Employment Contracting Under the ECA: Preliminary Survey Results

In order to make an initial assessment of the extent of labour market adjustment under the Employment Contracts Act 1991, the Department of Labour commissioned surveys of adjustment under the Act in 1992 and 1993. These surveys showed the spread of enterprise bargaining and individual employment contracts, the nature of industrial relations changes made in different types of enterprises, and the concentration of changes amongst larger enterprises. The surveys also demonstrated that many of the changes made under the Act occurred in its initial years. The Department has commissioned a similar survey again this year, the final results of which are due early next year. This paper explains the objectives of this year's survey, how it differs from the previous surveys, and presents some preliminary results

Employment Contracting Under the ECA: Preliminary Survey Results

In order to make an initial assessment of the extent of labour market adjustment under the Employment Contracts Act 1991, the Department of Labour commissioned surveys of adjustment under the Act in 1992 and 1993. These surveys showed the spread of enterprise bargaining and individual employment contracts, the nature of industrial relations changes made in different types of enterprises, and the concentration of changes amongst larger enterprises. The surveys also demonstrated that many of the changes made under the Act occurred in its initial years. The Department has commissioned a similar survey again this year, the final results of which are due early next year. This paper explains the objectives of this year's survey, how it differs from the previous surveys, and presents some preliminary results

Sustainability, Digital Transformation and Fintech: The New Challenges of the Banking Industry

In the current competitive scenario, the banking industry must contend with multiple challenges tied to regulations, legacy systems, disruptive models/technologies, new competitors, and a restive customer base, while simultaneously pursuing new strategies for sustainable growth. Banking institutions that can address these emerging challenges and opportunities to effectively balance long-term goals with short-term performance pressures could be aptly rewarded. This book comprises a selection of papers addressing some of these relevant issues concerning the current challenges and opportunities for international banking institutions. Papers in this collection focus on the digital transformation of the banking industry and its effect on sustainability, the emergence of new competitors such as FinTech companies, the role of mobile banking in the industry, the connections between sustainability and financial performance, and other general sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) topics related to the banking industry. The book is a Special Issue of the MDPI journal Sustainability, which has been sponsored by the Santander Financial Institute (SANFI), a Spanish research and training institution created as a collaboration between Santander Bank and the University of Cantabria. SANFI works to identify, develop, support, and promote knowledge, study, talent, and innovation in the financial sector

Making the internet globally sustainable: technical and policy options for improved energy management, governance and community acceptance of Nordic datacenters

Both policymakers and the technology industry need to do more to combat the ever-growing demand for data and its associated energy impacts. In this study, based on novel corporate data, expert interviews, focus groups with members of the public, extensive site visits across Greenland, Iceland and Norway and a literature review, we look at the energy and climate impacts of existing and proposed datacenters, both quantitatively and in terms of stakeholder and public perceptions. The paper examines datacenter management and sustainability practices in the Nordic region. It explores what community impacts occur, and how communities manage conflicting objectives. It investigates the technical and policy options that can make datacenters more sustainable and/or lower-carbon and it explores associated stakeholder and public views in the three countries. In exploring these themes, our study examines the shifting energy governance of datacenters, including patterns of electricity consumption and cooling but also circular economy operations and power densities. We also analyze a series of 40 solutions for eco-friendly design or green datacenter management across the entire lifecycle. We conclude with implications for energy and climate policy as well as future research