Download or read book The World Bank Research Observer written by and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Reforming the Welfare State written by Richard B. Freeman and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2010-04-15 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the course of the twentieth century, Sweden carried out one of the most ambitious experiments by a capitalist market economy in developing a large and active welfare state. Sweden's generous social programs and the economic equality they fostered became an example for other countries to emulate. Of late, Sweden has also been much discussed as a model of how to deal with financial and economic crisis, due to the country's recovery from a banking crisis in the mid-1990s. At that time economists heatedly debated whether the welfare state caused Sweden's crisis and should be reformed—a debate with clear parallels to current concerns over capitalism. Bringing together leading economists, Reforming the Welfare State examines Sweden's policies in response to the mid-1990s crisis and the implications for the subsequent recovery. Among the issues investigated are the way changes in the labor market, tax and benefit policies, local government policy, industrial structure, and international trade affected Sweden's recovery. The way that Sweden addressed its economic challenges provides valuable insight into the viability of large welfare states, and more broadly, into the way modern economies deal with crisis.

Download or read book Social Contracts Under Stress written by Olivier Zunz and published by Russell Sage Foundation. This book was released on 2002-03-14 with total page 445 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The years following World War II saw a huge expansion of the middle classes in the world's industrialized nations, with a significant part of the working class becoming absorbed into the middle class. Although never explicitly formalized, it was as though a new social contract called for government, business, and labor to work together to ensure greater political freedom and more broadly shared economic prosperity. For the most part, they succeeded. In Social Contracts Under Stress, eighteen experts from seven countries examine this historic transformation and look ahead to assess how the middle class might fare in the face of slowing economic growth and increasing globalization. The first section of the book focuses on the differing experiences of Germany, Britain, France, the United States, and Japan as they became middle-class societies. The British working classes, for example, were slowest to consider themselves middle class, while in Japan by the 1960s, most workers had abandoned working-class identity. The French remain more fragmented among various middle classes and resist one homogenous entity. Part II presents compelling evidence that the rise of a huge middle class was far from inclusive or free of social friction. Some contributors discuss how the social contract reinforced long-standing prejudices toward minorities and women. In the United States, Ira Katznelson writes, Southern politicians used measures that should have promoted equality, such as the GI bill, to exclude blacks from full access to opportunity. In her review of gender and family models, Chiara Saraceno finds that Mediterranean countries have mobilized the power of the state to maintain a division of labor between men and women. The final section examines what effect globalization might have on the middle class. Leonard Schoppa's careful analysis of the relevant data shows how globalization has pushed "less skilled workers down and more skilled workers up out of a middle class that had for a few decades been home to both." Although Europe has resisted the rise of inequality more effectively than the United States or Japan, several contributors wonder how long that resistance can last. Social Contracts Under Stress argues convincingly that keeping the middle class open and inclusive in the face of current economic pressures will require a collective will extending across countries. This book provides an invaluable guide for assessing the issues that must be considered in such an effort.

Download or read book The Oxford Handbook of Swedish Politics written by Jon Pierre and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016 with total page 737 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Handbook provides a broad introduction to Swedish politics, and how Sweden's political system and policies have evolved over the past few decades.

Download or read book Great Transformations written by Mark Blyth and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2002-09-16 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book picks up where Karl Polanyi's study of economic and political change left off. Building upon Polanyi's conception of the double movement, Blyth analyzes the two periods of deep seated institutional change that characterized the twentieth century: the 1930s and the 1970s. Blyth views both sets of changes as part of the same dynamic. In the 1930s labor reacted against the exigencies of the market and demanded state action to mitigate the market's effects by 'embedding liberalism.' In the 1970s, those who benefited least from such 'embedding' institutions, namely business, reacted against these constraints and sought to overturn that institutional order. Blyth demonstrates the critical role economic ideas played in making institutional change possible. Great Transformations rethinks the relationship between uncertainty, ideas, and interests, achieving profound new insights on how, and under what conditions, institutional change takes place.

