IWS Documented News INTERNATIONAL

[IWS] CRS: OUTSOURCING AND INSOURCING JOBS IN THE U.S. ECONOMY: EVIDENCE BASED ON FOREIGN INVESTMENT DATA [10 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:35:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

NOTE: THIS IS THE LAST "INTERNATIONAL POSTING." INTERNATIONAL POSTINGS ARE A SUBSET OF THE "DAILY POSTINGS." SINCE MORE AND MORE DOMESTIC and INTERNATIONAL REPORTS DEAL WITH INTERNATIONAL ISSUES, IT WAS DECIDED TO DISCONTINUE THE INTERNATIONAL POSTING SERVICE. PLEASE REFER TO THE DAILY POSTINGS FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL MATERIAL FROM NOW ON.

Congressional Research Service (CRS)

Outsourcing and Insourcing Jobs in the U.S. Economy: Evidence Based on Foreign Investment Data

James K. Jackson, Specialist in International Trade and Finance

May 10, 2012

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL32461.pdf

[full-text, 47 pages]

Summary

The impact of foreign direct investment on U.S. employment is provoking a national debate.

While local communities compete with one another for investment projects, many of the residents

of those communities fear losing their jobs as U.S. companies seek out foreign locations and

foreign workers to perform work that traditionally has been done in the United States, generally

referred to as outsourcing. Some observers suggest that current U.S. experiences with outsourcing

are different from those that have preceded them and that this merits legislative actions by

Congress to blunt the economic impact of these activities. Other observers argue that investing

abroad by U.S. multinational companies impedes the growth of new jobs in the economy and

thwarts the nation’s investments in high technology sectors. Some opponents also argue that midcareer

workers who lose good-paying manufacturing and service-sector jobs likely will never

recover their standard of living.

Economists and others generally argue that free and unimpeded international flows of capital

have a positive impact on both domestic and foreign economies. Direct investment is unique

among international capital flows because it adds permanently to the capital stock and skill set of

a nation, but it also challenges the general theory of capital flows because of the presence of

strong cross-border and intra-industry investment. Supporters contend that to the extent that

foreign investment shifts jobs abroad, it is a minor component of the overall economic picture and

that it is offset somewhat by the investment of foreign firms in the U.S. economy (referred to as

insourcing), which supports existing jobs and creates new jobs in the economy.

Broad, comprehensive data on U.S. multinational companies generally lag behind current events

by two years and were not developed to address the issue of jobs outsourcing. Many economists

argue, however, that there is little evidence to date to support the notion that the overseas

investment activities of U.S. multinational companies play a significant role in the rate at which

jobs are created in the U.S. economy. Instead, they argue that the source of job creation in the

economy is rooted in the combination of macroeconomic policies the nation has chosen, the rate

of productivity growth, and the availability of resources. This report addresses these issues by

analyzing the extent of direct investment into and out of the economy, the role such investment

plays in U.S. trade, jobs, and production, and the relationship between direct investment and the

broader economic changes that are occurring in the U.S. economy.

Contents

Overview.......................................................................................................................................... 1

U.S. and Foreign Multinational Companies .................................................................................... 4

Employment .............................................................................................................................. 6

Employment Trends................................................................................................................. 10

Employment by Sector and Area............................................................................................. 12

Gross Product................................................................................................................................. 16

U.S. Multinational Companies ................................................................................................ 17

Foreign-Owned Firms ............................................................................................................. 19

Cyclical vs. Structural Changes ..................................................................................................... 20

Trade .............................................................................................................................................. 28

Sales............................................................................................................................................... 31

Sales of Services...................................................................................................................... 33

Research and Development ........................................................................................................... 35

Why Firms Invest Abroad.............................................................................................................. 36

Ownership-Specific Advantages.............................................................................................. 38

Location Advantages ............................................................................................................... 39

Commercial Benefits ............................................................................................................... 40

Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 41

Figures

Figure 1. Foreign Direct Investment in the United States and U.S. Investment Abroad, Annual Flows 1990-2009 ............................................................................................................. 2

Figure 2. Inward and Outward Global Direct Investment Position, By Major Area, 2009............. 3

Figure 3. Index of Employment of U.S. Parent Companies and Their Foreign Affiliates, 1992-2008 (1990 = 100)............................................................................................................... 9

Figure 4. Employment of the Foreign Affiliates of U.S. Parent Companies as a Share of the Total Employment of U.S. Multinational Companies, 1985-2008 ....................................... 11

Figure 5. U.S. Direct Investment Position Abroad and Foreign Direct Investment Position in the United States, Cumulative Position by Country, 2009 ..................................................... 14

Figure 6. Employment of U.S. Foreign Affiliates Abroad and Affiliates of Foreign Firms in the U.S., by Country or Region, 2008 .................................................................................... 15

Figure 7. Average Annual Percent Change in Gross Product of U.S. Parent Companies and Their Foreign Affiliates, Selected Periods ........................................................................... 22

Figure 8. Average Annual Percent Change in Employment of U.S. Parent Companies and Their Foreign Affiliates, Selected Periods.................................................................................. 24

Figure 9. Average Annual Percent Change in Manufacturing Gross Product of U.S. Parent Companies and Their Foreign Affiliates, Selected Periods ........................................................ 25

Figure 10. Average Annual Percent Change in Manufacturing Employment of U.S. Parent Companies and Their Foreign Affiliates, Selected Periods ........................................................ 26

Figure 11. Intra-Firm MNC Trade as a Share of Total U.S. Exports and Imports, 1990-2008 ............................................................................................................................................ 29

Tables

Table 1. Global Annual Inflows of Foreign Direct Investment, By Major Area.............................. 4

Table 2. Select Data on U.S. Multinational Companies and on Foreign Firms Operating in the United States, 2008................................................................................................................. 5

Table 3. Gross Product and Manufacturing Gross Product by U.S. Multinational Companies, 1994-2008................................................................................................................. 6

Table 4. Employment of U.S. Multinational Companies and the Affiliates of Foreign Firms, 1992-2008.......................................................................................................................... 8

Table 5. Employment of Non-Bank U.S. Foreign Affiliates by Major Sector and Area, 2006-2008................................................................................................................................... 12

Table 6. Gross Product of U.S. Parent Companies and Their Majority-Owned Foreign Affiliates ..................................................................................................................................... 16

Table 7. U.S. Direct Investment Abroad; Investment Outflows for Selected Regions and Countries, 2005-2009 ................................................................................................................. 18

Table 8. Average Annual Percent Change in Gross Product and Employment of U.S. Parent Companies and Their Foreign Affiliates, Selected Industries, Selected Periods............. 23

Table 9. Changes in Gross Product and Employment Among U.S. Parent Companies and Their Foreign Affiliates for Selected Industries ......................................................................... 27

Table 10. Multinational Corporations’ Intra-Firm Exports of U.S. Goods, 1992-2007................. 30

Table 11. Multinational Corporations’ Intra-Firm Imports of U.S. Goods, 1992-2008................. 31

Table 12. Sales of Goods and Services by U.S. Foreign Affiliates by Destination and Industry, 2008 ............................................................................................................................. 32

Table 13. Sales of Services by U.S. Foreign Affiliates by Destination and Industry, 2008........... 34

Table 14. Sales of Services by U.S. Foreign Affiliates, Average Annual Rates of Change for Selected Periods .................................................................................................................... 35

Table 15. Expenditures on Research and Development by U.S. Multinational Firms and by the Affiliates of Foreign Firms Operating in the United States ............................................. 36

Contacts

Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 43

Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................... 43

________________________________________________________________________

This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

[IWS] CRS: FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES: AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS [10 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:21:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

Congressional Research Service (CRS)

Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: An Economic Analysis

James K. Jackson, Specialist in International Trade and Finance

May 10, 2012

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RS21857.pdf

[full-text, 11 pages]

Summary

Foreign direct investment in the United States declined sharply after 2000, when a record $300

billion was invested in U.S. businesses and real estate. (Note: The United States defines foreign

direct investment as the ownership or control, directly or indirectly, by one foreign person

[individual, branch, partnership, association, government, etc.] of 10% or more of the voting

securities of an incorporated U.S. business enterprise or an equivalent interest in an

unincorporated U.S. business enterprise. 15 CFR §806.15 [a][1].) In 2010, according to U.S.

Department of Commerce data, foreigners invested $236 billion in U.S. businesses and real

estate. Foreign direct investments are highly sought after by many state and local governments

that are struggling to create additional jobs in their localities. While some in Congress encourage

such investment to offset the perceived negative economic effects of U.S. firms investing abroad,

others are concerned about foreign acquisitions of U.S. firms that are considered essential to U.S.

national and economic security.

