Interiority of the optimal population growth rate with endogenous fertility

This paper analyzes the interiority of the optimal population growth rate in a two-period overlapping generations model with endogenous fertility as compared to the case with exogenous fertility analyzed by Samuelson (1975) and Deardorff (1976).

Interiority of the Optimal Population Growth Rate with Endogenous Fertility

This paper analyzes the issue of the interiority of the optimal population growth rate in a two-period overlapping generations model with endogenous fertility. Using Cobb-Douglas utility and production functions, we show that the introduction of a cost of raising children allows for the possibility of the existence of an interior global maximum in the planners problem, contrary to the exogenous fertility case.endogenous fertility, optimal population growth, overlaping generations models

Applying Active Learning Methods in Higher Education

The 1st International Conference in Experiences in Active Learning in Higher Education was held on 27 October 2017 at the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Barcelona. It provided a forum for high-quality research in innovation in higher education focusing on active learning methodologies such as flipped classroom, team-based learning and problem-based learning

Competences acquisition of university students: Do they match job market’s needs?

Purpose: This paper aims at analyzing the skills and competences acquired by students during their university studies, in order to identify the extent to which they fit into society’s labor market demands. Design/methodology/approach: We use data from a survey for firm supervisors corresponding to practices in the Faculty of Economics and Business for the course 2013-14. We analyze the achievement of basic and specific competences and other training project skills, distinguishing by degrees. Findings: Companies find some lacks in the ability to manage time properly, in being versatile, in the communication skills, the ability to work as a team and specially in having an entrepreneurial view. At the university level, this requires training processes more oriented towards experimentation and problem solving. Research limitations/implications: The database used refers only to one Faculty of the University of Barcelona. It would be interesting to collect more data and extend the results to a more general context. Practical implications: It might be interesting both for firms and universities to move closer to one another in a cooperative way. More programs are needed to further enhance the employability of graduates and encourage the mobility of teachers in order for them to spend some time performing their research directly at a firm. Originality/value: This paper explores the immediate and direct relationship established between the university and the labor market through the training period students make during the final stages of their studies.Peer Reviewe

Impacto entre iguales en los resultados educativos en Economía

INTRODUCCIÓ. Aquest article aprofundeix en l’estudi de les interaccions entre iguals a l’aula universitària. MÈTODE. Avaluem els efectes del treball en equip en el rendiment acadèmic individual en quatre assignatures que utilitzen l’aprenentatge basat en equips (ABE) dels graus d’Economia i d’Administració d’Empreses. RESULTATS. Trobem que les qualificacions individuals dels estudiants tenen una associació positiva i significativa amb la qualificació mitjana de la resta de membres de l’equip. La puntuació pròpia de l’estudiant augmenta aproximadament 0,65 punts per cada augment d’1 punt a la nota mitjana dels companys d’equip. Aquesta associació continua sent positiva i significativa fins i tot quan incloem variables sociodemogràfiques per controlar les característiques individuals. També contrastem l’heterogeneïtat dels efectes dels companys segons la capacitat de rendiment individual i d’equip. DISCUSSIÓ. Els resultats suggereixen que no hi ha heterogeneïtat en la capacitat individual, però trobem una diferència positiva o lleugerament negativa en la magnitud de l’efecte del treball entre iguals per als equips que es troben en el quartil superior/inferior, en contrast amb els equips que es troben al mig en la distribució.INTRODUCTION. This paper contributes to the study of peer interactions in the university classroom. METHOD. We evaluate the effects of teamwork on individual academic performance in four Team Based Learning (TBL) courses in the degrees of Economics and Business Administration. RESULTS. We found that the average grade of the rest of the team members has a significant and positive association with the grade of the individual student. The student’s personal test score increases about 0.65 points for every 1-point increase in the average score of their teammates. This association remains positive and significant even when we include socio-demographic variables to control for individual characteristics. We also tested the heterogeneity of peer effects in relation to the ability of individual and team performance. DISCUSSION. The results suggest there is no heterogeneity in individual ability; however, we found a positive or slightly negative difference in the magnitude of the peer effect for teams in the top/bottom quartile compared to teams in the middle of the distribution.Este artículo profundiza en el estudio de las interacciones entre iguales en el aula universitaria. MÉTODO. Evaluamos los efectos del trabajo en equipo en el rendimiento académico individual en cuatro asignaturas que emplean el Aprendizaje Basado en Equipos (ABE) de los grados de Economía y Administración de Empresas. RESULTADOS. Encontramos que la calificación promedio del resto de los miembros del equipo tiene una asociación positiva y significativa con las calificaciones individuales de los estudiantes. La puntuación de la prueba del estudiante aumenta aproximadamente 0,65 puntos por cada aumento de 1 punto en la nota promedio de sus compañeros de equipo. Esta asociación sigue siendo positiva y significativa, incluso cuando incluimos variables sociodemográficas para controlar las características individuales. También probamos la heterogeneidad de los efectos de los pares por nivel de desempeño individual y de equipo. DISCUSIÓN. Los resultados sugieren que no hay heterogeneidad en la capacidad individual, pero encontramos una diferencia positiva o ligeramente negativa en la magnitud del efecto de los pares para los equipos en el cuartil superior/inferior en relación con los equipos en el medio de la distribución

