European Market Economy Research Articles

Acute Care Surgeon South American Model

In the World Health Organization book by Murray and Lopez (The Global Burden of Disease), the authors make the point that there are major regional differences across the world for death from injury. In the European market economies, injuries accounted for 6% of all deaths, of which the majority were the result of road traffic accidents. In stark contrast, in Latin America and the Caribbean, injuries account for 12-13% of all deaths, and most of these are the result of violence. An estimated 30% of all male deaths are from external causes, and road traffic accidents are the number two cause of death. Within South American countries, trauma is the second most common cause of death in Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Brazil. In other South American countries, it is the third or fourth most common cause of death. If one examines the Disability Adjusted Life Years, South America is the third highest in the world. Death from injury primarily affects people in the middle- and low-income group. Traffic accidents and suicide are the main causes of trauma in the high-income population. South America is made up of developing and poor countries that have trauma as a very important cause of death and disability. The author has reviewed information on injury from the World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization, and Brazilian Health Ministry. In addition, a search of injury was performed through MEDLINE. The results of this review show that trauma is a major public health problem in South America. At the present time, there is a lack of statewide system development. In addition, there are difficulties in training surgeons to cope with these problems.

Deerskins and Domesticates: Creek Subsistence and Economic Strategies in the Historic Period

Previous research indicates that, following European colonization, animal husbandry did not replace hunting as the primary source of meat in the diet of southeastern Native Americans until the early nineteenth century. However, while the introduction of Eurasian domesticated animals had little immediate impact on the lives of indigenous peoples in the Southeast, the expansion of the European market economy had profound implications for the economic and subsistence strategies of Native Americans in all regions. In response to European demands for deerskins, furs, and other goods, Native Americans of the Southeast and elsewhere intensified exploitation of indigenous resources. The Creeks became one of the largest producers of deerskins for the European commodities trade in the Southeast. Ethnohistoric and zooarchaeological evidence indicates that the intensification of localized resource exploitation had a suppressive effect on the adoption of animal husbandry by the Creeks. It was only after the collapse of the deerskin trade in the Southeast that animal husbandry replaced hunting as the primary source of meat in the subsistence strategy of the Creeks.

Co-ordinated Continental European Market Economies Under Pressure From Globalisation: Germany's “Rhineland capitalism”

[Editors’ Note: The 22 July 2004 acquittals of all six defendants in the criminal proceedings against former Mannesmann CEO, Klaus Esser; Deutsche Bank's CEO (Vorstandssprecher) and then Member of Mannesmann's supervisory board, Josef Ackermann, and other members of Mannesmann's Supervisory Board have, once more, highlighted to German, European and International observers the particular features of law and politics in “Germany Inc.”, “Rhenish Capitalism”, or “Rhineland Capitalism”. As begun in the aftermath of Josef Ackermann's inthronization at the head of Deutsche Bank and Ackermann's subsequent transformation of the Board's control structure, German Law Journal has published several contributions to the ongoing changes in German corporate governance and its embeddedness within the specific German economic and legal system. In his fine piece, Jürgen Hoffmann, Professor of Sociology in Hamburg, surveys the current interdisciplinary debate over the future fate of so-called Rhineland Capitalism and reconstructs Germany's recent history in an international context. In the next issue, to be published on 1 September 2004, Professor Christopher Allen of the University of Georgia will further deepen this inquiry and place the contemporary debate over the possible end of Rhineland capitalism in the historical context of Germany's development in the 20th Century. The Editors of German Law Journal are very pleased and honored to be able to provide for a further forum for this important debate, bringing together lawyers, economists, political scientists and sociologists, for a much needed exploration of the historical and political origins as well as of the legal framework of Germany's much critizised and, at the same time, ardently praised system of corporate governance and industrial relations. We invite our readers to contribute to this debate, which has so far found too little resonance in Germany itself. The Editors.]

