Economic And Social Research Institute Research Articles

Multidimensional Poverty in Japan

Not very much is known about poverty in Japan. Until recently, official figures on the diffusion of income poverty among the population did not exist. The Japanese income poverty rate was first announced in October 2009, almost 40 years after the United States did so. Even less is known about multidimensional poverty and material deprivation. A new multidimensional poverty index, including food, clothing and other living conditions, has been in the making since 2012 but, to the best of our knowledge, no official measure exists as of today. What is the share of the population in non-income poverty? How many Japanese are unable to enjoy the minimum standards of living? And who are they according to demographic and social characteristics? These are some of the questions we answer in this paper. We base our analysis on aspects of material living conditions collected in the Quality of Life Survey in 2012 and 2013 conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Cabinet Office of Japan.

Landscape disturbance causes small-scale functional homogenization, but limited taxonomic homogenization, in plant communities

Summary 1. Biotic homogenization (BH), a dominant process shaping the response of natural communities to human disturbance, reflects both the expansion of exotic species at large scales and other mechanisms that often operate at smaller scales. 2. Here, we examined the relationship between BH in plant communities and spatio-temporal landscape disturbance (habitat fragmentation and surrounding habitat conversion) at a local scale (1 km²), using data from a standardized monitoring programme in France. We quantified BH using both a spatial partitioning of taxonomic diversity and the average habitat specialization of communities, which informs on functional BH. 3. We observed a positive relationship between local taxonomic diversity and landscape fragmentation or instability. This increase in local taxonomic diversity was, however, paralleled by a decrease in average community specialization in more fragmented landscapes and in more unstable landscapes around forest sites. The decrease in average community specialization suggests that landscape disturbance causes functional BH, but there was limited evidence for concurrent taxonomic BH. 4. Synthesis. Our results show that landscape disturbance is partly responsible for functional BH at small scales via the extirpation of specialist species, with possible consequences for ecosystem functioning. However, this change in community composition is not systematically associated with taxonomic BH. This has direct relevance in designing biodiversity indicators: metrics incorporating species sensitivity to disturbance (such as species specialization to habitat) appear much more reliable than taxonomic diversity for documenting the response of communities to disturbance.

Self-reported complication rates following primary total hip arthroplasty in Ireland: fact or fiction

There are little data available on complication rates following primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) surgery in Ireland. To determine self-reported complication rates and national data for primary THA. A postal questionnaire surveyed Irish orthopaedic association consultant members. Additional data were obtained from the economic and social research institute (ESRI). We achieved an 83% response rate. 5,424 THAs were self-reported. Mean dislocation rates were 1%, but higher using a posterior surgical approach (p < 0.05). Mean deep infection rates were 0.4%. 29% were MRSA. No reduction was reported from additional barrier prophylaxes. Mean venous thrombo-embolism (VTE) rates were 3.5%. No reduction was reported from commencing prophylaxis preoperatively or extending treatment duration. National rates for dislocation, deep infection and VTE were 25.7, 0.87, and <0.1%, respectively. The creation of a National Hip Register is strongly recommended. A register would improve surgical practices and patient outcomes, and provide significant healthcare savings.

Coding in Ireland: Time for Recognition.

Recognition of skilled coders' work within the Irish health system is long overdue. A project being undertaken in Ireland now by the central office for coding at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) is exploring ways to raise the coders' profile, promote a profession of clinical coders and ensure quality benchmarks for all stakeholders, including the introduction of accredited training. The Hospital Inpatient Enquiry (HIPE) at the ESRI uses ICD-10-AM and trains and supports coders in all aspects of their work. This paper also presents some preliminary findings of a HIPE workforce study undertaken in early 2010. The establishment of a recognised clinical coder profession through engagement with all stakeholders and the accreditation of Irish coder education would enhance the position and recognition of coding as a skilled profession within the Irish healthcare system, and also ensure those data meet the highest national and international data quality standards.

Human Resource Practices in Multinational Companies in Ireland: A Large-Scale Survey

The report entitled Resource Management Practices in Multinational Companies (MNCs) in Ireland: A Large Scale Survey (2007) presented findings from the largest and most representative empirical investigation of employment practice in MNCs in Ireland to date. This report has now been revised and published in book format, the full citation for which is as follows: Lavelle, J., McDonnell, A. & Gunnigle, P. (2009) Human Resource Practices in Multinational Companies in Ireland: A Contemporary Analysis, Dublin: The Stationery Office, Government Publications. ISBN: 9781406422696 (This book is available from Government Publications, OPW, 20 Lakeside Retail Park, Claremorris, Co. Mayo, IRELAND; email: pubsales@opw.ie or phone 1890 213434) This document contains details on the background to this study, the executive summary and the first and last chapters of the original 2007 report. The recently published book (mentioned above) presents the full findings from this study. The research was led by a research team from University of Limerick and conducted in cooperation with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). The full study presents findings on five HR areas, namely, the HR function, pay and performance management, employee representation and consultation, employee communication and involvement, and training, development and organisational learning. This Irish study was conducted in parallel with similar surveys in Canada, Mexico, Spain and the UK.

