Local Employment Opportunities Research Articles

Peasants in Russia from Serfdom to Stalin: Accommodation, Survival, Resistance by Gorshkov Boris (review)

REVIEWS 365 Poles to experience immense disillusionment during the first decades of the twentieth century when dealing not with the ‘children of a common mother Poland’, but with the Ukrainian nation striving for independence (p. 555). By way of conclusion, this erudite and penetrating study makes an excellent contribution to our understanding of the Habsburg world and modern Polish and Ukrainian nationhood. The volume belongs on the shelves of all serious scholars of Galicia in the nineteenth century. Surprisingly, some shortcomings can be attributed to the book’s sponsor. In addition to the muddled treatment of the ‘Ruthenian’ language by Frank Sysyn in the preface, the use of the term ‘Ruthenian’ in reference to the language spoken by the Ukrainians in Galicia is not a winning move. Although commonly used in historiographic works, this learned term has an imperial connotation with regard to the Ruthenian inhabitants of the Austrian partition. In order to stress a certain degree of nonidentification of Austrian Ukrainians with Russian Ukrainian, which was not so obvious in Galicia from the late 1860s onward, the translator should resort to the indigenous term Rusian. Pace University Andrii Danylenko Gorshkov, Boris. Peasants in Russia from Serfdom to Stalin: Accommodation, Survival, Resistance. The Bloomsbury History of Modern Russia Series. Bloomsbury Academic, London and New York, 2018. xiii + 209 pp. Illustrations. Figures. Tables. Notes. Bibliography. Index. $102.60: £85.00. Boris Gorshkov, a visiting professor of history at Kennesaw State University, has written a synthetic history of the imperial Russian and early Soviet peasantries aimed at advanced students and non-specialist readers. Over thirteen thematic chapters that are arranged roughly chronologically, this largely well-written study covers the period from serfdom through Soviet collectivization. The focus is on the Orthodox and ethnically Russian rural population of the peasant social estate — the krest´ianstvo — in European Russia. The evolving social, economic and political lives of this peasantry is interpreted through an ‘ecological’ framework which, as Gorshkov describes, emphasizes the multi-faceted nature of peasant lives in connection to their physical, socio-economic and political environments. This framework is presented as an intermediate viewpoint between communitarian ‘moral economy’ perspectives and individualistic rational choice conceptualizations of peasant life. Throughout, Gorshkov asserts the importance of considering the Russian peasantry not as a passive, isolated (and backward) collective acted upon by elites and the state but as individuals, families or communities SEER, 99, 2, APRIL 2021 366 actively producing their own history, at least until 1917. The goal is a micro-level ‘history from below’ (p. 8) that is expressive of the Russian peasant’s ‘ecological mentality’ (p. 11). The primary chapters of Gorshkov’s volume each examine an aspect of the lived experience of the Russian peasantry, beginning with the institution of serfdom (ch. 2); proceeding through descriptions of peasant agriculture (ch. 3), gender roles and childhood (ch. 3), non-agricultural and industrial employment (chs 4–6), social mobility (ch. 7), and public engagement (ch. 8); before outlining the evolution of Russian peasant life from the abolition of serfdom in 1861 through to forced collectivization in the 1930s (chs 9–13). While the result is a concise book that sacrifices some detail for summary, albeit with some considerable repetition and odd structural choices, Gorshkov does several things worth commending. The study provides a thorough and useful introduction and survey of a large secondary literature across several disciplines and sub-fields (although this reviewer would have appreciated more careful citations and critical discussion of important sources and secondary literature). Throughout the book, Gorshkov offers a valuable corrective by emphasizing the critical importance of non-grain agriculture activities in the economic lives of the Russian peasantry. From livestock, to forest products, to a variety of cottage industries and local wage employment opportunities, to migration and industrial work, peasant economic activity was rarely grounded solely in grain cultivation, with the particular mix of occupations dependent on the prevailing environmental, market and policy conditions. Finally, there are certain topics — peasant childhood and the growing involvement of peasants in Russian civic and political life over period are stand outs — where Gorshkov’s original archival and primary source work does generate novel insights. In such a work of synthetic history, particularly...