Contents

Recent Investments.......................................................................................................................... 1

Acquisitions and Establishments ..................................................................................................... 6

Economic Performance.................................................................................................................... 6

Conclusions...................................................................................................................................... 8

Figures

Figure 1. Foreign Direct Investment in the United States and U.S. Direct Investment Abroad, Annual Flows, 1990-2010................ 1

Tables

Table 1. Foreign Direct Investment Position in the United States on a Historical-Cost Basis at Year-End 2010.................... 4

Contacts

Author Contact Information............................................................................................................. 8

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] Harvey Nash: CIO SURVEY 2012 [14 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:30:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

Harvey Nash

CIO SURVEY 2012 [14 May 2012]

http://www.harveynash.com/ciosurvey/

Foreward

http://www.harveynash.com/ciosurvey/foreword.asp

Executive Summary

http://www.harveynash.com/ciosurvey/executive_summary.asp

[excerpt]

Women in IT

In this new section of the Harvey Nash CIO Survey the role of women in IT departments and the view of the CIO to gender challenges in technology are explored. The male to female ratio in IT leadership remains highly unrepresentative of the population at large – 93 percent of CIOs responding to the survey this year are male – this compares to 92 percent male in the survey population from 2010. Over a third of CIOs (35 percent) confirm there are no women in IT management roles in their organisation. For 46 percent of CIOs less than a quarter of their IT management roles are populated by women. The split of male to female workers is also significantly skewed in technical functions. Almost a quarter of CIOs (24 percent) have no women in their technical teams; for 45 percent of CIOs women only make up about one quarter of their technical team, while for 20 percent of CIOs half their technical team are women.

Non-technical roles such as business analysis and training do have more women represented in IT departments. Six percent of CIOs have non technical teams that are almost exclusively made up of women; 12 percent of CIOs have non technical teams with women in 75 percent of the roles; 35 percent of CIOs have up to half their non technical roles filled by women. Over half of CIOs (51 percent) think relationships between IT and the business improve by hiring more women, and 48 percent believe it enhances team cohesion and morale. However, the vast majority of CIOs think there is no impact on strategy (82 percent) and technical nous (86 percent) from hiring more women into IT.There is a massive 30 percent gap between women CIOs and their male counterparts regarding their view of women ‘getting the job done’ at various levels of the IT team.

However, both male and female CIOs recognise that in the current fast moving environment, where it is very clear that IT departments are increasingly focused on managing business relationships to pursue growth and less on sweating technology assets to deliver efficiency, increasing the proportion of women in the IT team will improve relationships between IT and the rest of the business.

Conclusions

http://www.harveynash.com/ciosurvey/conclusions.asp

Request for Copy

https://www.formstack.com/forms/?1076312-v84EOCraSO

Press Release 14 May 2012

CIOs indicate a return to growth and a change in priorities creates new skills challenges - Harvey Nash / TelecityGroup

http://media.harveynash.com/uk/mediacentre/2012/05/cios_indicate_a_return_to_grow.htm

London, 14th May 2012 - CIOs are more confident of securing technology budget increases than at any time in the last five years, according to the CIO Technology Survey 2012, conducted by Harvey Nash in association with TelecityGroup.

[excerpts

Key indicators of growth:

Increasing budgets: 44 percent of global CIOs saw a budget increase this year; the highest proportion since 2007, and a leap from 39 percent in 2011 and 28 percent in 2010.

Leap in demand for digital and mobile solutions: Digital media is firmly on the CIO's agenda with 58 percent of global CIOs actively promoting the development of solutions for smartphones and tablets such as iPads.

Demand for improving time-to-market: Of the areas of focus for CIOs, the category that grew the most in 2012 was Improving Time-to-Market, underlining the importance of growth and expansion planning.

Profit focus: More than half of CIOs (56 percent) say projects that make money from technology rather than save money are the priority.

Women in technology and skills shortage

Increased shortages in digital skills: Of all the categories of skills where shortages exist, mobile, security and social media displayed the greatest growth in shortage.

Overall skills shortage grows: Almost half (47 percent) of CIOs believe a skills shortage is preventing them from keeping up with the pace of change.

Gender balance within leadership in the technology sector: 93 percent of CIOs in the Survey are male, virtually unchanged from the 2005 Harvey Nash CIO survey.

Dearth in pipeline of female leadership talent: Over a third of those surveyed confirmed they have no females in technology leadership or management roles in their organisation, and over three-quarters (81 percent) have less than a quarter of management roles populated by women.

Software engineering not seen as attractive to female graduates: almost a quarter of CIOs (24 percent) have no women in their technical and development teams, suggesting more needs to be done to encourage women into IT at an early stage.

Outsourcing, role of CIO

Outsourcing plays a bigger role: almost half of the respondents (46 percent) plan to increase their spend on outsourcing this year. This compares to 45 percent in 2011, however, it is 10 percent up on 2010 figures (36 percent).

Multi sourcing in vogue: The use of multi sourcing will increase this year for 43 percent of CIOs, up from 39 percent last year.

CIO role is changing and increasing in importance: 52 percent of respondents now sit on their organisation's operational board, up from 50 percent in 2011 and 42 percent in 2010.

Strategic influence of the CIO continues to grow: over two thirds of respondents (68 percent) say the role of the CIO is becoming more strategic in 2012 and this is reflected in the dominance of the CEO as the most likely reporting line for the CIO.

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] Bacharach Blog: THE KNEE-JERK DICHOTOMY: MANAGEMENT V. LEADERSHIP [11 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:59:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

The Bacharach Blog: Leadership--Pragmatic & Proactive
http://sambacharach.com/bacharachblog/

LEADERSHIP: New Voice, New Insights, RESULTS-ORIENTED

The Knee-Jerk Dichotomy: Management v. Leadership

Posted by Samuel B. Bacharach on May 11, 2012 •

http://sambacharach.com/bacharachblog/leader/the-knee-jerk-dichotomy-management-v-leadership/

As an academic I love dichotomies. They stretch the imagination, help us avoid subtly, and enhance focused debate.

My conceptual paradise is a 2 x 2 box where two dichotomies are juxtaposed. Are you in this box or that one? Then the game of trying to figure out which box you belong, “Are you in box A or box B?”, “What type of leader are you?” “Are you transformational or transactional?” “Are you inwardly directed or outwardly directed?” “Are you left or right wing?”

Consultants have made a fortune helping people and organizations figure out which box they belong in.

The problem with these dichotomies is that they simplify the world. They give too much credence to clean, conceptual thinking.

Throughout my academic career I’ve taken pride in conceptual thinking and the clarity of constructs, but when you get out in the real world the constructs become a mess and dichotomies become continuums. You’re not one or the other. You are someplace on the continuum. And where you are on the continuum?

It depends on the situation. You may be a transactional leader one day and a transformative leader the next. You may be internally directed one day and externally directed a week from Tuesday.

And then there is what I consider to be the ultimate knee-jerk dichotomy?

Are you a manager or a leader?

I understand how we in academia can afford this luxury. It’s aesthetically pleasing and makes for a clean little world. If nothing else, academia loves cleanliness. But what I’m amazed at is when such a dichotomy is adhered to in the world of practice.

“We’re looking for a leader,” said one HR director in one corporation.

On the same day, in the same corporation, in reference to the same position another HR official told me, “We’re looking for a manager.”

On numerous occasions I’ve heard chief learning officers talk about their training programs and use this distinction, “We don’t need a leadership training program; we need a managerial training program.” Or “We don’t need a managerial training program; we need a leadership training program.”

Nowhere does this occur more than when we deal with high potentials in a corporate setting. They have technical skills, but what do we give them now that they have responsibility for others? Leadership skills or managerial skills?

No, we give them both. We stop with this knee-jerk dichotomy.

The nice thing about being in this point in my career is that I no longer have to indulge in the luxuries of dichotomies. I don’t want to hire managers that can’t lead and leaders that can’t manage.

I want people to both inspire others and implement ideas. I want the movers in organizations to innovate and create, while at the same time be able to figure out how to manage the process of maneuvering from ideas to results.

I want politicians who can inspire during an election, but once elected can manage for results.

Anyone that’s hiring for a responsible position needs someone who can lead and manage.

The very notion of this dichotomy continuing to get knee-jerk recognition in a world demanding agile, flexible, and solution-based companies, and in a world which we want to retain talent and stimulate the commitment of Gen Y this management/leadership distinction is an anachronism.

This dichotomy between leading and managing is an indulgence in simplicity that we can no longer afford. Especially when asking ourselves what core competencies do we need to move in the future?

Train your managers to lead and your leaders to manage.

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] CBO: ENERGY SECURITY IN THE UNITED STATES [9 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:03:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

ENERGY SECURITY IN THE UNITED STATES [9 May 2012]

http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/05-09-EnergySecurity.pdf

[full-text, 38 pages]

InfoGraphic

http://www.cbo.gov/publication/43232

http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/43232-infographic-EnergySecurity.pdf

[full-text, 5 pages]

Contents

CBO

Summary iv

Energy Security and Its Economic Significance 1

What Is Energy Security? 1

Economic Effects of Disruptions in the Supply of Energy 1

Potential Effects of Disruptions in Key Energy Markets 4

Oil 4

Box 1. Oil Independence and the Worldwide Oil Market 9

Natural Gas 10

Coal 12

Nuclear Power 13

Renewable Sources 13

What Role Can the Government Play in Enhancing Energy Security? 14

Energy Security for Electricity 14

Regional Generation, Spare Capacity, and Flexibility 15

Box 2. Disruptions in the Delivery of Electricity 18

Electricity Pricing and Demand 18

Energy Security for Transportation 19

Box 3. Reduced Vulnerability to High Heating Costs 20

Refinery Capacity 21

Consumer Demand for Oil 21

Policy Options to Dampen the Effects of Disruptions in Oil Supplies 22

Lists of Tables and Figures 29

About This Document 30

[excerpt]

Energy use is pervasive throughout the U.S. economy. Households and businesses use energy from oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear power, and renewable sources (such as wind and the sun) to generate electricity, provide transportation, and heat and cool buildings. In 2010, energy consumption represented 8.4 percent of U.S. gross domestic product.

