European integration, labour market dynamics and migration flows

This paper has a double goal. On one side we want to evaluate the effect of economic integration on migration flows moving from the enlargement countries towards the EU-15; on the other, we want to analyse whether the migration flows had any impact over employment, real wages and labour force in the receiving countries of the European labour market. Due to the fact that economic integration can be observed in different real, monetary and financial phenomena, we refer to three of these to measure integration: trade openness, trade integration and financial market integration. These indicators have been inserted in a theoretical model that tries to explain labour market dynamics. The theoretical context that seemed the most suitable one to summarise European labour market characteristics is a modified version of the insider/outsider model proposed by Layard, Nickell and Jackman (LNJ, 1991). Another innovative contribution is the introduction of an equation modelling migration flows, whose creation is inspired to the neo-classic approach to the migration theory (Harris-Todaro, 1970). The model based on rational expectations is solved to find the equilibrium solution and the impact multipliers. Subsequently we estimated a structural VAR with the aim of both evaluating the impact that different shocks on integration measures have on migration flows, and measuring the type of effects that an increase in migration flows causes on the labour market. The estimates show that economic integration generate relevant effects on migration flows from the enlargement countries towards the EU-15 countries. Moreover, from the results emerge that migration flows generate an effect on the labour market.European economic integration, labour market effects, migration

BUILDING SYNTHETIC INDICATORS FOR ASPECTS OF TERRITORIAL CAPITAL TOWARDS THEIR IMPACT ON REGIONAL PERFORMANCE

Empirical analyses highlight local structural features (territorial capital) as constraints on regional growth and interregional convergence processes, but scant attention is devoted to traditional localised resources and specifically the natural and cultural heritage. However, only the application of know-how embodied in human capital to resources provides value. Specifically, heritage becomes economically relevant through human capital acting via tourist, recreational and cultural activities. Although, because of its service exporting nature, tourism contributes to economic growth and job creation similarly to manufacturing, the literature concerned manufacturing and rarely studied tourism or extended results to it. Besides, in Europe tourism is the market activity most favouring policentricity, territorial cohesion and equity. On the other hand, heritage valorisation responding to tourist service demand has adverse effects on development (congestion) and environmental quality / resource consumption (heritage dissipation); these partly offset strictly economic benefits and over time weaken the destination’s pull, hence its value and its population’s welfare. Our goal is to analyse the role of territorial capital, and specifically of intangibles such as natural and cultural capital, in regional growth processes and in local response processes to exogenous crises, by building a national database of territorial capital in Italian provinces, containing synthetic endowment indicators for natural and cultural heritage, human capital, and structure and distribution of tourism and leisure industries. Our methodology includes the application of multivariate analyses, with state-of-the-art techniques. We use available European and national databases, augmented by ad hoc integrations if and when needed. The study area is Italy; the optimal tier is NUTS3, i.e. provinces, in Italy. The time reference is 1990-2010, to ensure a structural long-term approach. The paper is organised in the following way: - an initial section outlines the original data on 103 provinces, providing 33 proxy indicators of which major univariate statistics and correlations are explored; - a first main section reduces indicators into 5 synthetic indicators, by means of factor analysis; - a second main section reduces provinces into 11 ideal types, by means of cluster analysis; - a final section compares and interprets results, also with reference to 2007-2009 economic dynamics.