Жизнеспособность островных сообществ в российской Арктике (Архангельская область): роль средств к существованию и социального капитала

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, local communities have been adapting to new political and socioeconomic realities. These changes have prompted dramatic outmigration among rural populations, especially in the Russian Arctic. Despite these changes, some communities remain viable, with some residents exploring new economic opportunities. This study uses findings from qualitative interviews to understand what factors shape community viability, interviewing residents and relevant regional stakeholders in two case areas in the Arkhangelsk oblast: the Solovetsky Archipelago in the White Sea and islands in the delta of the Northern Dvina River. The results indicate that community viability and the reluctance of community members to leave their traditional settlements are shaped by livelihoods, employment opportunities, and social capital. Social capital is characterized by such empirically identified factors as shared perceptions of change and a willingness to address changes, place attachment, and local values. We conclude that further development or enhancement of community viability and support for local livelihoods also depends on 1) bottom-up initiatives of engaged individuals and their access to economic support and 2) top-down investments that contribute to local value creation and employment opportunities.

COVID-19 and ICT-Supported Remote Working: Opportunities for Rural Economies

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting public health measures necessitated many workplaces to permit workers to work from home. The question is now asked can the temporary transition to enable workers to work from home become more permanent and how will this shape the spatial distribution of employment opportunities and, in turn, workforces. This paper focuses on the potential for ICT-supported working from home arrangements to reshape employment opportunities in rural settings. With limited local employment opportunities being a major driver of rural out-migration, enabling rural residents to access a broader range of employment through ICT may result in a longer term disruption to rural out-migration patterns. Despite the potential of ICT to support remote working, uptake in rural areas has been relatively low. This paper argues that the recent increase in use of ITC-supported working from home arrangements promoted by COVID-19 public health measures may erode of two of the major barriers to participation in remote working—these being negative perceptions by the employer and employer about working from home and limited knowledge within workplaces about how to manage a partly or fully remote workforce. For rural populations it is plausible that the rapid transition to ICT-supported working from home arrangements will open up more diverse employment opportunities. However, it remains that for some rural areas and populations the urban-rural digital divide persists as a barrier to participation in ICT-supported remote working.

Sectoral Wage Gaps and Gender in Rural India

Using detailed monthly panel data from rural India, this paper analyzes sectoral wage gaps for men and women. I document three important findings. First, there is clear evidence of sorting into sectors, with very large differences in worker human capital across the farm and non-farm sectors and much higher wages in the latter. Second, while these wage gaps are substantial in the cross-section, the wage gap within individuals is decidedly smaller, consistent with worker sorting. Third, the wage gap for women is much larger than it is for men, with the latter exhibiting almost no within-individual gap in wages across sectors. Women work fewer hours and are less likely to work outside of their own village in the non-farm sector, yet the wage gap is driven by higher-caste and married women. I find no evidence of non-pecuniary benefits of agricultural employment relative to non-farm employment being responsible for this gap. These results are consistent with a lack of local non-farm employment opportunities interacting with barriers to labor mobility for women but not men.

The Need for Stakeholders’ Consensus on Decommissioning Option(S): An Examination of Ghana’s Petroleum Policy Framework

The environment and economic development have been viewed as inseparable challenges in current times. The petroleum industry can be categorized into three energy markets- the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors. At all the stages, the marine environment stands at risk of pollution. Pollution from offshore petroleum installations at the end of its productive and economic years cannot be underestimated. The global community is approaching a decommissioning crisis since the world’s offshore petroleum installations are ageing. There are various decommissioning options which lie between ‘the extremes of complete removal and leave in place’. Undeniably, Ghana is at its infancy when it comes to decommissioning. The main aim of this paper is to advocate the need for stakeholders’ consensus on sustainable decommissioning option(s) by analysing Ghana’s legal and environmental regime on decommissioning. The research in Ghana concerning petroleum industry has been focused on government revenues, local employment opportunities in a growing sector, stimulated demand for local goods etc. The consensus of stakeholders on decommissioning option has become more prominent in the face of the current discourse on decommissioning the Saltpond Oil field, the premier oil producing field in Ghana which was discovered in 1970. There is the need for policymakers to analyse the current legal and environmental regime in light of environmentally friendly decommissioning option(s) practiced in other selected jurisdictions.