Satisfaction with Work in a European Perspective: Center and Periphery, "Old" and "New" Market Economies Compared

The analysis approaches satisfaction with work as affected by demographic and social characteristics as well as by labor market and labor organization position. Furthermore the impact of expectations to and evaluation of the job is also considered. The international variation in the explanatory mechanisms of satisfaction with work is analyzed by comparing five groups of European societies. First, distinction is made between 'old' European market economies and 'new' post-socialist countries. Second, based on economic indicators, the first group of countries is divided into three subgroups: West (Center 1), Scandinavia (Center 2), and Periphery, while the second group of countries is divided into more developed and less developed transition societies. The ISSP 1997 Work Orientation Module data are used for the analysis. Only respondents in labor force are analyzed (N=11739). The paper presents descriptive statistics for the clusters of the countries as well as for the dependent and independent variables in the analysis. Then, ordered logit models are used to predicting satisfaction with work. The explanatory variables contain objective status indicators, subjective evaluation of the job, the country groups and interaction terms. Results reveal that both status indicators and attitudes toward the job are significant predictors of the general satisfaction in agreement with gender paradox, life cycle, reference-group and status discrepancy hypotheses. However, these explanatory mechanisms vary a lot by the groups of countries. If controlling for composition effects within these groups of countries, Scandinavia turns out to be a place with highest satisfaction and developed transition societies are characterized by the lowest satisfaction with work.

Education of Teachers for Polish Schools at the Beginning of the Twenty-first Century

SUMMARY Education and teacher education in Poland has undergone dramatic changes in the last 15 years. From the former communist (educational) regime, a more open educational system is being built. The earlier situation can be characterised by a strong social coherent approach, based on idealistic (communist) values. Within the new open system a national core curriculum has been developed, focusing on Christian and humanitarian values such as responsibility, respect for the cultural heritage, etc. In that respect the developments still fit in the social coherent-idealistic scenario, taking into account that the idealistic values have themselves changed dramatically. Recent changes, however, also put emphasis on the need for economic development, focusing on participation in the European market economy. This leads to a more pragmatic approach.

Average Volume of Alcohol Consumption, Drinking Patterns and Related Burden of Mortality in Young People in Established Market Economies of Europe

Objective: To determine the burden of mortality in young people (age 15–29) in established market economies in Europe in 1999, which is attributable to alcohol consumption. Two dimensions of alcohol consumption were considered: average volume of consumption, and patterns of drinking. Methods: Mortality data were obtained from the WHO EIP data bank, average volume data from the WHO global databank on alcohol, pattern of drinking data from a questionnaire sent out to experts, from the published literature and from the WHO global databank. Methods are explained and discussed in detail in two other contributions to this volume. Results: More than 8,000 deaths of people aged 15–29 in Europe in 1999 were attributable to alcohol. Young males show a higher proportion of alcohol-attributable deaths (12.8%) than females (8.3%). Both average volume and patterns of drinking contribute to alcohol-related death. Conclusions: Alcohol-related deaths constitute a considerable burden in young people in Europe.

The End of Transition: An Institutional Interpretation of Energy Sector Reform in Eastern Europe and the CIS

This paper provides an empirical analysis of the growing institutional divergence of systemic transformation in the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Based upon the institutional theory of economic and legal systemic change, we empirically analyse reforms in a sector where the transformation process proved to be particularly tough: the energy sector. We test to what extent reforms reflect the ideal types seen in Western contexts (e.g. Anglo-Saxon and French), and to what extent new models have emerged. By generalising the results from the energy sector, one key finding emerges: starting from similar reform projects, ‘transition’ in Eastern Europe has led to fundamentally different outcomes, of which we identify three ideal types: i) the reforming Central/Eastern European market economy; ii) the post-Soviet mixed economy; and iii) the Caspian state economy.