European Integration, Labour Market Dynamics and Migration Flows

The paper has two objectives. Firstly, we wish to evaluate whether a greater economic integration has effects, and of what type, on migration flows from Central and Eastern Europe (New Member States of the EU, NMS) towards the fifteen countries of the European Union (EU-15). Secondly, we wish to understand what effect the migration flows from the NMS have on the labour market of the receiving countries in the EU-15. The most suitable theoretical context that seems to summarise European labour market characteristics is that of the insider/outsider model by Layard, Nickell and Jackman (Layard et al., 1991). We have modified the above mentioned model by introducing two innovations. Firstly, we constructed three measures that act as a proxy for economic integration: the Intra Regional Trade Index (IRTI), Global Trade Index (GTI) and Financial Market Integration (FMI). Then we placed the three indicators into the insider/outsider model to arrive at a modified version of Layard, Nickell and Jackman (Layard et al., 1991). The second innovative contribution was the introduction of an equation modelling migration flows. The creation of this equation is inspired by the neo-classical approach to migration theory (Harris-Todaro, 1970). The theoretical model, based on rational expectations, has been solved to find the equilibrium solution and the impact multipliers. We then carried out an empirical analysis, which involved estimating a Structural Vector Autoregression Model (SVAR). The aim of this estimation was to evaluate, on the one hand, the effect that greater European integration (a positive shock to the integration indicators) has on migration flows, and, on the other, to measure the type of effect that migration flows could have on the labour market of the EU-15 countries, considered as a single entity. The results of our empirical evidence show that economic integration does generate significant effects on migration flows from the enlargement countries towards the EU-15 countries. It also emerges that migration flows do generate an effect on the European labour market.European economic integration, labour market effects, migration

European Integration, Labour Market Dynamics and Migration Flows

The paper has two objectives. Firstly, we wish to evaluate whether a greater economic integration has effects, and of what type, on migration flows from Central and Eastern Europe (New Member States of the EU, NMS) towards the fifteen countries of the European Union (EU-15). Secondly, we wish to understand what effect the migration flows from the NMS have on the labour market of the receiving countries in the EU-15. The most suitable theoretical context that seems to summarise European labour market characteristics is that of the insider/outsider model by Layard, Nickell and Jackman (Layard et al., 1991). We have modified the above mentioned model by introducing two innovations. Firstly, we constructed three measures that act as a proxy for economic integration: the Intra Regional Trade Index (IRTI), Global Trade Index (GTI) and Financial Market Integration (FMI). Then we placed the three indicators into the insider/outsider model to arrive at a modified version of Layard, Nickell and Jackman (Layard et al., 1991). The second innovative contribution was the introduction of an equation modelling migration flows. The creation of this equation is inspired by the neo-classical approach to migration theory (Harris-Todaro, 1970). The theoretical model, based on rational expectations, has been solved to find the equilibrium solution and the impact multipliers. We then carried out an empirical analysis, which involved estimating a Structural Vector Autoregression Model (SVAR). The aim of this estimation was to evaluate, on the one hand, the effect that greater European integration (a positive shock to the integration indicators) has on migration flows, and, on the other, to measure the type of effect that migration flows could have on the labour market of the EU-15 countries, considered as a single entity. The results of our empirical evidence show that economic integration does generate significant effects on migration flows from the enlargement countries towards the EU-15 countries. It also emerges that migration flows do generate an effect on the European labour market

a simulated neuro robotic environment for bi directional closed loop experiments

AbstractWe have developed a new simulation environment, called

Quantitative Estimation of the Nonstationary Behavior of Neural Spontaneous Activity

The “stationarity time” (ST) of neuronal spontaneous activity signals of rat embryonic cortical cells, measured by means of a planar Multielectrode Array (MEA), was estimated based on the “Detrended Fluctuation Analysis” (DFA). The ST is defined as the mean time interval during which the signal under analysis keeps its statistical characteristics constant. An upgrade on the DFA method is proposed, leading to a more accurate procedure. Strong statistical correlation between the ST, estimated from the Absolute Amplitude of Neural Spontaneous Activity (AANSA) signals and the Mean Interburst Interval (MIB), calculated by classical spike sorting methods applied to the interspike interval time series, was obtained. In consequence, the MIB may be estimated by means of the ST, which further includes relevant biological information arising from basal activity. The results point out that the average ST of MEA signals lies between 2-3 seconds. Furthermore, it was shown that a neural culture presents signals that lead to different statistical behaviors, depending on the relative geometric position of each electrode and the cells. Such behaviors may disclose physiological phenomena, which are possibly associated with different adaptation/facilitation mechanisms