Optimal Population Growth and Social Security Reform with Heterogeneous Agents

In this paper we propose a pension policy that would isolate the social security system from any financial crisis resulting from changes in population structure. This policy consists of linking social security benefits to the fertility behaviour of the individual. We present a theoretical analysis to show that this policy restores the optimality of the capital-labour ratio and the population growth rate in an overlapping-generations model with endogenous fertility. We extend this analysis to the case of heterogeneous agents with respect to their preferences towards children. JEL Code: H55, J13, J18 Key words: pay-as-you-go social security system, overlapping-generations model, endogenous fertility, heterogeneous agents, optimal population growth. # We would like to thank Eduard Berenguer, Maurice Marchand, Philippe Michel, Pierre Pestieau and an anonymous referee for helpful discussion and comments. However we alone are responsible for any errors remaining in the paper. Financial support by Fundacin BBV is gratefully acknowledged by the authors. Corresponding author: Concepci Patxot. 2 1

Competences acquisition of university students: Do they match job market's needs?

Purpose: This paper aims at analyzing the skills and competences acquired by students during their university studies, in order to identify the extent to which they fit into society’s labor market demands. Design/methodology/approach: We use data from a survey for firm supervisors corresponding to practices in the Faculty of Economics and Business for the course 2013-14. We analyze the achievement of basic and specific competences and other training project skills, distinguishing by degrees. Findings: Companies find some lacks in the ability to manage time properly, in being versatile, in the communication skills, the ability to work as a team and specially in having an entrepreneurial view. At the university level, this requires training processes more oriented towards experimentation and problem solving. Research limitations/implications: The database used refers only to one Faculty of the University of Barcelona. It would be interesting to collect more data and extend the results to a more general context. Practical implications: It might be interesting both for firms and universities to move closer to one another in a cooperative way. More programs are needed to further enhance the employability of graduates and encourage the mobility of teachers in order for them to spend some time performing their research directly at a firm. Originality/value: This paper explores the immediate and direct relationship established between the university and the labor market through the training period students make during the final stages of their studies.</p

Measurement of Education and Training Effectiveness

Import 19/10/2011Tato bakalářská práce je zaměřena na hodnocení efektivnosti vzdělávání a výcviku ve výrobě drátů v dané společnosti s cílem analyzovat, zhodnotit a případně předložit návrhy ke zlepšení. Práce je rozdělena na pět částí. První část se zabývá teoretickými východisky, popisuje základní metody, systém měření, význam vzdělávání, následně pak jeho zpětnou vazbu a hodnocení efektivnosti. Tato část řeší i význam lidského faktoru ve společnosti. Druhá část analyzuje současný stav ve společnosti OSRAM Česká republika s.r.o., je zde popsána charakteristika společnosti, její výrobní aktivity a rozsah exportu. Ve třetí části je popsán současný stav procesu vzdělávání a hodnocení efektivnosti vzdělávání. Čtvrtá část je část praktická, která popisuje postup při realizaci metodiky a její následné zhodnocení. V poslední části je zpracován návrh pro zlepšení současné metodiky.This bachelor thesis is focused on the evaluation of education and training effectiveness in the fine wire production of company OSRAM Česká republika s.r.o. with the goal to analyse, evaluate and eventually suggest proposals for improvement. The thesis is divided into five main parts. The first part is devoted to theory, describes basic methods, measurement systems, education importance, sequentially its feed back and effectiveness evaluation. This part is also devoted to the importance of human factor in a company. The second part analyses the current status in the company OSRAM Česká republika s.r.o., it contains company characteristics, its production activities and export volume. There is described actual status of the education process and effectiveness evaluation in the third part. The fourth part describes an application of the methodology and its evaluation. The last part suggests proposals for improvement of the today’s methodology.639 - Katedra kontroly a řízení jakostivýborn

Is the deficit under control? A generational accounting perspective on fiscal policy and labour market trends in Spain

Centro de Informacion y Documentacion Cientifica (CINDOC). C/Joaquin Costa, 22. 28002 Madrid. SPAIN / CINDOC - Centro de Informaciòn y Documentaciòn CientìficaSIGLEESSpai

Competences acquisition of university students: Do they match job market's needs?

This paper aims at analyzing the skills and competences acquired by students during their university studies, in order to identify the extent to which they fit into society's labor market demands. Design/methodology/approach, we use data from a survey for firm supervisors corresponding to practices in the Faculty of Economics and Business for the course 2013-14. We analyze the achievement of basic and specific competences and other training project skills, distinguishing by degrees. Findings. Companies find some lacks in the ability to manage time properly, in being versatile, in the communication skills, the ability to work as a team and specially in having an entrepreneurial view. At the university level, this requires training processes more oriented towards experimentation and problem solving. Research limitations/implications, the database used refers only to one Faculty of the University of Barcelona. It would be interesting to collect more data and extend the results to a more general context. Practical implications, it might be interesting both for firms and universities to move closer to one another in a cooperative way. More programs are needed to further enhance the employability of graduates and encourage the mobility of teachers in order for them to spend some time performing their research directly at a firm. Originality/value, this paper explores the immediate and direct relationship established between the university and the labor market through the training period students make during the final stages of their studies