Disruptions in the supply of commodities used to produce energy tend to raise energy prices, imposing an increased burden on U.S. households and businesses. Disruptions can also reduce the nation’s economic output and thus people’s income. This paper examines energy security in the United States—that is, the ability of U.S. households and businesses to accommodate disruptions of supply in energy markets—and actions that the government could take to reduce the effects of such disruptions.

The vulnerability of the U.S. economy to disruptions in the supply of a particular energy source depends on the importance of that energy source to the economy. More than 80 percent of the energy consumed in the United States comes from oil, natural gas, or coal. For each source, several factors determine how vulnerable the nation is to a disruption in its supply:

The extent to which disruptions occurring anywhere in the world affect energy costs in the United States,

The likelihood of disruptions and the ability of energy suppliers to respond to disruptions if they occur, and

The ability of energy consumers (including electricity producers, oil refiners, households, and businesses) to shift to other, less expensive sources of energy.

Consumers and the economy are more vulnerable to disruptions in oil markets than they are to disruptions in other energy markets, as shown by a comparison of the two largest energy-consuming sectors of the U.S. economy—transportation and electricity. In particular, transportation is almost exclusively dependent on oil supplied in a global market in which disruptions can cause large price changes. Moreover, consumers have few easy and inexpensive options for switching to other fuels or reducing consumption of transportation fuels. In contrast, electricity can be produced from several sources of energy, all of which are less prone to disruptions, and consumers have more options for reducing demand for electricity.

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] EuroStat: EUROPE IN FIGURES--EuroStat YEARBOOK 2012 & OTHER YEARBOOKS [11 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:05:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

EuroStat

EuroStat YEARBOOK 2012 [11 May 2012]

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Eurostat_yearbook

Europe in figures - Eurostat yearbook [11 May 2012]

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Europe_in_figures_-_Eurostat_yearbook

Press Release 11 May 2012

Europe in figures – Eurostat yearbook 2012

A gateway to European statistics

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/1-11052012-AP/EN/1-11052012-AP-EN.PDF

See OTHER YEARBOOKS at

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Category:Yearbook

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] CRS: SAME-SEX MARRIAGES: LEGAL ISSUES [9 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:37:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

Congressional Research Service (CRS)

Same-Sex Marriages: Legal Issues

Alison M. Smith, Legislative Attorney

May 9, 2012

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL31994.pdf

[full-text, 35 pages]

Summary

The recognition of same-sex marriages generates debate on both the federal and state levels.

Either legislatively or judicially, same-sex marriage is legal in seven states. Other states allow

civil unions or domestic partnerships, which grant all or part of state-level rights, benefits, and/or

responsibilities of marriage. Some states have statutes or constitutional amendments limiting

marriage to one man and one woman. These variations raise questions about the validity of such

unions outside the contracted jurisdiction and have bearing on the distribution of federal benefits.

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), P.L. 104-199, prohibits federal recognition of same-sex

marriages and allows individual states to refuse to recognize such marriages performed in other

states. Section 3 of DOMA requires that marriage, for purposes of federal benefit programs, be

defined as the union of one man and one woman. Lower courts are starting to address DOMA’s

constitutionality. On July 8, 2010, a U.S. district court in Massachusetts found Section 3 of

DOMA unconstitutional in two companion cases brought by same-sex couples married in

Massachusetts. In one case, the court found that DOMA exceeded Congress’s power under the

Spending Clause and violated the Tenth Amendment. In the other, the court held that Congress’s

goal of preserving the status quo did not bear a rational relationship to DOMA, and thus violated

the Fifth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. While the government filed a notice of appeal in

these cases, it is unclear whether the cases will continue. In February 2011, the U.S. Attorney

General submitted a letter to congressional leadership stating that the government will not defend

DOMA’s constitutionality under certain conditions. The Assistant Attorney General subsequently

submitted a letter to the First Circuit stating that the government will cease its defense of Section

3 of DOMA. However, the United States will remain a party to the cases presumably to “provide

Congress a full and fair opportunity to participate in the litigation.”

Questions regarding same-sex marriages figure prominently in California. After the state supreme

court’s decision finding that denying same-sex couples the right to marry violated the state

constitution, voters approved a constitutional amendment (“Proposition 8”) limiting the validity

and recognition of “marriages” to heterosexual couples. Subsequent court challenges ensued. On

February 7, 2012, a panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court decision

finding that Proposition 8 violates both the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the

Fourteenth Amendment, inasmuch as voters took away a right from a minority group without

justification when they approved Proposition 8. In a matter of first impression, the lower court

found that Proposition 8 (1) deprived same-sex couples of the fundamental right to marry under

the Due Process Clause and (2) excluded such couples from state-sponsored marriage while

allowing heterosexual couples access in violation of the Equal Protection Clause. While the

appellate court affirmed the lower court’s decision, it did so on much narrower grounds based on

historical facts specific to California. As such, it appears that this decision will have little, if any,

impact on other jurisdictions. However, the case will likely be appealed to the full Ninth Circuit

or directly to the U.S. Supreme Court. It is unclear whether the Court would accept the case for

review on the merits, as it pertains to an interpretation of a state constitutional amendment.

This report discusses DOMA and legal challenges to it. It reviews legal principles applied to

determine the validity of a marriage contracted in another state and surveys the various

approaches employed by states to enable or to prevent same-sex marriage. The report also

examines House and Senate resolutions introduced in previous Congresses proposing a

constitutional amendment and limiting federal courts’ jurisdiction to hear or determine any

question pertaining to the interpretation of DOMA.

Contents

Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 1

Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).................................................................................................. 3

Constitutional Challenges to DOMA in Federal Courts .................................................................. 4

Full Faith and Credit Clause...................................................................................................... 5

Equal Protection ........................................................................................................................ 5

Substantive Due Process (Right to Privacy).............................................................................. 7

Tenth Amendment and Spending Power.................................................................................... 7

U.S. Department of Justice Statement and Letter on Litigation Involving the

Constitutionality of DOMA.................................................................................................... 9

Interstate Recognition of Marriage ................................................................................................ 10

Same-Sex Marriage Activity in the States ..................................................................................... 11

State Litigation ........................................................................................................................ 11

Massachusetts.................................................................................................................... 11

“Marriage” Versus Domestic Partnership or Civil Union: Standards of Review.............. 13

California........................................................................................................................... 13

New Jersey ........................................................................................................................ 17

Arizona.............................................................................................................................. 19

State “Civil Union” Laws........................................................................................................ 20

Congressional Activity................................................................................................................... 21

Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 22

State Constitutional Amendments Limiting Marriage to a Man and a Woman ............................. 23

Alabama................................................................................................................................... 23

Arkansas .................................................................................................................................. 24

Arizona .................................................................................................................................... 24

California................................................................................................................................. 24

Colorado .................................................................................................................................. 24

Florida ..................................................................................................................................... 25

Georgia .................................................................................................................................... 25

Idaho........................................................................................................................................ 25

Kansas ..................................................................................................................................... 25

Kentucky.................................................................................................................................. 25

Louisiana ................................................................................................................................. 26

Michigan.................................................................................................................................. 26

Mississippi............................................................................................................................... 26

Missouri................................................................................................................................... 26

Montana................................................................................................................................... 26

North Carolina......................................................................................................................... 26

North Dakota ........................................................................................................................... 27

Ohio......................................................................................................................................... 27

Oklahoma ................................................................................................................................ 27

Oregon ..................................................................................................................................... 27

South Carolina......................................................................................................................... 27

South Dakota ........................................................................................................................... 27

Tennessee................................................................................................................................. 28

Texas........................................................................................................................................ 28

Utah ......................................................................................................................................... 28

Virginia .................................................................................................................................... 28

Wisconsin ................................................................................................................................ 28

Tables

Table 1. State Statutes Defining “Marriage”.................................................................................. 29

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] ADB: AFRICAN & GLOBAL ECONOMIC TRENDS, QUARTERLY STATISTICAL REVIEW, 1ST Qtr, Vol 9 March 30, 2012 [online 10 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:18:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

African Development Bank (ADB)

African & Global Economic Trends

Quarterly Statistical Review

First Quarter 2012

Volume 9

March 30, 2012

http://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Publications/African%20and%20Global%20economic%20Trends%201Q2012.pdf [online 10 May 2012]

[full-text, 17 pages]

Contents:

1- World Economy

Economic growth

Inflation – Unemployment

Financial indicators

2- Africa in the World Economy

Economic growth

Focus : Moroccan economy

Merchandise trends in trade

Commodity prices

Inflation and money supply

Exchange rates and equity

markets

3- Annex tables

Africa: Inflation

Africa: Merchandise exports

Africa: International reserves

Africa: Exchange rates

4- Data sources and descriptions

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] ECLAC: AGEING, SOLIDARITY AND SOCIAL PROTECTION: TIME TO MOVE TOWARDS EQUALITY [9 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:47:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

Ageing, Solidarity and Social Protection: Time to Move Towards Equality [9 May 2012]

http://www.cepal.org/celade/noticias/paginas/7/46027/2012-114-CRE-Ingles.pdf

[full-text, 97 pages]—may download slowly

Press Release 9 May 2012

The Regional Agenda on Equality Requires the Inclusion of Older Persons in Social Protection Systems

The number of older persons in Latin America will exceed that of children in 2036

http://www.eclac.org/cgi-bin/getProd.asp?xml=/prensa/noticias/comunicados/1/46661/P46661.xml&xsl=/prensa/tpl-i/p6f.xsl&base=/prensa/tpl-i/top-bottom.xsl

(9 May 2012) The decreasing child population and the increasing number of older persons makes it imperative to redesign the way the State, the family and the market ensure welfare and capacity development of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean, as stated in a study published today by ECLAC.

