Uncovered interest parity tests and exchange rate expectations

Empirical studies reject uncovered interest parity. Experimental and survey data studies reject rational expectations and find evidence of adaptive, regressive, bandwagon and distributed lag expectations. In this paper we investigate how these two findings are related. We show that uncovered interest parity test coefficients can be expressed as functions of the parameters of the expectations mechanisms. Negative values for uncovered interest parity test coefficients are explained by adaptive expectations with a high speed of learning and distributed lag expectations, while positive values are caused by adaptive expectations with a low speed of learning, regressive expectations and bandwagon expectations.monetary economics ;

Shifts and Twists in the Relative Productivity of Skilled Labor

Skill-biased technical change is usually interpreted in terms of the efficiency parameters of skilled and unskilled labor. This implies that the relative productivity of skilled workers changes proportionally in all tasks. In contrast, we argue that technical changes also affect the curvature of the distribution of relative productivity. Building on Rosen''s (1978) tasks assignment model, this implies that not only the efficiency parameters of skilled and unskilled workers change, but also the elasticity of substitution between skill-types of labor. Using data for the United States between 1963 and 2002, we find significant empirical support for a decrease in the elasticity of substitution at the end of the 70s followed by an increase at the beginning of the 90s. This pattern of the elasticity of substitution has contributed to the labor productivity slowdown in the mid 70s through the 80s and to a speedup in the 90s.education, training and the labour market;

Shifts and Twists in the Relative Productivity of Skilled Labor: Reconciling Accelerated SBTC with the Productivity Slowdown

Skill-biased technical change is usually interpreted in terms of the efficiency parameters of skilled and unskilled labor. This implies that the relative productivity of skilled workers changes proportionally in all tasks. In contrast, we argue that technical changes also affect the curvature of the distribution of relative productivity. Building on Rosen's (1978) tasks assignment model, this implies that not only the efficiency parameters of skilled and unskilled workers change, but also the elasticity of substitution between skill-types of labor. Using data for the United States between 1963 and 2002, we find significant empirical support for a decrease in the elasticity of substitution at the end of the 70s followed by an increase at the end of the 80s. This pattern of the elasticity of substitution has contributed to the slowdown in labor productivity in the late 70s through the 80s and to a speedup in the 90sAssignment, SBTC, output growth, cointegration and regime shifts

The Effects of Age, Gender and Job Strain on Labour Market Outflow: An Exploratory Study

The objective of this study is to improve our understanding of the causes of replacement demand and labour market outflow. A better understanding of the factors that explain why workers flow out is needed for the Netherlands because this country is faced with a particularly high labour market outflow, reflected in a very low participation rate. In our investigation, we focus on different indicators of job strain, as well as variables such as age, gender and job level. We perform both univariate and multivariate regressions to find the effects of these variables on the net flows on the labour market. The regression results reveal that age, gender and (to a lesser extent) job level have the strongest connection with and effect on outflow. The regressions also show that job strain has hardly any noticeable effect on net flow.education, training and the labour market;

Synthesis composite of TiO2/chitosan and TiO2/ bentonite for removing turbidity from Ismailia Canal as water treatment plant

The conditions of water in Ismailia canal (Mostorod refinery site) are alarming now because it looks more cloudy and dirty. Water was contaminated not only organic trashes, but also inorganic. The adsorption capacity of clays is often used to remove undesirable substances from aqueous solutions. Chitosan is widely used in biological applications due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability. The aim of the present study is to review the possible applications of the nanotechnology for the removal of pollutants from wastewater by TiO2/Bentonite and TiO2/Chitosan, when added this composite to wastewater and when exposed to visible light they will generate OH radical compounds that can degrade organic pollutants and compounds superoxide, at pH 2

Forecasting the Labour Markets for Research Scientsits and Engineers in the European Union