Institutional Economics Needs Interdisciplinary Studies of Social Sciences

If we interpret the present age from the viewpoint of the opposing ideologies of socialism and capitalism, we reach the conclusions that the Russian type of socialism should be rejected and that relying on capitalism is now impossible. However, we could observe modern history from a somewhat different viewpoint-the evolution of institutions. Karl Polanyi termed the present economy a [Polanyi 1957]. Here, social structure embraces strained and sometimes contradictory relations between market and non-market elements. We are now facing a society that is characterized by a mixed market and non-market structure. Modern economics treats the market economy, which is part of society as a whole, as a self-adjusting system created by homo economicus. This concept of the human being is based upon the modern individual who aims to fulfill his or her own interests by rational means. Recently, an extreme emphasis on market panaceas has expanded the notion of homo economicus into legal, governmental, and social worlds. Proponents of law and economics, constitutional economics, and the economics of marriage and family regard homo economicus as playing a role in the composition of law, power, and social relations. This means that legal, political, and social relations are interpreted as rational interactions of autonomous individuals. These branches of economics treat individuals, created by the modern European market economy, as universal. These ideas do not facilitate the accurate understanding of historical developments. We need to make it clear that modern human

The Impact of the Economic Crisis: Why Democracies Survive

Abstract: As an analysis of recent electoral results shows, the world’s emerging democracies are weathering the global economic crisis surprisingly well. There are three main reasons behind democracy’s resilience during the downturn. First, the countries hardest hit economically by the financial crisis have mostly been the wealthy, industrialized democracies or the new European market economies, which are now consolidated and deeply institutionalized. Second, in the newer and weaker democracies, the effect of economic turbulence has been the defeat of democratically elected governments but not the demise of democracy. And third, the breakdowns of democracy that have been occurring largely predate the onset of the global recession and are due to bad internal governance, not unfavorable global conditions.

Symposium on Asian Industrial Relations: Introduction

It is increasingly apparent that models of industrial relations developed by the industrialised market economies in Europe and North America cannot be readily transferred to newly industrialising economies (NIEs) in other parts of the world. Certainly, the impact of US or European- based multinational enterprises (MNEs) have had a significant influence on the NIEs of Asia. Furthermore, the growing outward-orientation of economies in the Asian region means that they are likely to be increasingly influenced by aspects of western-based employment and industrial relations practices. It is important to emphasise that countries in the Asian region have not adopted a uniform approach to industrial relations or other firm- related policies and practices. This is clearly evident in the case for the three countries represented in this symposium. Yet many economies in the region have shared some similar characteristics which include: a high degree of investment in human capital, a welfare-oriented state, relatively weak (and historically repressed) industrial relations institutions, a high degree of economic coordination by government and the lack of an independent trade union movement. However, in many cases, increased economic development is facilitating greater democratisation and a higher degree of labour market institutionalisation as evidenced by the emergence of minimum wage laws, health and safety regulation and independent dispute settling mechanisms. Even trade unions appear to be gaining a greater level of autonomy and influence in some countries where they were hitherto illegal. A study of the changing nature of employment relations in newly industrialising countries of Asia, inspired by an MIT-initiated study led by Tom Kochan and coordinated by Anil Verma et al (1995), emphasised the linkage between economic development and industrial relations. A series of parallel studies were conducted in eight Asian NIEs which revealed a variety of approaches being used to adjust their economic development, labour and human resources strategies to a new global economic order. (1) However, all countries faced a similar question: what is the appropriate mix of industrial relations, human resource and economic policies for adjusting to a higher value added economy? Are new state policies, company practices and union strategies needed to move to a higher wage, higher productivity strategy for further economic development? The evidence from the research project suggests a link between the process of economic growth and policies in the area of human resources and employment relations. As shown in Figure 1, a less developed country begins the process of industrialisation by creating some initial conditions conducive to investment. In industrial relations terms, this may translate to low wages and possibly low unionisation. This situation may attract initial investments by firms which can take advantage of such labour market conditions. However, with increased investment, the initial labour market conditions inevitably change and there are pressures for higher wages and possibly unionisation. These may be called secondary conditions of the labour market because they follow the initial investment surge. However, this reduces the initial advantage which attracted the new investment in the first place, so other inducements are needed in order to retain attraction to external investors. This creates a critical juncture in the development process and places pressure on the existing industrial relations system. The secondary conditions provide the state with strategic choices. On the one hand, it can undertake a series of measures that will maintain the advantages of the initial conditions. These policies may include wage controls, as well as the suppression of unions and collective bargaining (as has occurred in countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia). Alternatively, the state may encourage employers to link wages to productivity and to upgrade skills by investing in training and education. …

