Statistics for Spatial Data.

We investigate whether income inequality affects subsequent growth in a cross-country sample for 1965-90, using the models of Barro (1997), Bleaney and Nishiyama (2002) and Sachs and Warner (1997), with negative results. We then investigate the evolution of income inequality over the same period and its correlation with growth. The dominating feature is inequality convergence across countries. This convergence has been significantly faster amongst developed countries. Growth does not appear to influence the evolution of inequality over time. Outline

https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/81822/1/02-28.pdf

Economic growth and income inequality

Beginning with Emlen (1966) and MacArthur and Pianka (1966) and extending through the last ten years, several authors have sought to predict the foraging behavior of animals by means of mathematical models. These models are very similar,in that they all assume that the fitness of a foraging animal is a function of the efficiency of foraging measured in terms of some "currency" (Schoener, 1971) -usually energy- and that natural selection has resulted in animals that forage so as to maximize this fitness. As a result of these similarities, the models have become known as "optimal foraging models"; and the theory that embodies them, "optimal foraging theory." The situations to which optimal foraging theory has been applied, with the exception of a few recent studies, can be divided into the following four categories: (1) choice by an animal of which food types to eat (i.e., optimal diet); (2) choice of which patch type to feed in (i.e., optimal patch choice); (3) optimal allocation of time to different patches; and (4) optimal patterns and speed of movements. In this review we discuss each of these categories separately, dealing with both the theoretical developments and the data that permit tests of the predictions. The review is selective in the sense that we emphasize studies that either develop testable predictions or that attempt to test predictions in a precise quantitative manner. We also discuss what we see to be some of the future developments in the area of optimal foraging theory and how this theory can be related to other areas of biology. Our general conclusion is that the simple models so far formulated are supported are supported reasonably well by available data and that we are optimistic about the value both now and in the future of optimal foraging theory. We argue, however, that these simple models will requre much modification, espicially to deal with situations that either cannot easily be put into one or another of the above four categories or entail currencies more complicated that just energy.

Citation classic - optimal foraging - a selective review of theory and tests

A detailed review of the education sector in Australia as in the data provided by the 2006 edition of the OECD's annual publication, 'Education at a Glance' is presented. While the data has shown that in almost all OECD countries educational attainment levels are on the rise, with countries showing impressive gains in university qualifications, it also reveals that a large of share of young people still do not complete secondary school, which remains a baseline for successful entry into the labour market.

/pdf/education-at-a-glance-m5vl7o68j5.pdf

Education at a Glance

Utility Analysis and the Consumption Function: An Interpretation of Cross-Section Data

This paper applies the familiar theoretical distinction between general and specific training to the empirical task of estimating the returns to in-company training. Using a firm-level dataset which distinguishes between general and specific training, we test for the relative effects of the two types of training on productivity growth. We find that although general training has a statistically positive effect on productivity growth, no such effect is observable for specific training. This positive effect of general training remains when we control for factors such as changes in work organization and corporate re-structuring, firm size and the initial level of human capital in the enterprise. Moreover, the impact of general training varies positively with the level of capital investment.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/99092212.pdf?abstractid=125268&rulid=5434614&mirid=5

Does Training Generally Work? The Returns to In-Company Training

Using data from surveys of enterprises in Ireland in 1993 and 1996–97, the authors estimate the productivity effects of general training, specific training, and all types of training combined. Statistically significant positive effects on productivity are found both for all training and for general training, but not for specific training. The positive effect of general training remains when the researchers control for factors such as changes in work organization, corporate re-structuring, firm size, and the initial level of human capital in the enterprise. The impact of general training varies positively with the level of capital investment.

/pdf/does-training-generally-work-the-returns-to-in-company-1e2hid3dwr.pdf

Does Training Generally Work? The Returns to In-Company Training.

The health behaviours recorded by TILDA discussed here include smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and participation in preventive health screenings. For example: â?¢	Page 85 Section 5.4.2 Alcohol â?¢	Page 120: Table 5.A23: Problematic alcohol use and diagnosed substance abuse by age and sex â?¢	Page 121: Table 5.A24: Problematic alcohol use and diagnosed substance abuse by age and education â?¢	Page 122: Table 5.A25: Problematic alcohol use and diagnosed substance abuse by age and wealth

/pdf/fifty-plus-in-ireland-2011-first-results-from-the-irish-1w3uuf4kr4.pdf

Fifty plus in Ireland 2011: first results from the Irish longitudinal study on ageing (TILDA).

The purpose of this paper is two-fold. We firstly produce a labour market profile of non-Irish immigrants who arrived in Ireland in the ten years to 2003. We then go on to use the labour market profile in estimating the impact of immigration (non-Irish) on the Irish labour market. Immigrants are shown to be a highly educated group. However, they are not all employed in occupations that fully reflect their education levels. The model of the labour market that we use to simulate the impact of immigration differentiates between low-skilled and high-skilled labour. This allows us to estimate the impact of immigrants (a) if they were employed at a level fitting their education and (b) if they were employed in occupations below their educational level. Our results show that under scenario (a) immigrants who arrived between 1993 and 2003 increased GNP by between 3.5 and 3.7%, largely by lowering skilled wages by around 6% and increasing Ireland's competitiveness. Under scenario (b), the increase in GNP is reduced to 3% because the impact on skilled wages is lower. If we assume the immigration is primarily unskilled, the impact on earnings inequality is reversed.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/SSRN_ID702862_code465493.pdf?abstractid=702862

The Labour Market Characteristics and Labour Market Impacts of Immigrants in Ireland

https://researchrepository.ucd.ie/bitstream/10197/1023/3/nolanb_workpap_034.pdf

Alan Barrett

Papers

Does Training Generally Work? The Returns to In-Company Training

Does Training Generally Work? The Returns to In-Company Training.

Fifty plus in Ireland 2011: first results from the Irish longitudinal study on ageing (TILDA).

The Labour Market Characteristics and Labour Market Impacts of Immigrants in Ireland

Earnings inequality, returns to education and immigration into Ireland