The aim of this study is to assess whether the higher education systems in the Member States of the European Union will produce sufficient numbers of science & technology (S&T) graduates to meet the demands for research scientists and engineers (RSE’s) up to 2002. On the demand side, we distinguish between job openings due to employment growth (expansion demand) and due to outflow (replacement demand). Employment of RSE’s is modelled as an error correction mechanism with R&D expenditure as the explanatory variable. A recent survey of European R&D establishments enables us to determine replacement demand. On the supply side, the labour market inflow of RSE’s is derived from data on S&T-graduates and RSE employment. We produce forecasts for demand and supply for 14 Member States of the EU under four alternative scenarios, which are based on two dimensions: economic growth and human capital policy. The forecasts are first used to identify labour market discrepancies by country and by field of study. Then we identify the opportunities for international labour mobility to solve the bottlenecks in the labour markets. The forecasting results indicate considerable shortages of RSE’s in certain fields of study in various Member States of the EU under certain scenarios. At the same time, for the EU as a whole there are excess supplies in each of the four fields of study distinguished, no matter which scenario will unfold up to 2002, illustrating the importance of international labour mobility.education, training and the labour market;

Discovery Education Transformative Professional Development Model in Egypt: A phenomenological study

This phenomenological study aims to explore teachers’ and principals’ personal experiences with and perspectives on the features of “STEM Now Egypt” program as a transformative professional development (PD) model. It also seeks to examine “STEM Now Egypt” PD program participants’ perceived skills. This study was guided by constructivist principles which were thought to yield transformative PD results. It was conducted in fifteen public schools in Greater Cairo in Egypt and employed a qualitative phenomenological study approach by conducting one to one semi-structured interviews with twelve teachers and three principals selected based on their participation in the two-year “STEM Now Egypt” PD program. All data collected were coded. A thick descriptive representation of findings in almost all participants’ responses was used to find out similar themes and generate conclusions. The research findings reveal general agreement among all participants’ perspectives on PD transformative features, perceived skills, and professional learning pertaining to the literature review and as implemented in “STEM Now Egypt” PD program. All teachers and principals were found to hold positive perspectives toward “STEM Now” extended, and experiential workshops; expert mentoring for follow-up support; principals’ participation in the PD program side by side with teachers; embedding technology in content-based and contextualized training; coherence in addressing digital curricula, research-based instructional strategies and ways of assessing 21st century skills; face-to-face and online professional learning communities; and ongoing feedback and reflection. The study also generated some recommendations that might transform future PD programs in Egypt

Kantiška Grocijaus kritika

[full article, abstract in English; abstract in Lithuanian] During the last few years, it has become usual to turn to some seventeenth century readings of the traditional idea of an original common possession of the earth for philosophical aid to explain and support the rights of persons in situations of extreme need, including refugees. Hugo Grotius’s conception of this idea is one of the most cited ones. In this paper, I hold that a Grotian reading of the idea of an original common possession of the earth is not a fruitful principle if we want to elaborate a solid defence of the rights of the ones in need. I reconstruct and analyse the role this idea has in Grotius’s theory of private property and present objections to it from a Kantian perspective.[straipsnis ir santrauka anglų kalba, santrauka lietuvių kalba] Per pastaruosius kelerius metus tapo įprasta atsigręžti į septynioliktojo amžiaus tradicinę idėją apie pirmapradę bendrą žemės nuosavybę. Hugo Grocijaus koncepcija yra viena iš dažniausiai minimų kaip filosofinė pagalba aiškinant ir remiant asmenų, turinčių ypatingų poreikių, įskaitant pabėgėlius, teises. Šiame straipsnyje teigiu, kad pirmapradės bendros žemės nuosavybės idėjos grociškoji interpretacija nėra produktyvus principas, jei norime parengti tvirtą asmenų, kuriems reikia pagalbos, teisių apsaugą. Aš rekonstruoju ir analizuoju šios idėjos vaidmenį Grocijaus privačios nuosavybės teorijoje ir pateikiu prieštaravimus jai iš Kanto perspektyvos