"On the Shop Floor: Guilds, Artisans, and the European Market Economy, 1350-1750"

"On the Shop Floor: Guilds, Artisans, and the European Market Economy, 1350-1750"

Die neuen Unternehmer: Eine multivariate Analyse der Übernahmemotive bei ostdeutschen MBOs

During the privatization in the Neue Bundeslander the instrument of management-buy-outs was among others employed. As an analysis of the dominant motives for management-buy-outs showed, the East German management buy outs are motivated mainly by security aspects. In established West European market economies usually the most important motives for management-buy-outs are of an entrepreneurial character. The results of a factor analysis composed of all motives lead to four motive sets. In assessing the effects of the motives for the management-buy-outs, it could be shown that the performance of those management-buy-outs motivated primarily by individual employment security motives developed rather poorly in comparison.

OPTIMUM CURRENCY AREAS AND EUROPEAN MONETARY UNIFICATION

This paper examines the European experience from optimum currency areas perspective with a focus on the correlation of underlying aggregate shocks within a structural vector autoregression (VAR) framework. Appropriately identifying supply shocks, real fiscal shocks, and nominal shocks, the paper investigates the correlations of shocks and tries to evaluate the likely adjustment and other problems that may take place with the introduction of a single currency in Europe. Using data for 20 European market economies, the paper compares original members of the European Community to new members and non‐members. Shocks are mostly country‐specific, particularly for newer members and non‐members, suggesting the importance of alternative adjustment mechanisms other than national monetary policies after the introduction of a single currency.

Productive efficiency under capitalism and state socialism:: An empirical inquiry using chance-constrained data envelopment analysis

In this paper we undertake a comparison of the productive efficiency of a set of West European market economies and a set of East European planned economies. We employ the techniques of chance-constrained data envelopment analysis to conduct the comparison. These techniques are particularly appropriate when the performance of producers depends on their ability to make resource allocation decisions in the presence of technological and market uncertainties. We find the market economies to have been much more efficient in their allocation of resources.

Economic Effects of Codetermination

The success of West German, Scandinavian and Japanese economies, particularly when compared with lagging productivity and competitiveness of the U.S. and the U.K., have focused attention on comparative institutions in labour markets and corporate control. Declining unions and increasing reliance on competitive market pressures in the AngloAmerican countries contrast with more state intervention and regulation of the European social market economies. As noted by Henzler (1992,

A new Europe?

In this article, Jonathan Eyal argues that the West failed both to end and win the Cold War. Instead, the death of Eastern Bloc Communism, was a result of the drive of these states seeking the ’benefits’ of West European style democracy and market economies. Bom of high hopes, events since 1989 have proved disillusioning for all concerned. The European Community, and its affiliated institutions, have been revealed as unstructured, uncoordinated and insincere in their attempts to help the East adapt to a new way of life, whilst the pressures of the recession have left Eastern economies floundering unaided and with little promise of future assistance. The problems of ethnic divisions in the face of rising nationalism is epitomised by the tragedy of Yugoslavia, and until the question of where the frontiers of Europe actually lie, there will be little chance of structuring a new democratic‐ Europe. Unless Western Europe makes some concrete decisions, it may be destined to repeat the mistakes. of the 1920s and 1930s and the states of the East might well collapse into the turmoil of conflict and war.