Liuc papers

Il paper ha l’obiettivo di fornire le basi concettuali per analizzare l’impatto che gli elementi intangibili del capitale territoriale hanno sulle perfomance locali. Questi elementi includono il patrimonio culturale e naturale e il capitale umano sia nel processo di crescita territoriale – regionale e provinciale - sia nel processo di risposta a shock esogeni, come nell'attuale situazione di crisi economica e finanziaria. Per raggiungere questo obiettivo, si è partiti da una rassegna della letteratura teorica ed empirica del capitale umano e delle risorse intangibili (culturali, artistiche, architettoniche, paesaggistiche e naturali). In seguito si è provveduto a costruire una banca dati nazionale delle risorse intangibili e del capitale umano nelle 103 province italiane (a livello NUTS 3), limitatamente agli anni 1991, 2001 e 2007. I dati sono stati estratti da siti istituzionali quali: ESPON progetto europeo, Eurostat, Istat e Istituto Tagliacarne. Lo scopo della banca dati è quello di identificare, definire e costruire indicatori sintetici quantitativi relativi alla dotazione di capitale umano (istruzione, qualifiche, professioni) e alla dotazione di risorse naturali, culturali e dell’industria turistica. L’analisi si conclude con una ricostruzione del posizionamento delle province italiane rispetto alla media nazionale in merito al capitale territoriale.The paper aims to the laying out of conceptual and empirical bases for analyzing the impact of the intangible elements have on local performance. These include the cultural and natural heritage and human capital both in the process of territorial growth – regional and provincial – and in the process of responses to exogenous shocks as in the current economic and financial crisis. To achieve this goal, we started from a critical review of theoretical and empirical literature on the possible extent of human capital and intangible resources – cultural, artistic, architectural, landscape and natural. Then, we dealt with the setting up of a national database for territorial capital of intangible resources and human capital in the 103 Italian Provinces NUTS3, limited to 1991, 2001, 2007. Data were supplied by institutional sites like: European Project ESPON, Eurostat, Istat and Tagliacarne Institute. The purpose of data collection is to identify, define and build up synthetic quantitative indicators relating to human capital endowment – educational terms and qualifications, professions as well as natural, cultural art resources, and the tourism industry. Finally we analyzed the positioning of the Italian provinces compared to the national average endowment of territorial capital

Liuc papers

Il paper ha l’obiettivo di fornire le basi concettuali per analizzare l’impatto che gli elementi intangibili del capitale territoriale hanno sulle perfomance locali. Questi elementi includono il patrimonio culturale e naturale e il capitale umano sia nel processo di crescita territoriale – regionale e provinciale - sia nel processo di risposta a shock esogeni, come nell'attuale situazione di crisi economica e finanziaria. Per raggiungere questo obiettivo, si è partiti da una rassegna della letteratura teorica ed empirica del capitale umano e delle risorse intangibili (culturali, artistiche, architettoniche, paesaggistiche e naturali). In seguito si è provveduto a costruire una banca dati nazionale delle risorse intangibili e del capitale umano nelle 103 province italiane (a livello NUTS 3), limitatamente agli anni 1991, 2001 e 2007. I dati sono stati estratti da siti istituzionali quali: ESPON progetto europeo, Eurostat, Istat e Istituto Tagliacarne. Lo scopo della banca dati è quello di identificare, definire e costruire indicatori sintetici quantitativi relativi alla dotazione di capitale umano (istruzione, qualifiche, professioni) e alla dotazione di risorse naturali, culturali e dell’industria turistica. L’analisi si conclude con una ricostruzione del posizionamento delle province italiane rispetto alla media nazionale in merito al capitale territoriale.The paper aims to the laying out of conceptual and empirical bases for analyzing the impact of the intangible elements have on local performance. These include the cultural and natural heritage and human capital both in the process of territorial growth – regional and provincial – and in the process of responses to exogenous shocks as in the current economic and financial crisis. To achieve this goal, we started from a critical review of theoretical and empirical literature on the possible extent of human capital and intangible resources – cultural, artistic, architectural, landscape and natural. Then, we dealt with the setting up of a national database for territorial capital of intangible resources and human capital in the 103 Italian Provinces NUTS3, limited to 1991, 2001, 2007. Data were supplied by institutional sites like: European Project ESPON, Eurostat, Istat and Tagliacarne Institute. The purpose of data collection is to identify, define and build up synthetic quantitative indicators relating to human capital endowment – educational terms and qualifications, professions as well as natural, cultural art resources, and the tourism industry. Finally we analyzed the positioning of the Italian provinces compared to the national average endowment of territorial capital