Potentials of Community Based Tourism as a Promoter of Rural Economic Sustainability: Study on Sreemangal

Community-Based Tourism (CBT) is a tool to ensure sustainable development in many countries by enhancing natural resource conservation, preserving culture and traditions as well as generating income at local level. Bangladesh is one of the third world countries having scarcity of finance but they can increase their GDP through giving stress to tourism industry (Muhammad shamssuduha, 2005). Sreemangal is a naturally blessed place in Bangladesh which is enriched by its natural resources as well as local community’s rich unique cultures, traditions, history, living style and hospitality. This study is carried out to identify how Community-Based Tourism helps to promote the economic sustainability of rural economy in Sreemangal. Both primary and secondary data are collected and then primary data (collected from study area by using questionnaire survey) are analyzed by using SPSS software. After analyzing the data, it could be sum up that Community Based Tourism will help to ensure economic solvency of local community by creating employment opportunities for locals, to confirm the greater profit distribution among all stakeholders, to create new local markets for community’s unique tourism products, indirectly contribute in poverty reduction as well as educational rate and living standard enhancement. This study also dowries some recommendations based on the findings of the analysis.

The impact of international remittances from migrant workers in South Korea on the livelihoods of rural Cambodian households: A case study of Pea Reang District, Prey Veng Province

This paper explores patterns in how remittances transferred by Cambodian labour migrants working in South Korea impact the livelihoods of rural households in Cambodia. A mixed-methods research design was used to develop a case study of 69 households in Reap and Roka communes in Pea Reang District, Prey Veng Province. In-depth interviews based on a semi-structured questionnaire were conducted with Cambodian migrant workers in South Korea, the respective commune chiefs, as well as officials from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MoLVT) in Cambodia. The majority of the Cambodian workers were found to migrate to South Korea by the higher salaries on offer. Other push-pull factors included a lack of local employment opportunities and the experience of poverty. The average annual remittance was found to be 7,000 USD, of which households spent mainly on food, health care, home renovation, education and property, among other expenses. Despite positive short-term impacts, remittances are considered to be an unreliable and insecure source of income if they are not used to invest in longer-term livelihood strategies.aces significant constraints in supplying adequate electricity to its citizens. Currently, energy shortages tend to derive from both limited energy generation and inefficient energy consumption. This research explores alternatives to this situation via the use of innovative technologies. It seeks to integrate solar panels with energy grids in buildings, equipped with online switches for controlling these systems, to save energy. The proposed system uses a combination of on-grid solar systems, the existing grid, systems for data collection, as well as online switches. An experimental model was used to demonstrate that a 130-watt solar panel has the capacity to generate 176.96 kWh per annum, equivalent to 132,720 KHR; if used with IoT devices to collect data to efficiently control the system. This innovative approach enables easy access to clean energy, leading to benefits for the economy, environment and society.

Examining The New Local Content Regime in the Mining Sector in Tanzania

This paper examines the new local content regime in the mining sector in Tanzania. It analyses the new approach taken by Tanzania in implementation of local content policies. The article argues that local content policies and laws adopted in Tanzania aim at ensuring that the government obtains more benefits from extraction of mineral resources beyond the traditional taxes and royalties paid by holders of mineral rights. Thus, local content policies ensure value addition in the mining sector and maximization of economic benefits from the sector through the use of non-fiscal measures such transfer of technology, the generation of value-added in domestic supply sectors, the creation of local employment opportunities, and increasing local ownership and control and local processing of mineral products before exports. This article concludes that effective implementation of local content regime in Tanzania will generate additional benefits to the economy beyond taxes and royalties paid by holders of mineral rights. Keywords: local content, value addition, mining sector

Home Equity and Labor Income: The Role of Constrained Mobility

Abstract Using detailed data for U.S. homeowners, we document a negative, nonlinear relation between the loan-to-value ratio (LTV) of homeowners’ primary residence and their labor income. Consistent with high LTV individuals experiencing constrained mobility, we find stronger effects among subprime, liquidity- constrained individuals and those living in regions with limited alternative local employment opportunities and strict noncompete law enforcement. Though high LTV individuals are less likely to move across MSAs, they are more likely to change jobs without changing their residence. We find no effects among similar neighboring renters employed at the same firm and with a similar job tenure.

