Unblocking the Lifeline of Talent. CEPS Policy Brief No. 306, 6 December 2013

Against the background of looming demographic decline, the departure of the baby-boom generation from European labour markets and growing economic competitiveness from emerging economies, this CEPS Policy Brief, published jointly with the Bertelsmann Stiftung, looks into the potential benefits of increased intra-EU labour mobility. The authors examine the ‘German case’ on EU labour mobility, digging below the surface of the aggregate data. They offer proposals on how to foster a European fair deal on talent, one that would benefit the EU as a whole. The paper concludes with policy recommendations on how to increase the potential benefits of the freedom of movement for both individual EU citizens and for the EU as a whole

Institutional Censorship in Relation to Catholic Press during the Decline of People’s Republic of Poland (1989–1990)

The goal of the article is to present the scope of interventions by the Regional Offices for the Control of Publications and Performances in the Catholic press during the decline of the People’s Republic of Poland (PRL) and the first months of the Republic of Poland, i.e. between January 1989 and April 1990. Initial censorship was a period which preceded the Round Table talks while final censorship ended with the abolition of censorship, i.e. the passing of the act (11 April 1990) on the liquidation of the institutions for the control of publications and performances. The source material for the article were the files of the Main Office of Control of Press, Publications and Shows stored in the Archives of New Records

Asian Economic Integration and Cross-Strait Relations

"For the purpose of the bilateral exchange, this paper will consist four parts: (I) the Evolution of “ASEAN Plus Three” (APT); (II) Challenges Ahead for APT; (III) the Impacts of APT on Taiwan; and (IV) Some Observations and Recommendations for the Evolution of Cross-Strait Relations."(...

Distributive Impact of Czech Social Security and Tax Systems in Early 2000`s

In this paper, we analyze the Czech social and tax systems and their impact on income distribution. We use regular household surveys, organized and published by the Czech Statistical Office (CSO), for years 1999-2002. This longer time span allows us to identify some trends in the Czech social security system and their impact on well-being of various income groups. We find that while the total cost of the Czech social security system were not escalating in the period of 1999-2002, the illness benefit – already the largest spending program – rose by enormous 72% in these four years. This largesse failed, however, to improve income of the poorest households as the benefit is very inefficient in increasing income of the poorest households. We also find that spending on more focused programs (social supplement and parental allowance) rose the least. Last but not least, we analyzed the impact of tax deductions on the income distribution in the Czech Republic. These deductions represent a massive transfer, comparable to all social benefits combined. Our analysis shows, that the impact of tax deductions on income of the poorest decile fell significantly over the period of 1999-2002.public budgets; social policy; income distribution

Quo vadis, Kosovo? : Security Challenges for a Small State

The text addresses the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal challenges Kosovo faces. The author claims that Kosovo faces many challenges, though without solving the status issue, no other challenges could be addressed. The Kosovo question remains the main conundrum in the Western Balkan region.Text se zabývá sektory bezpečnosti a jejich významem v aktuálním vývoji v Kosovu a možnými faktory ovlivňujícími stále křehkou regionální stabilitu. Autorka tvrdí, že Kosovo čelí mnoha výzvám, jejich řešení však závisí na otázce bilaterálních vztahů Kosova a Srbska. Text vychází z předpokladu, že status Kosova zůstává prozatím i do budoucna nejdůležitější otázkou v oblasti západního Balkánu do doby, než dojde k normalizaci vztahů Kosova a Srbska a jejich evoluci ke standardnímu vztahu dvou suverénních subjektů

Evidence-based approach for continuous improvement of occupational health

Introduction. It was recognized early on that an Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) approach could be applied to Public Health (PH), including the area of Occupational Health (OH). The aim of Evidence-Based Occupational Health (EBOH) is to ensure safety, health, and well-being in the workplace. Currently, high-quality research is necessary in order to provide arguments and scientific evidence upon which effective, efficient, and sustainable preventive measures and policies are to be developed in the workplace in Western countries. Occupational physicians need to integrate available scientific evidence and existing recommendations with a framework of national employment laws and regulations. Objective. This paper addresses the state of the art of scientific evidence available in the field (i.e., efficacy of interventions, usefulness of education and training of workers, and need of a multidisciplinary strategy integrated within the national PH programs) and the main critical issues for their implementation. Conclusions. Promoting good health is a fundamental part of the smart, inclusive growth objectives of Europe 2020 - Europe's growth strategy: keeping people healthy and active for longer has a positive impact on productivity and competitiveness. It appears clear that health quality and safety in the workplace play a key role for smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth in Western countries

Innovazione di business e adattamento al mercato: il caso Luxottica in Asia

Scopo di questo capitolo \ue8 analizzare, mediante lo studio del caso Luxottica, in che modo l\u2019innovazione di business e la propensione all\u2019adattamento al mercato estero influenzino il successo aziendale in mercati emergenti, come quello asiatico, e per un particolare segmento di mercato del comparto moda made in Italy, quello dell\u2019occhialeria

Closing Loops in Supply Chain Management: Designing Reverse Supply Chains for End-of-Life Vehicles.

In this thesis, the focus is on the design of reverse supply chains for end-of-life products, in particular end-of-life vehicles. For long-term success of end-of-life management, more economic stimuli are needed than is currently the case. Legislation as a single driving force is insufficient for companies to achieve closed loop supply chains. The key issue is to find eco-efficient solutions, i.e. design and operate an economically low cost network without violating applicable targets imposed by environmental legislation. In this thesis, a case study research methodology is adopted to develop design principles for network design and assess the consequences on the operations research models. Three case studies, which stem from the network of Auto Recycling Nederland, are described in detail.