Dynamics of female labour force participation in France

This article formulates and estimates a structural intertemporal model of labour force participation. Relying on theoretical characterizations derived from an economic model of lifetime behaviour, we estimate a dynamic probit model with correlated random effects using longitudinal data to allow for a dynamic structure. The model is applied to a panel of married women drawn from the 1997–2002 French Labour Force surveys in order to represent their participation behaviour. It is estimated by maximum simulated likelihood. Our results show that women’s decisions to go out to work are characterized by significant state dependence, unobserved heterogeneity and negative serial correlation in the transitory error component. In addition, we find that the presence of young children in a woman’s household reduces her labour participation, but unequally according to their age and number. As expected, educational level has a positive impact on women’s participation. Last, a rise in the husband’s wage is found to raise female participation initially and to lower it subsequently. This empirical finding suggests that leisure may not systematically be a normal good, contrary to what is frequently assumed in the literature.     

Creating Opportunities for Women in the Renewable Energy Sector: Findings from India

This paper identifies opportunities and constraints that low-income women face in accessing livelihoods in the renewable-energy sector in India through qualitative and quantitative research conducted in collaboration with The Energy Resources Institute (TERI) and the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) in 2012–13. Whereas previous research has focused on women mostly as end users of solar and biomass technologies, this research attempts also to understand women's potential as entrepreneurs, facilitators, designers, and innovators. Findings reveal that although access to technology and employment in the energy sector is limited by inadequate purchasing power and low social status, there is tremendous potential to create livelihoods for women at all levels of the energy supply chain. Broader findings indicate that women can gain optimal traction from employment in the energy sector only if there are wider socially progressive policies in place, including state intervention to create a robust social welfare infrastructure and accessible, high-quality, public services.     

Stuck in the Middle: Off-Farm Employment and Caregiving Among Middle-Aged Rural Chinese

ABSTRACT

Using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2011–12 baseline data, this contribution explores to what extent taking care of grandchildren and frail parents influences rural middle-aged Chinese adults’ off-farm employment. The findings show that, conditional on socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, taking care of grandchildren has a negative effect on rural middle-aged men's and women's off-farm job participation and hours worked. Caregiving for parents does not have the same negative effects on off-farm employment and hours worked. Furthermore, the study finds that annual earnings are also negatively affected by caregiving responsibilities, especially for women and men taking care of grandchildren.     

Fertility and the puzzle of female employment in the Middle East and North Africa

Female labour force participation rates across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have remained low for over four decades even though, in the same period, women's education rapidly increased and fertility rates substantially decreased. This study provides a better understanding of this surprising phenomenon by testing whether the number of children affects the mother's labour supply (using twins at first birth as an instrumental variable.) Despite a strong first stage, it does not find statistically significant effects in the second stage, even in the combined sample of over 100,000 observations. This non‐result, however, does not rule out that fertility affects women's employment in these countries. But it rejects impacts larger than 0.09. Similar twin‐studies in the United States found effects between 0.12 and 0.31. The paper discusses the implications of this result in understanding the puzzle of female participation in MENA and in designing policies to increase women's employment.     

二维湍流外力尺度影响的格子Boltzmann方法研究

该文基于格子Boltzmann方法,研究系统外力尺度kmax/kf对二维湍流的能谱和统计行为的影响。考虑了两种系统外力(高斯力和Kolmogorov力)和三种外力尺度max/fk k。在不存在线性摩擦力情况下,验证了描述二阶涡量结构函数与能谱关系的Benzi理论。研究表明:当外力尺度kmax/kf逐渐增大时,Kolmogorov外力情况下的二阶涡量结构函数与能谱之间的关系逐渐符合Benzi理论。在存在线性摩擦力情况下,出现能谱双能级。随着外力尺度kmax/kf逐渐增大,Kolmogorov外力情况下的直接惯性区能谱逐渐接近Kraichnann理论。在两种系统外力情况下涡量场和速度场的概率分布函数(PDF)具有指数尾迹,与Falkovich和Lebedev理论预测的结果一致。PDF随着kmax/kf增加有更大的峰度(Kurtosis),这意味着在直接级联惯性区具有更强的间歇性。     

我国农村劳动力＂反梯度＂流动的经济学分析——以新疆采棉工为例

农村劳动力“反梯度”流动是我国经济和社会转型期间出现的一种特殊现象。从流向看，它有悖于劳动力由乡一城、由落后地区一发达地区流动的规律。文章采用经济学分析方法，以新疆采棉工为研究对象，从理论和现实两个层面研究分析采棉工理性的流动决策行为以及基本特征和相关影响因素。     

How to estimate market concentration given grouped data

A novel method is proposed of estimating market concentration for the census case in which firms are grouped into size classes and all that is known about the firms in each category is their number and aggregate size. The formula arises as a way of applying an alternative expression for the concentration ratio based upon the original and first moment size distributions of firms. The semi-parametric technique, which includes a method of interval as well as point estimation, is derived, applied and validated using actual and simulated data. It is anticipated that the estimator will be of use in competition analysis as well as in academic research.     

运动休闲——运动导向转变的力量

运动休闲在个人、社区以及国家(社会)的生活中正逐渐被看作一种强有力的导向性因素,它可以提高社区文化的生活品味,改善人们的生活状况,还可以影响国家政策制定者的行动指向以及国家整体生活状况的幸福指数。     

为企之道 重在执行

文章围绕如何提高执行力，如何建立良好的执行力保障体系，如何把企业战略、规划转化成为成果、效益等问题，根据人力资源管理的相关理论和日常的工作实践，对执行力深意进行解析和探讨。