Assessing the Benefits, Causes and Effects of Female Migration from Silte Zone of Southern Ethiopia to the Middle East and Gulf States

A significant trend in the contemporary period is the increased number of women migrants due to the changing labour demands caused by globalization. Over the past century, women’s employment has shifted from the industrial to the service sector and also to the informal economy. The development of the informal economy has allowed women to be active participants in this sector and also to migrate from developing countries to developed countries with better economies. This migration and foreign employment has the potential to bring positive benefits for these women; but simultaneously, there is also a great risk of exploitation and abuse associated with such migration. Despite its considerable economic growth in the last decade, unemployment especially youth unemployment is still high in Ethiopia. And much household level with hardships due to income that is below the poverty line and due to the number of people depends on agriculture which endures increasing spells droughts. Given the ecological and demographic pressures on the land and the lack of local employment opportunities, many families pressure their children to migrate, while many young people want to go abroad in search of better employment options and a possible better future. Qualitative research methodology was applied to describe the issue under consideration. This paper attempts to assess and critically examine the possible benefits, causes and potential human right violations faced by Ethiopian female domestic workers by taking Silte Zone of southern Ethiopia as an example that are migrating to the Middle East and Gulf States.

The reality of local community participation in the natural gas sector in Southeastern Tanzania

The production of natural gas in Tanzania has contributed to national socioeconomic development. It is responsible for about 57% of the total generated electricity in the country. Despite a growing body of literature in this sector, little intellectual attention has been given to how local community members participate in and profit from this sector through an articulated engagement mechanism, employment and other benefits. Using a mix of qualitative research methods, we studied two gas-producing locations of Msimbati and Songosongo in southeastern Tanzania. Findings suggest inadequate local community participation. Belated and fast local community engagement by the government and gas companies resulted in unmanageable expectations to local communities. Hopes for more local employment opportunities dwindled as gas projects entered the production phase that required skilled workers. Stakeholders were unprepared without a gas sector institutional framework. Local communities have failed to tap the potential to produce and supply foodstuffs to gas companies. This has further restrained their potentially meaningful participation in this sector. Benefits emanating from gas activities have appeared inequitably shared among stakeholders. We call for well thought local community engagement approaches, equitable benefit-sharing modalities and local community preparedness to promote meaningful local community participation in the natural gas sector.

Understanding the compactness of employment activities in high-density cities through cellphone location data

Urban development in many cities worldwide presents a dispersed development with urban sprawl and excessive land use. Compact city development facilitates an efficient use of land that aims to reduce excessive land consumption and commuting. However, the ignorance of the relationships between land use and the compactness of employment activities has resulted in excessive commuting. The separation of jobs and housing due to functional zoning has caused criticism in compact city development. This research aims to examine the compactness of workers’ employment activities and its relationship with land use to enrich our knowledge on compact city development. The relationship between urban and employment activity compactness is examined through cellphone location data in Shanghai, China. A set of indicators, including intrazonal employment ratio and interzonal commuting distance, are examined to measure the compactness of employment activities. Land-use compactness is measured through building density, land-use diversity, and accessibility. The effect of land-use compactness on employment activity compactness is analyzed through structural equation modeling. A high proportion of residential land use reduces the intrazonal employment ratio and increases the average interzonal commuting distance. A high proportion of industrial and commercial land use increases the intrazonal employment ratio. These are the spatial characteristics to improve urban compactness. This study contributes to decision-making for compact development, which is of great significance to promoting compact activities. It can also provide spatial planning policies that facilitate workers’ access to local employment opportunities with short travel distances through land use planning for mixed land use.