Download or read book Defending the Swedish Model written by Gregg Bucken-Knapp and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2009-09-24 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Across Europe, the prospect of a rapidly shrinking workforce has put increased labor migration back on the political agenda. However, for many on the left, concerns exist that less restrictive labor migration policies threaten core features of the social democratic project. This is perhaps clearest in Sweden, which in late 2008 adopted a liberal approach to third-country national labor migration, allowing employers to hire freely from outside the European Union. Defending the Swedish Model explores the debate leading up to this reform, focusing on the preferences of the Swedish Social Democratic Party (SAP) and the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO). While generally positive to the economic potential of increased labor migration, these allies remained highly skeptical towards calls from employers and bourgeois parties for liberalization. Bucken-Knapp argues that the SAP and LO develop their labor migration policy preferences on the basis of whether specific reform alternatives are perceived as being consistent with, or as undermining, the Swedish model. In the case of third-country nationals, both allies considered liberalization a threat to full employment aims, instead seeking to preserve an influential role for the state labor market board and organized labor. Bucken-Knapp also focuses on the Swedish labor migration debate prior to the 2004 enlargement of the European Union, showing how SAP concerns over potential abuse of the universal welfare state led to its support for transitional arrangements. Defending the Swedish Model illuminates the challenges faced by social democrats and trade unions when considering the need for increased labor migration.

Download or read book Theoretical Foundations and Discussions on the Reformation Process in Local Governments written by Sadioglu, Ugur and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2016-06-01 with total page 588 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Local government can be defined as a public entity acting as the sub-unit of a state or of a region, charged with the task of enforcing public policies. There have been many reforms of local government in recent years from the grassroots-led movement that took root in the 90’s to the overarching effects of globalization and decentralization. Local governments must adapt their practices in order to most effectively provide for their constituents. Theoretical Foundations and Discussions on the Reformation Process in Local Government addresses the effects of recent reforms in the political-administrative system of local governments and politics as well as future outlooks. It reviews the challenges, innovations, and lessons from local governments while providing theoretical perspectives on methods for positive reform. This book is a critical reference source for policy makers, government organizations, professionals, and actors in both local and international politics.

Download or read book Territorial Choice written by H. Baldersheim and published by Springer. This book was released on 2010-07-07 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents the experiences of eleven European countries in the field of territorial reforms. Based on case-studies that outline the basic features of the politics of territorial choice in the respective countries, the focus is on national policies, politics, and cleavages; the strategies employed and the outcomes of the reforms.

Download or read book OECD Territorial Reviews Sm land Blekinge Sweden 2012 written by OECD and published by OECD Publishing. This book was released on 2012-03-09 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The OECD territorial review of Småland-Blekinge presents an overview of recent trends, regional policies and governance arrangements of this region that is made up of four counties in South-East Sweden: Jönköping, Kronoberg, Kalmar and Blekinge.

Download or read book Designing the European Model written by S. Honkapohja and published by Springer. This book was released on 2009-04-30 with total page 510 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines existing problems in the European economy, focusing on labour markets, including labour market reform and outsourcing, as well as macroeconomic issues, such as macroeconomic stabilization in the Euro area and convergence and divergence in economic growth in the EU.

Download or read book Europeanization and Territorial Politics in Small European Unitary States written by Sandrina Antunes and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-12-17 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book addresses the impact of the European Union (EU) on subnational mobilization in small unitary states. Located at the intersection of contributions from the literatures on multilevel governance and Europeanization, this book offers a new theoretical framework to account for state rescaling processes in small unitary states. By means of a comparative analysis of eight small unitary states in Europe, this book shows that the impact of the EU on subnational mobilization is filtered through domestic mediating factors which can lead to three possible outcomes: decentralization, recentralization or no change. The book offers a balanced combination of analytical clarity and the richness of empirical accounts in a wide diversity of case studies. It sheds a new light on the ‘hybrid nature’ of the European polity and demonstrates that member state governments have remained the most important pieces of the European puzzle. Overall, it arrives at two conclusions: first, that we are witnessing a ‘transformation of the state’ rather than its demise; second, the notion of a ‘Europe of the Regions’ in small unitary states was no more than a ‘damp squib’. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the journal, Regional & Federal Studies.

Download or read book Sweden written by International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2016-11-17 with total page 61 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper discusses the findings of the Financial System Stability Assessment for Sweden. The Swedish financial system is large and highly interconnected, putting a premium on the accompanying policy framework. Relative to the size of the domestic economy, the financial system is among Europe’s largest. It features complex domestic and international linkages, reflecting Sweden’s role as a regional financial hub. However, the macrofinancial risks have grown since 2011, for example the rising share of highly indebted households. Stress tests also suggest that banks and nonbanks are largely resilient to solvency shocks, but concerns persist about the ability of bank models to capture unexpected losses.