Introduction to the Special Issue: Causes and Consequences of International Firm Activities – Evidence from Micro Data

The study of international firm activities forms a very active sub-field of international economics with direct implications for economic policy. In this literature, micro-econometric investigations using longitudinal data at the firm level and micro-economic modelling of heterogeneous firms that are involved in various forms of international activities mutually fertilize each other (see the surveys by Greenaway and Kneller (2007), Helpman (2006), Lopez (2005), and Wagner (2007)). Members of The International Study Group on Exports and Productivity – ISGEP contribute to this literature, and new results are presented and discussed at the workshops of this group regularly. 1 Earlier versions of three of the four papers in this issue were presented at the third ISGEP workshop at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) in Dublin in February 2009. 2 Sourafel Girma, Holger Gorg and Joachim Wagner use newly available representative panel data for manufacturing enterprises in West and East Germany to investigate the link between production-related subsidies and exports. They report that only a small fraction of enterprises is subsidized, and that exports and subsidies are positively related. Using a matching approach to investigate the causal effect of subsidies on export activities they find no impact of subsidies on the probability to start exporting, and only weak evidence for an impact of subsidies on the share of exports in total sales in West Germany but no evidence in East Germany.

Changing trends in surgical treatment of carotid disease in Ireland (1996–2003)

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a well-established method of stroke prevention in patients with symptomatic, high-grade internal carotid artery stenosis. To assess the change in carotid surgery practice in health board regions in Ireland over two different time periods in the past 11 years (1996-1998/2001-2003). Numbers of discharges of patients with a procedure code CEA (38.12) between 1996-1998 and 2001-2003 were obtained from the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE) database maintained by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). Population data was obtained from national censuses. There has been considerable change in the level of carotid surgery activity in specific health board regions between the two periods. Still no region comes close to achieving levels of CEA recommended by population studies. This is important in the context of the MRC asymptomatic carotid surgery trial (ACST), as the numbers suitable for CEA will probably increase further in the future.

Increasing rates and changing patterns of hospital admissions for patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Ireland: 1996 – 2001

The inflammatory bowel diseases require frequent hospital visits. The literature suggests that the incidence of IBD may be increasing. To investigate the pattern of admissions of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to hospital over a five-year period (between 1996 and 2001). We obtained national data regarding admission rates for patients with IBD from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) during the years 1996 and 2001. Local data were gathered from the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE) scheme for the same years. Over this five-year period, there has been a substantial increase in the rate of admission with IBD (58% for Crohn's disease and 25% for ulcerative colitis), in particular in the number of day-case admissions for patients with Crohn's disease (125%). There has been little change in the number of patients undergoing surgery for their disease (Crohn's disease; 24% vs 20% and Ulcerative colitis; 17% vs 16.6%) and in the length of hospital stay. Despite an increase in the rate of admission with IBD, there has been little change in the rates of surgical intervention and length of stay. The most dramatic increase was seen in the day-case admissions for patients with Crohn's disease and may reflect the use of anti-TNFalpha (infliximab) in the treatment of this disease.

Forecasts Based on Official Business Indices in Japan: A Real-Time Analysis

This paper analyses the performance of forecasts of real economic activity based on the Japanese official business indices in a real-time framework. As in other countries, preliminary numbers of the business indices are first announced, then they are revised. These revisions are often substantial, so that the business indices that are available on a real-time basis often differ from their revised form. This paper explores how this difference can affect forecasts. Results indicate that real-time forecasts based on the diffusion leading indexare not significantly worse than forecasts based on the final revised form. Also, the real-time forecasts using the composite leading index are often comparable to those from final revised forms. However, real-time forecasts from the diffusion coincident indexare significantly worse than forecasts that use the final revised form. This work examines real-time forecasts which are based on the official business indices in Japan. These official business indices, called “Keiki Doko Shisu” in Japanese, were formerly compiled by the Economic Planning Agency (EPA), and are currently compiled by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) in the Cabinet Office. Since promptness is regarded as important, the indices are first announced in a preliminary form, then they are revised; revisions are carried out repeatedly. Is there a significant difference between forecasts based on the revised and the real-time indices? This paper compares revised and realtime forecasts and evaluates how much they differ. However good the forecasts based on the final revised form are, if forecasts based on business indices that are available in real-time are unsatisfactory, then usefulness of these indices is limited from a practical point of view. The same question over preliminary and revised numbers applies to other countries as well as Japan. Diebold and Rudebusch (1991a) show that realtime forecasts of production increase in the US based on leading business indices are hardly useful, though forecasts based on ex-post revised numbers perform satisfactorily. Diebold and Rudebusch (1991b) show similar results in regard to turning points of the business cycle in the US. There are already many studies on the performance of the official business indices in Japan, but they use business indices that are revised many times and

Book Reviews

Journal Article Book Reviews Get access Care Provision and Cost Measurement: Dependent Elderly People at Home and in Geriatric Hospitals (General Research Series Paper No. 157) J. Blackwell, E. O' Shea, G. Moane and P. MurrayDublin: Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). 1992. 228 pp. Price IR £15.00(paperback). DAVID CHALLIS DAVID CHALLIS Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Kent Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Age and Ageing, Volume 22, Issue 6, November 1993, Pages 478–479, https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/22.6.478-a Published: 01 November 1993