Entrepreneurship and small business: The Hungarian trajectory

In Hungary the superiority and the rationality of the centrally planned system had already been questioned in the mid-1950s and in lower or louder voice ever since. After the suppressed revolution and initiated systemic changes of 1956, the comprehensive economic reform of 1968 was an attempt to combine plan and market keeping basic characteristics of the system as dominance of state ownership, high centralization, the power of the single party, etc. Despite several new initiatives, this experiment failed. From these initiatives, four will be dealt with: the birth and flourishing of the second economy, the rise and fall of the intrapreneurial groups, the turn from toleration to promotion of private small business, and the start of the divestiture privatization. The four junctions of the special Hungarian “reform trajectory” nolens-volens prepared the fundamental systemic changes: the transition to a proper market economy—partly by introducing basic constitutents of the new system, and partly by contributing to the erosion and disintegration of the former system. The analysis of these historical lessons helps to understand the present situation of the Eastern European economies and in particular of Hungary. It facilitates the identification of the major tasks to stop stagnation and decline, to start revitalization of these economies, and instead of the use of routine International Monetary Fund and World Bank schemes, to elaborate adequate forms and methods of aid. In the European market economies, the share of small business in employment (measured by firms up to 100 employees) might be around 50%, in Hungary, about 20%, in Poland about 15%, and less in the other Eastern European countries. The development of entrepreneurship and small business is one of the major prerequisites of the transformation of these economies. The knowledge, however, about the actual situation, the conditions needed to increase the number of start ups, the rate of survival, and the growth potential of small and medium-sized enterprises is rather scarce. From the findings of the questionnaire survey, the following conclusions can be derived: 1. The increase of the share of the SMEs should be based on their better competitiveness in domestic and export markets; this is overshadowed now by the quantitative ambitions. 2. SMEs have advantages vis-à-vis the large enterprises as well as disadvantages. To counterbalance them, an accelerated development of the infrastructure for banking, training, consultancy, and information; preferential treatment (credits, taxation) in some cases, networking, and more services of the trade associations are needed. 3. In a declining, depressed economy, one cannot expect the renaissance of entrepreneurship and small business. Fighting high inflation, loosening restrictions, and a better management of the country's debt service should create a healthier economic environment—for small, medium, and larger enterprises equally.

Energy consumption, capital and real output: A comparison of market and planned economies

This paper investigates the energy intensiveness and the capital intensiveness ofgross domestic products for 17 European market economies and 7 East European economies for the years 1978, 1979, and 1980. Gross domestic products and real capital stocks of all countries are expressed in 1975 U.S. dollars. Energy consumption is likewise measured in internationally comparable units. The Eastern Bloc consumed on average nearly twice as much energy relative to gross domestic product and capital as the market economies. Despite this, aggregate output per worker in the Eastern Bloc averaged only 60% of that in the market economies.

Fur Production as a Specialized Activity in a World System: Indians in the North American Fur Trade

This paper examines the economic and social impact of the fur trade on Indian cultures, in an effort to illuminate further the nature of Indian-white relations from the sixteenth through the early nineteenth centuries. As such, the paper, which may be of interest to anthropologists, historians, and archeologists, contributes to the literature on culture contact. The Indian role in the fur trade can be described as a craft specialization. Craft specialization is often treated as an indicator of cultural complexity that develops as a response to a variety of influences. In this case, I posit the development of the activities associated with the fur trade into a specialization, resulting from Indian intensification of existing practices but stimulated by economic emoluments offered by the European market. The model for discussing this economic network draws on the work of several scholars. The fur trade can perhaps be best understood as one segment of a world-system. Wallerstein points out that even small-scale economies in remote parts of the world are often tied into international exchange networks; fluctuations in prices, supplies, and demand at the more developed end of the system (i.e., European market economies) will reverberate throughout the system. I

Sex segregation of work in Finland and the quality of women's work

AbstractThe Finnish labor market is sharply segregated by sex. This is a statistically well‐documented fact and holds true for all Western European market economies. The aim of this article was to find out whether women profit (regarding the quality of their work) from performing the same sort of work as men. The qualitative aspects of work were the following: autonomy at work; lack of routinization of work; the compulsory rhythm of work; and the demands for social skills. We also analyzed monthly pay and its variation according to functional segregation of work. The empirical data came from the Finnish Study on Working Conditions (1984) which is a representative sample of the Finnish wage‐earning population with 4502 persons of whom 48 per cent were women and 52 per cent men. Our results indicate that women often profit from the fact that they perform the same sort of work as men. This profit was more apparent for white‐collar than for blue‐collar women. For men the effects of segregation on job characteristics were the opposite. They often profit from sex segregated work. Social status played a major role regarding the qualitative aspects of work.