Fotografías de las generaciones jóvenes en el mercado laboral neerlandés

Ante el declive generalizado de la relación de trabajo estándar y sus efectos particulares en los jóvenes, se examinan aquí en detalle las trayectorias laborales de los trabajadores al inicio de su carrera en los Países Bajos entre 1985 y 2015 mediante el enfoque del análisis secuencial del ciclo vital. Tras calcular dos indicadores de inestabilidad (índices de entropía y de turbulencia), se observa que las cohortes que iniciaron su vida activa después de 2000 y, en particular, 2008 experimentan mayor inestabilidad laboral a pesar de las políticas de flexiseguridad aplicadas. Las transiciones hacia el empleo estable son la excepción al final del periodo estudiado.     

Anonymity in the dictator game revisited

Giving in the dictator game has often been interpreted as evidence of other-regarding preferences. We suspect that giving is determined by subjects’ attempts to appear fair in the eyes of recipients and the experimenter. Therefore, we investigate behavior in the dictator game by using the randomized response technique to increase anonymity. Overall, 290 subjects participated in two experiments. The results demonstrate that the randomized response technique reduces giving to negligible amounts compared to the standard double blind condition. Thus, our results suggest that individuals closely follow egoistic motives in the dictator game when anonymity is convincingly implemented.     

Optimizing service-level and relevant cost for a stochastic multi-item cyclic production system

A multi-item make-to-order production system in a stochastic environment is analyzed. Assuming a common cycle production approach, the impact of safety stock, cycle time, demand, processing time and setup time on service-level and total relevant cost (holding, setup and backorder cost) is determined. To illustrate this relationship a trajectory for the service-level with respect to the relevant cost (holding and setup) is presented. Furthermore algorithms to calculate the cycle time which leads to maximum service-level at constant safety stock and to calculate the pair cycle time and safety stock which minimize total relevant cost are introduced.     

Dual-track Ownership Reforms: Lessons from Structural Change in China, 1978‐1997

The dual-track approach is characteristic of evolutionary reforms in China. The most important aspect of this dualism has been the reform of the ownership structure. On the one track, new, basically market-oriented institutions emerged in a parallel economy comprising non-state enterprises. On the other track, stateowned enterprises were retained and reforms were restricted to conservative policy changes bringing minor productivity-enhancing measures. In order to highlight the performance of the two tracks, a widely neglected indicator is employed to check the performance of enterprises: namely a structural comparison of the resource reallocation processes of both tracks over time. It becomes clear that structural adjustment was basically generated by the new track. In addition, it is shown that the increasing competition from the new track will not accelerate structural adjustment of the old track as long as institutional reforms of SOEs are not significantly extended.