-age family status dimensions identified by the PCA for each individual city, as well as a joint analysis of all three cities; (2) the old-age dimensions derived by the PCA are differentiated by marital status, advanced age and gender and (3) aged spaces defined on the basis of different old-age factors vary in size and are located in different areas of the city. Aged spaces characterized by a pre-elderly or young elderly population for example, are spatially extensive and are located in the inner suburbs of Kitchener-Waterloo; whereas aged spaces characterized by an old elderly population consist of single enumeration areas and are scattered throughout each city. An analysis of aged residential segregation in each city and the joint analysis of all three cities shows that the old elderly are less evenly distributed and more concentrated than the young or middle-aged elderly populations

Smart experimental designs provide military decision-makers with new insights from agent-based simulations

Naval Postgraduate School RESEARCH, 13, 2, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, 2003, pp. 20-21, 57-59, 63

Depression And Perceived Stress as Mediators Between Racial Microaggressions and Somatic Symptoms in College Students of Color

The current study examined the ability of mental health indicators, namely depression and perceived stress, to mediate the relationship between racial microaggressions and health among a racially/ethnically diverse sample of 467 college students of color. Consistent with what was hypothesized, the main findings revealed that depression and perceived stress mediated the relationships between types of racial microaggressions, specifically low-achieving, invisibility, and criminality, and somatic symptoms. The study results suggest that there may be multiple pathways by which specific racial microaggressions might be associated with psychological and somatic health indicators

Value-change and self-reflective practice in ecologically sustainable design

Ecologically sustainable design is a transformative design paradigm based on the theory of interdependence. This theory requires that the transformative agenda of design is holistic in practice. In effect, the requirement is for value-change on the part of the designer along with transformation of the built environment. This paper, based on recently completed research into design practice, argues that value-change rests on certainties that are drawn on intuitively while designing, and that this intuitive process is characteristic of design as praxis. It is further argued that design, as praxis, requires a phenomenological approach for inculcating value-change. A phenomenological approach relies on self-reflective practices exemplified by meditation and yoga that can focus on the designer&rsquo;s ethical know-how. A model for this approach to value-change, the biopsychosocial approach, already exists within clinical medicine. This paper presents findings from interviews with key architects practising self-reflection and/or ecologically sustainable design. These highlight the premium placed by these architects on both certainty and empathy, and how these values influence design as praxis. Formalising techniques for closer scrutiny of these values will highlight design as praxis. Doing so will critically strengthen ecologically sustainable design as holistic, transformative practice.<br /