Book Description

Unemployment in Theory and Practice examines the effectivenessof current policies in the battle against unemployment.It uses avariety of country case studies to analyze the range of potentialcauses of and cures for unemployment and analyzes the complex nature oflabor markets. This volume surveys the policy options and prescribes amix of both macro and microeconomic policies to combat unemploymenteffectively.The contributors address the issue of policy targetedgroups, including self-employed and older workers, and offer acomprehensive survey of key empirical findings. Issues consideredinclude the rising number of self-employed in Australia and the labormarket prospects for the aged in Germany.Particular labor marketpolicies are discussed including the role of training and concertedinternational action through social democratic and trade unioncollaboration. The nature of unemployment in countries characterized byeconomic and social transformation, such as Bulgaria and Poland, isalso analyzed in detail.The final section of the book is dedicated towage policy and compensatory pay for the unemployed.It challenges theconventional neoclassical wisdom that wage constraints and limitedtrade union power will necessarily lead to labor market improvementsand reduced unemployment.Evidence from Germany and South Africa isused to argue that collective action is a promising policy alternative.International in scope, the book will be essential reading forundergraduate and postgraduate students of economics, politicaleconomy, industrial relations and international economics.It willalso appeal to professional economists, sociologists, politicalscientists, trade unionists and policy advisors. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Unemployment is the most serious economic and social problem in Europe today.Although the extent varies from region to region, it is generally most extreme in large cities. This volume asks why European unemployment is so high and examines the policies adopted at local, national and European level to tackle the problems.It also includes five case studies of major European cities with high levels of unemployment. ... Read more

Book Description

This book examines the high unemployment that has plagued five European countries—France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom—for more than a decade. Its methodology focuses on the mechanisms that prevent employers and employees from adjusting promptly to changing market opportunities. Chief among these mechanisms are outdated economic structures, the power of labor unions, rising nonwage labor costs, and the disparity between unemployed workers and available jobs. Although cross-country differences indicate that there is no common cause for joblessness in Europe, the book discusses a unique characteristic of the European labor market—that unemployment not only rises during recessions, but does not fall when economic weaknesses are overcome. ... Read more

Book Description

This timely and important work addresses the controversy surrounding discouragement among the unemployed. Using an unprecedented set of national and local studies, and drawing on disparate research in nearly every social science discipline, the authors produce an original, highly detailed portrait of discouraged workers. From their analysis they offer recommendations on what can be done to promote employment and reduce long-term dependency on government assistance. Other timely issues discussed are chronic minority unemployment, worker dislocation through plant closings, the impact of low wage jobs on reducing poverty, the "feminization of poverty," the plight of the working poor, and the importance of the family. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The massive hidden unemployment/wealth redistribution crisis
This was the book that first seriously challenged the accuracy of U.S. Government unemployment figures in the modern era. The authors demonstrated that there are a large number of "uncounted" unemployed workers in American society. Indeed, the true unemployment figures may easily be double the official figures- or higher. The main difficulty lies in the fact that the government simply doesn't count anyone as "unemployed" who was either run out his allotted unemployment benefits, or did not officially qualify in the first place due to gaping loopholes in the system.

The authors also examined the huge number of underemployed people who qualify as "employed" but who are barely earning a subsistence living (usually after losing much higher paying manufacturing jobs.) The actual standard of living of those forced off of the welfare roles and into marginal, low paying employment (often short lived) was similarly covered. The related phenomenon of the "feminization" of unemployment is identified and examined. Moreover, the idea that older workers were voluntarily leaving the workforce (instead of being forced out due to age discrimination) was also debunked.

Anyone interested in, or outraged by, the massive redistribution of wealth in U.S. society over the last two decades, along with political efforts to cover up the fact, will find this study an excellent starting point. It would seem that neither major party really wants the peonization of American society to be closely and objectively examined or addressed.

Table of Contents
-- Background
-- The Discouraged Worker Problem
-- The Existing Knowledge Base
-- Toward a New Perspective
-- Paths to Discouragement
-- Profiles in Discouragement
-- Coping Without Work
-- Viewing Life and Work
-- Seeking Work
-- Public Policy
-- What Are Their Needs?
-- How Should They Be Helped?
-- Bibliography
-- Index ... Read more

Book Description

The two historical debates studied here are concerned with the impact of technological change on unemployment and on the economy generally. The topic is of enduring interest among both economists and the public at large. The history of these 20th century debates has not previously been studied in detail, and the book provides valuable insight into the evolution of the understanding of a fundamental issue in the economy. By providing insight into idea evolution and economic methodology, the book is a valuable description of the ways in which economists work and react to each other. ... Read more

Book Description

An increasing amount of attention has been focused on the employment effect of governmental regulation. Controversy over the implementation and impacts of governmental rules are now central to current public policy debates relating to employment and labor markets. A new policy framework for regulation is needed to make the regulatory decision-making process more responsive to the requirements for economic growth and to the employment effects of regulation. The President and Congress need to provide effective oversight of the process, from the perspective of both a single regulation and a government-wide approach to regulatory planning. Regulatory agencies need to use state-of-the-art analytical tools so that they can better determine the employment effects of their regulatory actions. This book presents a common-sense, albeit highly sophisticated and technical, approach to improving the technical soundness, credibility, and transparency of the regulatory decision-making process. ... Read more

Book Description

This work challenges traditional monetary theory by focusing on the role of banks. It brings together an international team of contributors with a wide experience of the subject. ... Read more