The document Ageing, Solidarity and Social Protection: Time to Move Towards Equality analyzes prospects on population ageing and its inclusion in the public agenda, based on ECLAC's development proposal entitled "Time for Equality".

The report is central to the debates taking place during the Third Regional Intergovernmental Conference on Ageing in Latin America and the Caribbean, being held from 8-11 May in San Jose, Costa Rica, organized by the Government of the country and ECLAC.

The conference was inaugurated last Tuesday by the President of Costa Rica Laura Chinchilla, who stressed the importance for countries of the region to have an agenda on the protection of older persons.

"Through this conference, we are not only honoring the legacy of older persons but also working for the future of our region. The moment to be farsighted, the moment to be socially committed, the moment to do things right is now," said President Chinchilla.

Hugo Beteta, Director of ECLAC's Subregional Headquarters in Mexico, addressed the major demographic change that the region is experiencing, which denotes a new era. "It is paramount to pay more attention to older persons, to their concerns and needs, as well as to the contributions that they can make and must continue to make to our societies," he said.

Beteta also recognized Costa Rica's President's contribution, who personally incorporated social services into the national social protection and ageing agenda. "Your promoting an old persons care network in Costa Rica, by means of the National Council of Older Persons (CONAPAM) in the last two years, has been key for considering this new need a priority issue for public policies in your country," he noted.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Marcela Suazo said "the governments of the region face the urgent challenge of implementing gradual and efficient reforms to health and education systems, to employment policies, as well as social security systems and non-contributory pensions."

According to the ECLAC document presented today at the conference, it is necessary to reconsider social protection so that it responds immediately to demographic transformations and their impact.

The study, drafted by the Latin American and Caribbean Demographic Centre (CELADE) - ECLAC's Population Division - adds that older persons should not and can not be excluded from the equality agenda promoted in the region - not only because their relative relevance in the population is rapidly increasing, but also for "satisfying the huge ambition of inclusion and of building more democratic and pluralistic societies".

According to the document, by year 2070, the number of older persons in the region will have increased fourfold. Prospects show that the number of older persons will exceed - for the first time - that of children by year 2036. The group of people over the age of 60 increased from 5.6% of the region's total population in 1950 to 10% in 2010 and it is expected to reach 21% in 2040 and 33% in 2070.

In this report, ECLAC indicates that it is necessary to eliminate the traditional approach to ageing as a problem and to consider it rather an opportunity emerging from the concerted and effective action of public authorities and citizens.

At a regional level, public spending on social security and assistance has increased significantly in the last two decades; nevertheless, only four out of ten Latin Americans over the age of 65 (40%) were receiving pensions or superannuation in 2009, whereas in developed countries this figure accounted for 75% of the population.

The document highlights that reducing inequality in old age is not exclusively linked to superannuation and contributory pensions. For this reason, ECLAC proposes the introduction of a solidarity-based pillar. It also addresses the demand for health care, and the care burden derived from an increasingly ageing population.

Finally, the report takes stock of the progress made on the implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (2002) and the Brasilia Declaration, adopted in 2007 at the Second Regional Intergovernmental Conference on Ageing. This progress includes an increase in the number of countries intending to eliminate age discrimination at work, a better access to social security by means of non-contributory pension programmes for older persons, and their progressive inclusion in health plans and programmes, among others.

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] Census: THE FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES 2010 [10 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:22:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

Census

American Community Survey Reports

ACS-19

The Foreign-Born Population in the United States: 2010 [10 May 2012]

http://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/acs-19.pdf

[full-text, 22 pages]

[IWS] Mercer: KEY DRIVERS FOR DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STRATEGY IN ASIA PACIFIC [7 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:28:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

Mercer

Press Release 7 May 2012

Mercer identifies key drivers for diversity and inclusion strategy in Asia Pacific
http://www.mercer.com/press-releases/key-drivers-for-diversity-and-inclusion-strategy-in-Asia-Pacific

Asia
Asia, 7 May 2012

§ Three-quarters of surveyed participants listed gender as the main focus of their diversity efforts

§ Top three drivers of an organization’s diversity and inclusion strategy are recruitment of talent, employer brand and access to untapped talent pool

§ For companies with diversity strategies in place, efforts in 2012 will mainly focus on developing women for leadership roles and attracting more diverse talent

According to Mercer’s recent Asia Pacific Diversity & Inclusion Survey, most participating companies reported having a diversity and inclusion strategy in place at the global and regional level and around 20% companies have a country level strategy (see figure 1). Among the 34% of respondents whose companies do not have a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) strategy, over half reported that they would like to explore or are already looking into establishing a diversity and inclusion strategy. Interestingly, among companies that said they do not have “any diversity-focused policies,” 14% of them said they had flexible working hours, 9% had family-friendly policies and 7% had employee networks, indicating that D&I policies are gaining a foothold even among companies that don’t label them as such.

FIGURE 1: Does your company have a diversity strategy?

Diversity & inclusion programs implemented by companies in Asia Pacific are most likely to target gender, with three-quarters of those surveyed listing gender as the main focus of their diversity efforts (see figure 2). Consistent with this focus, the most common diversity programs offered by companies are gender-related, such as such as flexible work arrangements (52%), mentoring (43%), and family-friendly policies (43%).

FIGURE 2: My organization's main focus on diversity and inclusion is in the following areas:

Note: Companies could provide up to 3 responses so results do not add up to 100%

Drivers of diversity and inclusion (D&I) in Asia Pacific

Diversity and inclusion are increasingly pressing issues in Asia Pacific because of demographic changes affecting both the workforce available to businesses and the customers they serve. Companies surveyed pointed to several workforce trends that are impacting their employee base, including multiple generations within the workforce (43%), an increased expectation for flexible work arrangements (37%), aging population (35%), gender composition (34%) and multiple national cultures in the workforce (34%) (see figure 3).

FIGURE 3: Which of the following workforce trends are having a significant impact on your employee base?

Note: Companies could provide multiple responses so results do not add up to 100%. This question was asked to all survey respondents.

As more Asian organizations globalize, they are increasingly focused on integrating international talent into their workforce. Additionally the mobility of talent among Asian countries is on the rise. According to the research, this trend is having the greatest impact on existing hubs for international talent in Asia such as Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong and China.

HR professionals in Asia Pacific are also shaping their human capital strategies and practices to reflect the increasingly diverse talent pool in their countries. The research shows that hiring and recruiting practices (61%), career pathing (54%), all HR (41%) and compensation and benefits policies (35%) are expected to change considerably due to the demographic trends.

Option 2

“A majority of organizations in Asia Pacific also see their diversity strategies as enabling them to better meet the needs of diverse customers. In this sense human resources professionals should leverage their diversity & inclusion strategy to be stronger partners to the business and create an employee base that can help better serve the changing consumer segments,” says Bianca Stringuini, Human Capital Consultant at Mercer.

Top three drivers behind an organization’s D & I strategy are recruitment of talent (48.8%), employer brand (43.1%) and access to untapped talent pool (38.6%). Diversity is also seen as important to business performance and the bottom line through its impact on team effectiveness and innovation. However, the research also reveals that most companies are missing out on opportunities to use diversity and inclusion to further impact the business by linking it to scorecards and leveraging it to enter new markets.

A focus on inclusion

Initially, many companies were concerned primarily with improving their metrics and increasing the diversity of their workforces by hiring more women, different races and different generations. However, diversity itself does not bring organizational culture change if there is not true inclusion of the diverse employee segments. Almost one third of organizations (72.7%) in Asia Pacific are largely focused on inclusion and on “harmony” in the workplace (see figure 4). Rather than highlighting differences and celebrating the uniqueness of the individual – a common approach to diversity in the West – companies in the region place a higher value on the group and on achieving balance between the different elements in the group.

FIGURE 4: Top issues of focus for 2012

Note: The survey respondents could select only one key issue. This question was asked to all survey respondents who reported having a diversity and inclusion strategy.

Diversity and inclusion in 2012

For companies with diversity strategies in place, efforts in 2012 will mainly focus on two initiatives - developing women for leadership roles and attracting more diverse talent to their organizations (refer to figure 4). It is interesting that while a third of survey respondents listed age as a key topic of concern for their organizations, few said that it is a main area of focus for 2012.

Our research indicates that many companies in the region are failing to gain commitment from their business leaders to support diversity and inclusion efforts as 50% participants reported that the business leaders in their organization understand the importance of diversity & inclusion but are not actively involved. This commitment will most easily be secured when diversity and inclusion is tied directly to the business strategy and the workforce plans required to execute that strategy.