Employing Ecotourism Opportunities for Sustainability in the Aral Sea Region: Prospects and Challenges

The paper examines ecotourism in the Aral Sea region of Uzbekistan, an area with a fragile environment that has faced ecological crises and requires careful sustainable development. It looks at the supply side of ecotourism by examining Uzbekistani tour operators’ awareness of benefits derivable from promoting ecotourism in the region, and the local tourism industry’s motives to engage in this development. As a research methodology, the results of an exploratory survey of travel agents and tour operators highlight the policy-making and management interventions required for the more effective promotion and development of ecotourism in the Aral Sea region. The paper analyzes the challenges and opportunities associated with promoting ecotourism activities in the Aral Sea region in pursuit of sustainable regional development, improved livelihood for the local population, employment opportunity and income source creation, and enriched service exports. Key findings from the study show that stakeholders are aware of ecotourism’s value and are motivated to implement ecotourism in the region, but they have limited experience, competence, and international networks to promote and market ecotourism products and services. Local stakeholders have raised the issue that infrastructure development and access to microfinance are their greatest needs from local authorities in Uzbekistan.

The Influence of the Regional Revitalization Policy on Taiwan’s Land Planning_Taking Pingtung County Township as an Example

Taiwan’s population estimate report released in August 2018 shows that the population will decrease by over 1/4 by 2065, and the proportion of the elderly population in the total population will increase to 41.2%. In addition, in terms of population distribution, the urban population accounted for 69.2% of the total in 2017 and will exceed 70% by 2065, thus, the problem of uneven regional population distribution will become more severe. Moreover, as the young and strong labor force flock in large cities, the rural industrial labor force is insufficient, and the gap between urban and rural areas is widening. Therefore, the Executive Yuan set 2019 in Taiwan as the first year of local revitalization as a land development strategy to address population loss, recreate local employment opportunities, and revitalize the local industrial economy. In this context, Taiwan began promoting the Land Planning Law in 2016, which aims to cope with climate change, ensure land safety, conserve the natural environment and cultural assets, promote rational allocation of resources and industries, and pursue sustainable development. However, the priority areas for local revitalization are mostly remote and vulnerable areas, such as agricultural, hillside, and forest lands. Land use laws and regulations have many restrictions and lack flexibility in use, which is not conducive to attracting industries or population return. Thus, this study chose Pingtung County as a case study to explore the related factors of land use under the promotion of local industrial development, and provide strategic direction for Taiwan’s township land planning.

Covid-19 Outbreak, Timber Production, and Livelihoods in Nepal

The study assesses the likely consequences of COVID-19 in the forest sector of Nepal, focusing on timber production and rural livelihoods. The study conducted telephone interviews along with a review of the secondary source of information and consultations. The timber production in 2020 is likely to decrease by 80% compared to previous years, resulting in a monetary loss of NRs 647.0 million. Furthermore, local community will lose 147,447 days of employment, amounting NRs 117.9 million. This will make livelihoods of the people more vulnerable. Returning of youths from abroad can further escalate biodiversity threats. Timber import is likely to increase in the country, thus impacting on local level employment opportunities. Both long-term and short-term strategies are necessary to revive the timber production and rural livelihoods, where priority should be on increasing investment in the forestry sector. However, public-sector investment is declining. Hence there is a need to expand conservation finance portfolios to incentivise rural people on timber production and achieve synergies between conservation and livelihood outcomes.

Why is fertility on the rise in Egypt? The role of women’s employment opportunities

Can declining employment opportunities for women reverse the fertility transition? This paper presents evidence that the demographic transition has not just stalled but in fact reversed in Egypt. After falling for decades, fertility rates increased. The paper examines the drivers of rising fertility rates, with a particular focus on the role of declining public sector employment opportunities for women. Estimates show the effect of public sector employment on the spacing and occurrence of births using discrete-time hazard models. The paper then uses the results to simulate total fertility rates. The models address the potential endogeneity of employment by incorporating woman-specific fixed effects, incorporating local employment opportunities rather than women’s own employment, and using local employment opportunities as an instrument. Results indicate that the decrease in public sector employment, which is particularly appealing to women, may have contributed to the rise in fertility but is unlikely to be its main cause.