Download or read book Rethinking Expectations written by Roman Frydman and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2013-01-23 with total page 441 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book originated from a 2010 conference marking the fortieth anniversary of the publication of the landmark "Phelps volume," Microeconomic Foundations of Employment and Inflation Theory, a book that is often credited with pioneering the currently dominant approach to macroeconomic analysis. However, in their provocative introductory essay, Roman Frydman and Edmund Phelps argue that the vast majority of macroeconomic and finance models developed over the last four decades derailed, rather than built on, the Phelps volume's "microfoundations" approach. Whereas the contributors to the 1970 volume recognized the fundamental importance of according market participants' expectations an autonomous role, contemporary models rely on the rational expectations hypothesis (REH), which rules out such a role by design. The financial crisis that began in 2007, preceded by a spectacular boom and bust in asset prices that REH models implied could never happen, has spurred a quest for fresh approaches to macroeconomic analysis. While the alternatives to REH presented in Rethinking Expectations differ from the approach taken in the original Phelps volume, they are notable for returning to its major theme: understanding aggregate outcomes requires according expectations an autonomous role. In the introductory essay, Frydman and Phelps interpret the various efforts to reconstruct the field--some of which promise to chart its direction for decades to come. The contributors include Philippe Aghion, Sheila Dow, George W. Evans, Roger E. A. Farmer, Roman Frydman, Michael D. Goldberg, Roger Guesnerie, Seppo Honkapohja, Katarina Juselius, Enisse Kharroubi, Blake LeBaron, Edmund S. Phelps, John B. Taylor, Michael Woodford, and Gylfi Zoega.

Download or read book The New Public Management in Action written by Ewan Ferlie and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book analyses changes which have occurred in the organization and management of the UK public services over the last 15 years, looking particularly at the restructured NHS. The authors present an up to date analysis around three main themes: 1. the transfer of private sector models to the public sector 2. the management of change in the public sector 3. management reorganization and role change In doing so they examine to what extent a New Public Management has emerged and ask whether this is a parochial UK development or of wider international significance. This is a topical and important issue in management training, professional and policy circles. Important analytic themes include: an analysis of the nature of the change process in the UK public services: characterisation of quasi markets; the changing role of local Boards and possible adaptation by professional groupings. The book also addresses the important and controversial question of accountability, and contributes to the development of a general theory of the New Public Management.

Download or read book Developing Principles and Models for Sustainable Forestry in Sweden written by H. Sverdrup and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-18 with total page 489 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book is summarized those management principles that should be valid in areas where forests continuously are used for production, where biodiversity aspects are important as well as economy and productivity, and where demands on soil status and water quality are set. Especially the very long-term aspects are emphasized, and it is shown how system model thinking is used to reach the goals. Biogeochemical aspects are put forward as they are very important in areas on poor bedrock with acid soils. Forest vitality and stress on trees are treated, as well as the importance of wildlife and their effects of browsing. The balance between social and recreational demands from the society and the economical needs of the landowner is of great concern. Experiences from a special area in South Sweden are presented.

Download or read book Thriving Under Stress written by Thomas W. Britt and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2015 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We have all experienced work conditions that tax our ability to cope. Many of us have experienced these demands for long periods of time and have developed psychological, and even physical, problems. Most employees can also recall times when they have dealt with the stress they were under at work, even coming out stronger. What helps employees to perform well and stay healthy under high levels of stress? What are the factors that distinguish those employees? What are the best ways to recover from a stressful day at work? How can employees proactively address stressors they encounter at work, and how can they move from coping to thriving in the workplace? Thriving Under Stress illuminates the ways stressful working conditions can produce positive outcomes when employees approach demands in the right way, focus on the meaning and significance of their work, and recover appropriately from stressful working conditions, both during the day and when at home. Britt and Jex encourage employees to view themselves as active constructors of their work environment-capable of proactively addressing the burdens they encounter, instead of becoming passive recipients of work stressors.

Download or read book Understanding the Swedish Model written by Jan-Erik Lane and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 1991 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First Published in 1991. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.