Fermin Diez, Mercer’s Asia Pacific Business Leader for Human Capital Consulting says, “We believe that the diversity and inclusion efforts will continue to go past all challenges and grow if organizations across the region continue to share best practices, create strong linkages between the diversity and inclusion strategy and the business, and measure the impact of the strategy on productivity, retention and profitability.”

About the survey

In light of the increasing importance in Diversity and Inclusion practices in Asia Pacific, Mercer has taken a closer look at diversity & inclusion (D&I) strategies and practices in the region to understand the unique reasons why companies in Asia Pacific are looking at diversity as a competitive advantage.

Mercer conducted the Asia Pacific Diversity & Inclusion Survey in December 2011 to January 2012 which yielded 355 responses from companies located in seven key markets across the region: Australia, China, India, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea and ASEAN. Mercer also interviewed 31 senior executives throughout the Asia Pacific region. The companies chosen include those spearheading diversity and inclusion efforts as well as those interested in enhancing their current diversity and inclusion strategies

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] BEA: U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES March 2012 [10 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:17:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES March 2012 [10 May 2012]

http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/international/trade/tradnewsrelease.htm

http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/international/trade/2012/pdf/trad0312.pdf

[full-text, 50 pages]

http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/international/trade/2012/xls/trad0312.xls

[spreadsheet]

and

Highlights

http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/international/trade/2012/pdf/trad0312_fax.pdf

Goods and Services

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce,

announced today that total March exports of $186.8 billion and imports of $238.6 billion resulted

in a goods and services deficit of $51.8 billion, up from $45.4 billion in February, revised.

March exports were $5.3 billion more than February exports of $181.5 billion. March imports

were $11.7 billion more than February imports of $226.9 billion.

In March, the goods deficit increased $6.5 billion from February to $67.6 billion, and the services

surplus increased $0.1 billion from February to $15.8 billion. Exports of goods increased $4.7

billion to $132.7 billion, and imports of goods increased $11.3 billion to $200.3 billion. Exports

of services increased $0.5 billion to $54.1 billion, and imports of services increased $0.4 billion

to $38.3 billion.

The goods and services deficit increased $5.8 billion from March 2011 to March 2012. Exports were

up $12.8 billion, or 7.3 percent, and imports were up $18.5 billion, or 8.4 percent.

AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES....

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] BLS: U.S. IMPORT AND EXPORT PRICE INDEXES - APRIL 2012 [10 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:43:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

U.S. IMPORT AND EXPORT PRICE INDEXES - APRIL 2012 [10 May 2012]

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ximpim.nr0.htm

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ximpim.pdf

[full-text, 16 pages]

and

Supplemental Files Table of Contents

http://www.bls.gov/web/ximpim.supp.toc.htm

U.S. import prices declined 0.5 percent in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today,

following a 1.5 percent increase in March. The April decrease was driven by lower fuel prices which more

than offset a small increase in nonfuel prices. The price index for overall exports rose 0.4 percent in April

after a 0.8 percent increase the previous month.

Imports

All Imports: Prices for U.S. imports fell 0.5 percent in April, the first monthly decrease since a 0.4 percent

decline in October 2011 and the largest one-month drop since the index decreased 0.6 percent in June 2011.

Despite the April decline, import prices rose 0.5 percent over the past year, although that was the smallest

12-month advance since the index last recorded a year-over-year decrease in October 2009.

Fuel Imports: A 2.1 percent drop in fuel prices led the overall decline in import prices in April. The decrease

in fuel prices followed a 4.4 percent increase in March and was the largest decline for the index since a

similar 2.1 percent decrease in August 2011. A 1.8 percent decline in petroleum prices and a 14.1 percent

drop in natural gas prices each contributed to the April decrease in overall fuel prices. Fuel prices also fell

over the past 12 months as a 45.3 percent decline in natural gas prices more than offset higher petroleum

prices that ticked up 0.1 percent from April 2011 to April 2012. The decrease in overall fuel prices was the

first 12-month decline since the index fell 14.2 percent for the year ended in October 2009.

All Imports Excluding Fuel: The price index for nonfuel prices ticked up 0.1 percent in April after rising

0.5 percent the previous month. Higher prices for nonfuel industrial supplies and materials, automotive

vehicles, consumer goods, and foods, feeds, and beverages all contributed to the increase in overall nonfuel

prices. Capital goods prices were unchanged. Nonfuel prices rose 1.3 percent over the past 12 months.

AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES....

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS & GENDER INDEX (SIGI) 2012 and DATABASE launched [10 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:32:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

OECD Development Centre

SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS & GENDER INDEX (SIGI) 2012 [10 May 2012]

http://www.genderindex.org/

The Social Institutions and Gender Index is an innovative measure of underlying discrimination against women for over 100 countries. While other indices measure gender inequalities in outcomes such as education and employment, the SIGI helps policy-makers and researchers understand what drives these outcomes. The SIGI captures and quantifies discriminatory social institutions - these include among others, early marriage, discriminatory inheritance practices, violence against women, son bias, restrictions on access to public space and restricted access to productive resources.

GENDER, INSTITUTIONS AND DEVELOPMENT DATABASE 2012 (GID-DB)

http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?datasetcode=GIDDB2012

Press Release 10 May 2012

Discrimination against women persists around the globe hampering development
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/59/34/50283714.pdf

10^th May 2012, Washington D.C. - Social and legal discrimination against women remains a major obstacle to economic development in emerging and developing countries, according to the latest edition of OECD’s Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI). Though women’s rights are improving in a number of countries, in others women are still barred from fully contributing to social and economic life.

‘Despite promising progress in some areas, discrimination against women persists around the globe,’ said Carlos Alvarez, Deputy Director of the OECD Development Centre. ‘Legal reforms, economic incentives and community mobilisation are critical to rectifying this social discrimination and economic injustice.’

Certain forms of discrimination against women remain widespread. Out of 121 countries covered in the 2012 SIGI, 86 have discriminatory inheritance practices or laws. On average across these countries, around half of women believe domestic violence is justified in certain circumstances. In some countries, like Niger or Mali, over half of girls between 15 and 19 are married. Such an environment is a massive obstacle for women to get an education and to contribute to their own wellbeing and their countries’ progress. The countries with the highest levels of discrimination among those ranked in the SIGI are in Africa and the Middle East.

There has been progress in reducing discrimination against women since SIGI was first released in 2009, even within the most unequal regions. In Rwanda and South Africa, for example, the introduction of political quotas has led to a greater representation of women in politics. South Africa and Morocco are among the countries where the social and legal status of women improved considerably over the past years. South Africa has introduced landmark reforms of inheritance laws, standing apart from the rest of the region. In Morocco, reforms to the Family Code have granted women equal rights in marriage and the country has also introduced quotas to boost women’s political representation.

Countries in Latin America and South-East Asia tend to perform comparatively well on the SIGI. Despite these positive results, the implementation of gender equality laws remains a challenge in Latin America. In many Southeast Asian countries, such as China and Vietnam, a bias for male children that is evident in the number of missing women and fertility preferences, is a persistent problem.

Fast facts on positive trends from the countries scored in the 2012 SIGI:

· On average, the rate of early marriage has decreased to 17% in 2012 from 21% in 2009.

· The number of countries with specific legislation to combat domestic violence has more than doubled from 21 in 2009 to 53 in 2012.

· 23 out of the 35 countries where missing women was identified as a concern in 2009 have shown improvement in 2012.

· 29 countries have quotas to promote women’s political participation at both national and sub-national levels.

... and on institutions that continue to limit women and girls’ potentials.

· Women’s reproductive autonomy is limited: on average, 1 in 5 women has no access to family planning.

· Despite new laws, attitudes perpetuating violence against women persist, with some 50% of the women themselves believing that domestic violence is justified in certain circumstances.

· On average, women hold only 15% of land titles for countries where data is available.

SIGI measures underlying discrimination against women using 14 indicators, including early marriage, gender-based violence and women’s property rights. While other gender inequality measures focus on outcomes such as gender gaps in employment and education, SIGI captures discriminatory social institutions such as formal and informal laws, social norms and practices that drive unequal outcomes for women and girls.

For more information:

Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) website

SIGI country ranking

SIGI regional outlook

Examples of country specific information from the SIGI

SIGI brochure

SIGI launch programme, Washington D.C.

Press Contact:

Elodie Masson (Paris), elodie.masson@oecd.org, +33 (0)6 26 74 04 03

Matthias Rumpf (Washington), matthias.rumpf@oecd.org, (00.1.202) 822.3865

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] World Bank: INCLUSIVE GREEN GROWTH: THE PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT [9 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:32:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

World Bank

INCLUSIVE GREEN GROWTH: THE PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT [9 May 2012]

http://vx.worldbank.org/t/3379872/3011049/35842/0/

[full-text, 192 pages]

[excerpt]

This report argues that sustained growth is necessary to achieve the urgent development

needs of the world’s poor and that there is substantial scope for growing cleaner without

growing slower. Green growth is necessary, effi cient, and affordable. It is the only

way to reconcile the rapid growth required to bring developing countries to the level

of prosperity to which they aspire with the needs of the more than 1 billion people still

living in poverty and the imperative of a better managed environment.