Impact Investing and the Fostering of Entrepreneurship in Disadvantaged Urban Areas: Evidence from Microdata in French Banlieues

We examine whether impact investing is more effective in fostering business venture success and social impact when directed toward ventures located in vs. outside disadvantaged urban areas (i.e., areas with high crime, unemployment, and poverty). We explore this question in the context of loans made to business ventures located in French banlieues vs. non-banlieues. We find that loans issued to banlieue ventures, compared to non-banlieue ventures, yield greater improvements in financial performance, as well as greater social impact in terms of the creation of local employment opportunities, quality jobs, and jobs for minorities—all of which contribute to the social inclusion of marginalized communities and the development of sustainable cities.

Lokal yrkesfagskultur og ulikhet i fortellinger om ungdoms utdanningsvalg

The literature on vocational educational aspirations typically lacks a conception of space, place and local employment opportunities. This article compares two locations in Norway, that is, the capital Oslo, characterised by knowledge-intensive industries, and a rural district in Rogaland, characterised by manufacturing and oil-related industries, to illuminate how aspirations, class and location intersects. In Oslo, there is a lack of available apprenticeships, a strong east-west segregation regarding enrolment to vocational education and training, and few schools provide vocational programs. In contrast, Rogaland has a firmly established vocational culture, and large shares of youth opt for vocational educations following ten years of compulsory schooling. Drawing on interviews with young people in Oslo and Rogaland, the case-comparative analysis illustrates how these two locations are (re)producing very different educational logics, directing youth either away from or towards vocational education. The article aims to contribute to understandings of educational aspirations by advocating place-sensitivity in the complex ways that social inequality in education is shaped, maintained and reinforced.

The Study of Statistical Survey and Decision-making Analysis of Disabled Persons from Occupational Disasters Returning to Work in Taiwan

After occupational disasters happen to laborers, the minor injury may cause temporary disability or temporary total disability. After treatment and rehabilitation, they can return to work. However, those with serious conditions, such as mild or severe disability, will be less capable of work, resulting in income reduction. In order to assist the disabled in shaking off the difficulty in economy and life, returning to workplace is the core issue. This study collects and analyzes the international community's literature on the development of maternity leave. By referring to the documents and practices of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention, this study explores the causal relationship and importance between government departments and enterprises in decision-making assessment factors, and assist with quantitative research methods such as questionnaire survey, etc. to provide specific suggestions for relevant policies. The study has found that 53.33% of the disabled workers had their wages lowered, and 52.85% of the disabled workers failed to return to work, which really reflected the barriers of employment discrimination for the disabled workers who had suffered from occupational disasters to return to work. In addition, the greatest difficulty faced by disabled workers in finding mainly lies in two factors, namely, “lack of local employment opportunities” and “lack of employment information channels”, which account for 66.22%. The discussion in this study shows that the biggest problem encountered when returning to the workplace is the economic aspect, with the main factor being the daily basic expenses accounting for 61.82%. Comprehensive statistical survey and decision-making analysis are used to explore the current demand situation of the disabled due to occupational disasters, and to study the decision-making analysis on rehabilitation and returning to work of the disabled in job-related disasters, so as to provide specific suggestions for government departments and enterprises to make decisions:

Temporary Migration and Climate Variation in Eastern Africa.

Africa is likely to experience warming and increased climate variability by the late 21st century. Climate extremes have been linked to adverse economic outcomes. Hence, adaptation is a key component of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreements and development assistance. Effective climate adaptation policy requires an understanding of how temperature and rainfall variability affect migration patterns. Yet, how individuals in developing countries manage climate variation is poorly understood, especially in Africa. Combining high-resolution climate data with panel micro-data on migration, labor participation, and demographics, we employ regression analysis to assess temporary migration responses to local temperature and precipitation anomalies in four East African countries. We find that climate impacts are most pronounced in urban areas, with a standard deviation temperature increase and rainfall decrease leading to respective 10 and 12 percent declines in out-migration relative to mean values. Evidence from other labor market outcomes suggests that urban out-migration is not associated with reduced local employment opportunities. Instead, declines in urban out-migration appear to coincide with negative local climate employment impacts. These results challenge the narrative that temporary out-migration serves as a safety valve during climate extremes and that climate change will most strongly affect out-migration rates from rural areas in developing countries.