Press Release 9 May 2012

World Bank Urges Governments to Think Green for Inclusive Growth

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:23190794~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html

[excerpts]
South Korea Pledges $40 million to Promote Green Growth for All

SEOUL May 9, 2012 –The World Bank today released a report urging governments to think green when pursing growth policies, which can be inclusive, efficient, affordable and above all necessary to sustain economic expansion in years ahead.

Launched at the Global Green Growth Summit in Seoul, Inclusive Green Growth: The Pathway to Sustainable Development, lays out an analytical framework that factors atmospheric, land and marine system limitations into plans for economic growth needed to further reduce poverty. The report debunks the myth that a green growth approach is a luxury most countries cannot afford – pointing instead to political barriers, entrenched behaviors and a lack of appropriate financing instruments as the chief obstacles.

…
The new World Bank Inclusive Green Growth report emphasizes five main points:

Greening growth is necessary, efficient and affordable – it is critical to achieving sustainable development.
Political barriers, entrenched behaviors and norms, and a lack of financing instruments are the chief obstacles to greening growth. Green growth must focus on the policies and investments that need to be made within the next 5-10 years – to avoid getting locked into unsustainable paths, damaging policy reversals and costly public health consequences.
Progress requires multi-disciplinary solutions, blending economics, political science, and social psychology – to tackle political economy constraints, overcome deeply entrenched behaviours and social norms and develop the needed financing tools.
Green growth is neither monolithic nor static – strategies will vary across countries, reflecting local contexts, preferences and resource bases. All countries, rich and poor, have opportunities to green their growth without slowing it.
Green growth is not inherently inclusive, but can be designed to be so. While better environmental performance will generally benefit the poorest and most vulnerable, green growth policies must be carefully designed to maximize benefits and minimize costs for them, particularly during the transition.

…

An overview and the complete report can be found at www.worldbank.org/inclusivegreengrowth.

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] MPI: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IMMIGRATION AND NATIVISM IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA [9 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:29:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

Migration Policy Institute (MPI)

The Relationship Between Immigration and Nativism in Europe and Norrth America [9 May 2012]
By Cas Mudde

http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/Immigration-Nativism.pdf

[full-text, 47 pages]

Table of Contents

Executive Summary......................................................................................................................................1

I. Introduction................................................................................................................................................2

II. The Main Nativist Actors.................................................................................................................3

A. Western Europe......................................................................................................................................4

B. Central and Eastern Europe..................................................................................................................6

C. North America.........................................................................................................................................7

III. Immigration and the Radical Right..........................................................................................9

A. Western Europe......................................................................................................................................9

B. Central and Eastern Europe................................................................................................................13

C. North America.......................................................................................................................................14

IV. Effects of Political Extremism.....................................................................................15

A. Direct Effects..........................................................................................................................................16

B. Indirect Effects........................................................................................................................................19

V. Public Effects of Nativism..............................................................................................................21

A. Racist Violence.......................................................................................................................................22

B. Anti-Immigrant Attitudes.....................................................................................................................25

VI. Anti-Nativist Reactions..................................................................................................................26

A. Societal Responses................................................................................................................................26

B. State Responses.....................................................................................................................................27

VII. The Economic Crisis, Immigration, and Nativism.....................................................29

VIII. Conclusion................................................................................................................................................31

Works Cited........................................................................................................................................................33

About the Author...........................................................................................................................................42

Press Release 9 May 2012
MPI Report Examines Rise of Radical-Right Parties in Europe and Assesses the Role of Immigration as a Factor in those Gains
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/news/2012_05_09.php

WASHINGTON — In Greece, neo-Nazi anti-immigrant party Golden Dawn made unanticipated gains in last week’s parliamentary elections and France’s nationalist National Front made a strong showing in the first round of the presidential election in April. In the Netherlands and Belgium, far-right parties have launched websites inviting the public to report crimes allegedly committed by unauthorized immigrants. And the Dutch coalition government collapsed last month after the nationalist party of anti-immigration politician Geert Wilders quit budget talks.

As far-right parties across Europe capture headlines and in some cases shape government policy, significant confusion remains about the nature of their public support and how closely it is rooted in xenophobic feelings. While immigration is thought to be a major factor fueling the rise of the European far right, a new Migration Policy Institute (MPI) report finds that although there clearly is a relationship, the connection is not as straightforward as is often assumed.

In The Relationship Between Immigration and Nativism in Europe and North America, political scientist Cas Mudde examines the electoral performance of far-right parties in Europe and North America since 1980, noting that only a handful have had moderate electoral success (defined as gaining 15 percent of the vote or better in two or more elections.)

Disentangling the role played by immigration – particularly at a time of economic austerity, high unemployment and rising skepticism in some quarters about the European Union – is a complex proposition.

Mudde, a political science professor at DePauw University, notes that higher levels of immigration in the three regions examined (North America, Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe) do not automatically lead to more votes for radical-right parties. High rates of immigration are most closely linked to the rise of far-right parties in Western Europe but play much less of a role in Central and Eastern Europe and also in North America, where the most important anti-immigration actors are single-issue groups, not political parties.

Consistently across countries, Mudde finds, the radical right frames the immigration debate on the basis of two main themes: cultural threat (broadened to cultural-religious threat) and security threat (expanded to criminal-terrorist threat).

The report concludes that nativist groups have typically had only a marginal effect on immigration policy in all three regions studied, mainly because they are rarely part of government. However in the three countries where they are part of government (Austria, Italy, and Switzerland), they have been instrumental in introducing more restrictive immigration policies.

“Success by radical-right parties does not appear to change public opinion significantly. Rather, it mainstreams existing anti-immigrant attitudes,” said MPI President Demetrios Papademetriou. “And immigration is not the sole issue of the far right; their platform typically also includes anti-Brussels and anti-globalization components as well as other themes that resonate with unhappy electorates.”

The Relationship Between Immigration and Nativism in Europe and North America is the latest research report produced by MPI’s Transatlantic Council on Migration that examines the current political and public debates over national identity and social cohesion. The Transatlantic Council is a unique deliberative and advisory body that examines vital policy issues and informs migration policymaking processes across the Atlantic community. A recently released Council statement, Rethinking National Identity in the Age of Migration, examines the roots of society’s anxiety over immigration and outlines 10 steps for fostering greater cohesiveness.

Today’s report and the Council’s earlier research on this and other topics are available for download at: www.migrationpolicy.org/transatlantic.

###

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] CANADA: CENTRE FOR INTERCULTURAL LEARNING (Information & Training)

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:07:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

CANADA

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada

CENTRE FOR INTERCULTURAL LEARNING
http://www.international.gc.ca/cfsi-icse/cil-cai/index-eng.asp

ABOUT
http://www.international.gc.ca/cfsi-icse/cil-cai/about-apropos-eng.asp

Established in 1969 by the Canadian International Development Agency, the Centre became part of the Canadian Foreign Service Institute of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, in 1996. Both the Institute and the Centre are internationally recognized in the area of training and human resources. The Centre is Canada's largest provider of intercultural and international training services for internationally-assigned government and private sector personnel.

The Centre works with government departments and agencies, NGOs, as well as private sector enterprises with international involvement.

And the Centre never ceases to seek ways to renew itself. The Intercultural Facilitation and Organizational Development (IFOD) line of service and the International Personnel Assessment (IPASS), have generated keen interest among managers of intercultural projects and human resource professionals alike. Over the years, our training programs have been designed with a view to maximizing the acquisition of the intercultural skills vital to a successful international experience. Our Research Activites and Publications and Discussion Papers are a crucial pillar of our work and continue to support our core activities.

COUNTRY INSIGHTS

http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/countryinsights-apercuspays-eng.asp

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] ADB: SHADOW EDUCATION: PRIVATE SUPPLEMENTARY TUTORING AND ITS IMPLICATION FOR POLICY MAKERS IN ASIA [9 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:39:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Shadow Education: Private Supplementary Tutoring and Its Implications for Policy Makers in Asia [9 May 2012]

http://www.adb.org/publications/shadow-education-private-supplementary-tutoring-and-its-implications-policy-makers-asia

http://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/pub/2012/shadow-education.pdf

[full-text, 114 pages]

Description

In all parts of Asia, households devote considerable expenditures to private supplementary tutoring. This tutoring may contribute to students’ achievement, but it also maintains and exacerbates social inequalities, diverts resources from other uses, and can contribute to inefficiencies in education systems.

Such tutoring is widely called shadow education, because it mimics school systems. As the curriculum in the school system changes, so does the shadow.

This study documents the scale and nature of shadow education in different parts of the region. For many decades, shadow education has been a major phenomenon in East Asia. Now it has spread throughout the region, and it has far-reaching economic and social implications.

Contents

•Preface

•Executive Summary

•Introduction

•Mapping the Landscape

•Demand and Supply

•Impact of Shadow Education

•Implications for Policy Makers

•Conclusions

•References

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] CRS: TRADE PRIMER: Qs and As on TRADE CONCEPTS, PERFORMANCE, and POLICY [16 April 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:26:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

Congressional Research Service (CRS)

Trade Primer: Qs and As on Trade Concepts, Performance, and Policy

J. F. Hornbeck, Coordinator, Specialist in International Trade and Finance

April 16, 2012

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33944.pdf

[full-text, 35 pages]

Summary

The 112th Congress has a full legislative and oversight agenda on international trade. The agenda

so far has included approval of legislation to implement free trade agreements with Colombia,

Panama, and South Korea, and may take up enhanced enforcement of U.S. trade agreements, as

well as Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Permanent Normal Trade

Relations (PNTR) status, oversight of the World Trade Organization’s Doha Round, and trade

relations with China. This report provides information and context for many of these topics. It is

intended to assist members and staff who may be new to trade issues.

This report is divided into four sections in a question-and-answer format: trade concepts; U.S.

trade performance; formulation of U.S. trade policy; and trade and investment issues. Additional

suggested readings are provided in an appendix.

The first section, “Trade Concepts,” deals with why countries trade, the consequences of trade

expansion, and the relationship between globalization and trade. Key questions address the

benefits of specialization in production and trade, efforts by governments to influence a country’s

comparative advantage, how trade expansion can be costly and disruptive to workers in particular

industries and skill categories, and some unique characteristics of trade between developed

countries.

The second section, “U.S. Trade Performance,” focuses on the U.S. trade deficit and its impact on

industries. Several questions address the causes of trade deficits, the role of foreign trade barriers,

and how the trade deficit can be reduced. In terms of business impacts, the questions focus on

which U.S. industries appear to be the most and least competitive, and on the relative size of the

manufacturing sector.

The third section, “Formulation of U.S. Trade Policy,” deals with the roles played by the

executive branch, Congress, the private sector, and the judiciary in the formulation of U.S. trade

policy. Information on how trade policy functions are organized in Congress and the executive

branch, as well as the respective roles of individual members and the President, is provided. The

formal and informal roles of the private sector and the involvement of the judiciary are also

covered.

The fourth section, “U.S. Trade and Investment Policy Issues,” asks questions related to trade

negotiations and agreements and to imports, exports, and investments. The justification, types,

and consequences of trade liberalization agreements, along with the role of the World Trade

Organization, are treated in this section. The costs and benefits of imports, exports, and

investments are also discussed, including how the government deals with disruption and injury to

workers and companies caused by imports and its efforts to both restrict and promote exports.

Contents

Trade Concepts ................................................................................................................................ 1

Trade Expansion and Globalization........................................................................................... 1

U.S. Trade Performance................................................................................................................... 5

U.S. Trade Deficit...................................................................................................................... 5

Formulation of U.S. Trade Policy.................................................................................................. 14

Role of Congress ..................................................................................................................... 14

Role of the Executive Branch.................................................................................................. 15

Role of the Private Sector........................................................................................................ 16

Role of the Judiciary................................................................................................................ 17

U.S. Trade and Investment Policy Issues....................................................................................... 18

Trade Negotiations and Agreements........................................................................................ 18

Import Issues ........................................................................................................................... 21

Export Issues ........................................................................................................................... 23

Investment Issues..................................................................................................................... 24

Additional Readings ...................................................................................................................... 26

CRS Reports ............................................................................................................................ 26

Other Readings ........................................................................................................................ 27

List of Questions............................................................................................................................ 28

Trade Concepts ........................................................................................................................ 28

U.S. Trade Performance .......................................................................................................... 29

Formulation of U.S. Trade Policy............................................................................................ 29

U.S. Trade and Investment Policy Issues ................................................................................ 30

Figures

Figure 1. Employees on Nonagricultural Payrolls by Major Industry........................................... 13

Tables

Table 1. U.S. Exports, Imports, and Merchandise Trade Balances 2002-2011................................ 6

Table 2. Top U.S. Trading Partners Ranked by Total Merchandise Trade in 2011 ........................ 10

Table 3. U.S. Industries with the Largest Trade Surpluses and Deficits in 2011........................... 11

Table 4. Recent Peaks and Current Employment for Industries With Heavy Import Competition ............. 14

Contacts

Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 32

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] IUF: NESTLE--CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) RATING DOWNGRADED [8 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Tue, 08 May 2012 18:38:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant,

Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF)

'Continuous excellence' or more dubious claims in Nestlé's sustainability reporting?

http://cms.iuf.org/?q=node/1652

[excerpts]

Nestlé watchers on the company's mailing list may be puzzled by the fate of the message they received on April 12 entitled "Nestlé receives GRI A+ rating for Creating Shared Value report. The original article claimed that Nestlé had received an A+ rating from the Global Reporting Initiative for its 2011 'Creating Shared Value Report'." That claim is no longer made - apparently the communications folks at Nestlé were apprised that the GRI awards no ratings.

As a guide for investors concerned with various aspects of risk, the GRI reports remain most valuable for what the companies choose not to report on then for what they claim to disclose.

...

For the first time - and here Nestlé deserves credit - the report acknowledges that the company is at human rights risk in the areas of freedom of association and collective bargaining. Yet Nestlé, as in past years, cannot provide information on something as basic as the number of employees covered by collective bargaining agreements, or union involvement in health and safety programs. And the report falsely contends that the mass firings of union members at the Panjang factory in Indonesia - currently an area of conflict with the IUF - was in response to a strike which was "illegal". It was not. There is a total disconnect between the abstract acknowledgement of human rights risks arising from workplace relations and the company's persistent refusal to furnish concrete information which might elucidate at least part of the reality of those workplaces.

AND MORE…

Press Release 8 May 2012

New downgrade for Nestlé CSR rating

http://cms.iuf.org/sites/cms.iuf.org/files/Continuousexcellence.pdf

[full-text, 3 pages]

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] RAND: Selected International Best Practices in Police Performance Measurement [7 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:27:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

RAND

Selected International Best Practices in Police Performance Measurement [7 May 2012]

by Robert C. Davis

http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR1153.html

http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/technical_reports/2012/RAND_TR1153.pdf

[full-text, 24 pages]

Abstract

Historically, police agencies have measured their performance against a very restricted set of crime-focused indicators, such as crime rates, arrests, and response times. However, modern police officers must be prepared to take on a wide variety of roles, from problem-solver to counselor and provider of first aid, among many others. Therefore, performance measures should be multidimensional to capture the complexity inherent in modern policing. In this era of tight budgets and deep cuts in municipal services, local officials have prioritized police performance improvement and the collection of measurable evidence to justify budget requests. Police departments also benefit from measuring performance; the results can help officials monitor department operations, promote adherence to policies and strategic plans, and detect patterns of bias or misconduct. By defining what is measured, executives send a signal to their command about what activities are valued and what results are considered important. Performance measures can also help track the progress of individual officers, the efficient use of funds, and many other indicators of organizational health. This report describes some of the key considerations involved in designing measures to evaluate law enforcement agencies. It also includes a framework for measuring performance and a detailed review of some international best practices.

Key Findings

Well-Developed Performance Measurement Approaches Capture the Complexity of Modern Policing

•Policing experts have suggested that the best measurement approaches use a mix of outputs (measures of internal performance correlated with desirable policing outcomes) and outcomes (societal advantages provided by the police).

•Surveys are a useful tool and produce results that can be interpreted more clearly than administrative records and statistics.

•Comparing performance across police agencies shows how well local agencies are performing relative to similar agencies. An even better approach is to employ "synthetic controls" to draw a virtual comparison agency based on the performance of several agencies.

•Tying performance to incentives has proved to be an effective way of getting results, but it could also lead officers to "game the system."

A Basic Framework for Measuring Police Performance Can Serve as a Basis for Identifying Best Practices

•A RAND study identified police agencies that incorporated best practices along 18 dimensions of police activity, including performance measurement.

•Four locales, in particular, can serve as models for other agencies that are seeking to develop or reexamine their own performance measurement systems: England and Wales, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Recommendations

•Police departments can learn from what has been successful in other municipalities and countries, but it will be important that performance measurement systems reflect the unique local context.

•National police performance standards should be flexible and relatively few in number. Local police forces should be able to set their own performance goals in response to the needs of local residents.

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] EC: DATABASE ON TRANSNATIONAL COMPANY AGREEMENTS

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:45:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

European Commission

Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion

DATABASE ON TRANSNATIONAL COMPANY AGREEMENTS

http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=978&langId=en

The database contains all transnational company agreements and texts identified and catalogued by the European Commission. It also contains sheets with details on every company and agreement. You can only download texts and agreements for which we obtained an authorization to publish by at least one signatory.

There are two possible ways to search the database: a simple search form and an advanced search form, accessible by clicking on the “advanced search” link.

Download the user guide
Download the data dictionary
Download the full list of all identified agreements
About the database
More information about Transnational Company Agreements

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] ADB: MANAGING KNOWLEDGE IN PROJECT ENVIRONMENTS [April 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:13:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Knowledge Solutions

Managing Knowledge in Project Environments [April 2012]

By Olivier Serrat

http://www.adb.org/publications/managing-knowledge-project-environments

http://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/pub/2012/managing-knowledge-project-environments.pdf

[full-text, 10 pages]

Projects ought to be vehicles for both practical benefits and organizational learning. However, if an organization is designed for the long term, a project exists only for its duration. Project-based organizations face an awkward dilemma: the project-centric nature of their work makes knowledge management, hence learning, difficult.

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] EWCO: USE OF ALCOHOL AND DRUGS IN THE WORKPLACE [3 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:52:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Dublin Foundation)

European Working Conditions Observatory (EWCO)

COMPARATIVE STUDY

Use of alcohol and drugs at the workplace [3 May 2012]
May 2012
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/studies/tn1111013s/index.htm
or
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/studies/tn1111013s/tn1111013s.htm
or
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/docs/ewco/tn1111013s/tn1111013s.pdf
[full-text, 49 pages]

- see also the Executive Summary

Alcohol and drugs represent a serious problem for a significant percentage of the working population (5%–20% of workers), especially in some sectors and occupations. Consumption of alcohol and drugs at work can have negative impacts for individuals and organisations in terms of health problems, more instances of sick leave/short-term absenteeism, reduced performance, labour conflicts, more work accidents, company image problems, and damage to equipment or products. Public authorities and social partners in EU countries have developed national legislation and agreements banning/limiting alcohol/drug use at work, with a focus on testing practices intended to control usage at work. Public authorities and social partners have also adopted various policy measures to prevent and combat the negative effects of alcohol and drug use at work.

The study was compiled on the basis of individual national reports submitted by the EWCO correspondents. The text of each of these national reports is available below. The reports have not been edited or approved by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The national reports were drawn up in response to a questionnaire and should be read in conjunction with it.

Contributing articles:

________________________________________________________________________

[IWS] Census: SHADES OF GRAY: A CROSS-COUNTRY STUDY OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE OLDER POPULATIONS IN SAGE COUNTRIES, 2007-2010 [7 May 2012]

noreply@blogger.com (SBasefsky) — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:39:00 +0000

IWS Documented News Service

_______________________________

Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach

School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies

Cornell University

16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky

New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau

________________________________________________________________________

Census

International Population Reports

Issued May 2012

P95/12-01

SHADES OF GRAY: A CROSS-COUNTRY STUDY OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE OLDER POPULATIONS IN SAGE COUNTRIES, 2007-2010 [7 May 2012]
http://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/p95-12-01.pdf

[full-text, 76 pages]

Press Release 7 May 2012
Health and Well-Being of Older Populations in Six Low- to Middle-Income Countries Examined in Census Bureau Report
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb12-81.html

Health levels varied greatly among people 50 and older in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia and South Africa, but hypertension and arthritis were the two most common chronic conditions in all six countries (Figure 1), according to the first-ever U.S. Census Bureau report to use data from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE).

Commissioned by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) of the National Institutes of Health, the report, Shades of Gray: A Cross-Country Study of Health and Well-Being of the Older Populations in SAGE Countries, 2007-2010, examines the health status and access to health care among older populations in the aforementioned six low- to middle-income countries, which are each among the world's 50 most populous.

“Relatively few countries have age-specific health and disability data, and those that do are primarily high-income countries,” notes Census Bureau demographer Wan He, one of the report's co-authors, along with Mark Muenchrath of the Census Bureau and Paul Kowal of the World Health Organization (WHO). “SAGE provides much needed cross-country comparable health data that will shed light on our understanding of similarities and differences in the health of older adults across low-, middle- and high-income countries.”

The wide range of health levels is evident when looking at the prevalence of disability. The percentage of people 50 and older in SAGE countries reporting a disability ranged from 68 percent in China to 93 percent in India.

According to the report, high levels of risky health behaviors often continued into older ages, particularly for men. For instance, more than half of older Chinese and Indian men still smoked tobacco and the majority of older Ghanaian, Mexican and Russian men reported daily moderate or heavy alcohol consumption. However, there were signs of lifestyle changes toward healthier behavior: more older Ghanaian men had given up smoking than were still smoking, and about the same percentages of current smokers and past smokers were recorded for Mexican men (Figure 2).

“Population aging is changing the world in many ways,” said Richard Suzman, director of the Division of Behavioral and Social Research at the NIA, which commissioned the report. “We are seeing a transition in which chronic, noncommunicable diseases are becoming much more important in low- and middle-income countries. SAGE provides evidence of this transition and how lifestyles may need to be changed and prevention increased in these countries.”

Other highlights:

The majority of SAGE countries' older people reported being satisfied with their lives. Older Mexicans recorded the highest rate of life satisfaction (eight in 10), compared with only a little more than half of older Ghanaians.
Older people with chronic conditions were more likely to be diagnosed with depression. For example, older Ghanaians with arthritis were six times more likely to be depressed than those without arthritis.
Two notably different patterns of health care payment emerged from the SAGE statistics — in Mexico, Russia and South Africa, health care to a large extent was free; in contrast, in China, Ghana and India, the bulk of the cost of medical care was borne by the patients themselves or their families.
Most older Indians had insufficient fruit and vegetable intake, and older South Africans had low levels of physical activity.

Future waves of SAGE statistics will provide the longitudinal information needed to examine trends and shed additional light on some of the health, cultural and contextual differences documented in this report and found in aging research in general.

-X-

SAGE is designed as a multiwave panel study designed by WHO and supported by NIA. There are six participating countries — China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia and South Africa. The first wave was conducted during the period of 2007-2010. Wave 2 will be implemented in 2012 and Wave 3 is planned for 2014. For additional SAGE survey related information such as sampling, sample size, response rate, weighting, and data validation and comparability, see “Sources of the Data and Accuracy of the Estimates” and Appendix C “SAGE Surveys” of the report.

Statistics from sample surveys are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. All comparisons made in this report have been tested and found to be statistically significant at the 90-percent confidence level, unless otherwise noted. Please consult Table B-1 of the report for specific margins of error. For more information, contact WHO at <http://www.who.int/healthinfo/systems/sage/en/index.html>.

________________________________________________________________________

IWS Documented News INTERNATIONAL

[IWS] CRS: OUTSOURCING AND INSOURCING JOBS IN THE U.S. ECONOMY: EVIDENCE BASED ON FOREIGN INVESTMENT DATA [10 May 2012]

[IWS] CRS: FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES: AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS [10 May 2012]

[IWS] Harvey Nash: CIO SURVEY 2012 [14 May 2012]

[IWS] Bacharach Blog: THE KNEE-JERK DICHOTOMY: MANAGEMENT V. LEADERSHIP [11 May 2012]

[IWS] CBO: ENERGY SECURITY IN THE UNITED STATES [9 May 2012]

[IWS] EuroStat: EUROPE IN FIGURES--EuroStat YEARBOOK 2012 & OTHER YEARBOOKS [11 May 2012]

[IWS] CRS: SAME-SEX MARRIAGES: LEGAL ISSUES [9 May 2012]

[IWS] ADB: AFRICAN & GLOBAL ECONOMIC TRENDS, QUARTERLY STATISTICAL REVIEW, 1ST Qtr, Vol 9 March 30, 2012 [online 10 May 2012]

[IWS] ECLAC: AGEING, SOLIDARITY AND SOCIAL PROTECTION: TIME TO MOVE TOWARDS EQUALITY [9 May 2012]

[IWS] Census: THE FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES 2010 [10 May 2012]

[IWS] Mercer: KEY DRIVERS FOR DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STRATEGY IN ASIA PACIFIC [7 May 2012]

[IWS] BEA: U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES March 2012 [10 May 2012]

[IWS] BLS: U.S. IMPORT AND EXPORT PRICE INDEXES - APRIL 2012 [10 May 2012]

[IWS] SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS & GENDER INDEX (SIGI) 2012 and DATABASE launched [10 May 2012]

[IWS] World Bank: INCLUSIVE GREEN GROWTH: THE PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT [9 May 2012]

[IWS] MPI: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IMMIGRATION AND NATIVISM IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA [9 May 2012]

[IWS] CANADA: CENTRE FOR INTERCULTURAL LEARNING (Information & Training)

[IWS] ADB: SHADOW EDUCATION: PRIVATE SUPPLEMENTARY TUTORING AND ITS IMPLICATION FOR POLICY MAKERS IN ASIA [9 May 2012]

[IWS] CRS: TRADE PRIMER: Qs and As on TRADE CONCEPTS, PERFORMANCE, and POLICY [16 April 2012]

[IWS] IUF: NESTLE--CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) RATING DOWNGRADED [8 May 2012]

[IWS] RAND: Selected International Best Practices in Police Performance Measurement [7 May 2012]

[IWS] EC: DATABASE ON TRANSNATIONAL COMPANY AGREEMENTS

[IWS] ADB: MANAGING KNOWLEDGE IN PROJECT ENVIRONMENTS [April 2012]

[IWS] EWCO: USE OF ALCOHOL AND DRUGS IN THE WORKPLACE [3 May 2012]

Use of alcohol and drugs at the workplace [3 May 2012] May 2012 http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/studies/tn1111013s/index.htm or http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/studies/tn1111013s/tn1111013s.htm or http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/docs/ewco/tn1111013s/tn1111013s.pdf [full-text, 49 pages]

Contributing articles:

[IWS] Census: SHADES OF GRAY: A CROSS-COUNTRY STUDY OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE OLDER POPULATIONS IN SAGE COUNTRIES, 2007-2010 [7 May 2012]

Use of alcohol and drugs at the workplace [3 May 2012]
May 2012
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/studies/tn1111013s/index.htm
or
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/studies/tn1111013s/tn1111013s.htm
or
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/docs/ewco/tn1111013s/tn1111013s.pdf
[full-text, 49 pages]