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The introduction of "soft" compulsion in the form of Auto‐enrolment into non‐state pensions has been seen as a key policy response to the challenges presented by an ageing population and concerns about under‐saving for retirement in the UK. Since its introduction in 2012, amongst eligible employees in the private sector, pension participation had risen by over 31 percentage points to 73% of eligible employees in 2016. Despite these trends, Auto‐enrolment in the UK has not been without criticism, particularly in terms of its exclusion of certain groups, including carers, amongst whom females are over‐represented. The Republic of Ireland (ROI) has recently announced its intention to implement an Auto‐enrolment pension scheme. As such, this article examines the UK's experience of rolling out Auto‐enrolment policy and considers lessons that could be learned by the ROI from the UK in its pursuit of Auto‐enrolment, with a particular focus on women's pensions. Initially it outlines the current Irish pension system, the gendered nature of pensions, and the proposed Auto‐enrolment system in ROI. Then it discusses the UK's experience of Auto‐enrolment, with a particular focus on gender, before examining the lessons the ROI can learn from the UK's Auto‐enrolment policy in relation to women and pensions. Finally, it concludes that Auto‐enrolment alone will not resolve the gendered nature of pensions in the ROI and calls for a gender‐based assessment of the proposed policy of Auto‐enrolment in the ROI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Profitability difference may exist across farmers' gender. This study examined profitability differences of male and female Scotch bonnet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) farmers, levels of profitability of Scotch bonnet pepper cultivation, comparison of production cost, output and profit, and identified factors affecting profitability in Scotch bonnet pepper production. Data from respondents obtained through multi-stage sampling were analyzed with descriptive and budgetary techniques. There was a mean gross margin (GM) of N42,126 for male and N16,929 for female farmers; N is the Naira, Nigerian currency, 1 USD = N300. The GM ratio was 0.81 and 0.91 for male and female farmers, respectively. Rates of return on investment were 23.8% for male and 9.5% for female; profit was N23,796 for males and N8,016 for female farmers. A difference occurred across gender in mean production cost per land area (N100,025.33 for males and N84,260.58 for females), output (375.55 kg for males and 286.62 kg for females), and profit (N23,789.00 for males and N8,016.35 for females). For both genders, profitability of Scotch bonnet pepper cultivation was mostly affected by poor pricing (96.0% for males and 100.0% of females), poorly organized market (88.0% for males and 100.0% of females), scarcity of improved inputs (76.0% of males and 80.8% of females), problem of pests and diseases (77.3% of males and 80.8% of females). Profitability level of Scotch bonnet pepper cultivation, especially for female farmers can be improved through adequate training and access to funds for purchasing basic production inputs and facilitating adequate market linkages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, there has been no analysis of the skills or attributes predicting success in female trainees who undergo traditionally male elite military training. This retrospective case control study characterized variables specific to females in the Special Operations Combat Medic course. 20/39 males and 15/38 females successfully completed the course. Several objective variables of interest including height and body weight, marital status, dependents, and physical fitness scores revealed trends but marital status and dependents were the only variables that achieved statistical significance. Exploration of subjective measures also highlighted potential trends in upper body strength and personal versus behavioral issues. These variables should be explored further for applicability to altering selection criteria or adjusting training conditions to mitigate sex disparities without altering standards of performance or creating an imbalance of resource investment for intended returns. The variables identified in this sample can be explored in other populations as females are integrated in other previously closed realms of military service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates how individuals make educational choices in situations where some education sectors present the risk of ending up being overcrowded. We report on an entry-game experiment whose aim is the production of data controlled in order to test the cliometric model of glutting developed by Diebolt [2001. "La théorie de l'engorgement." Economie Appliquée 54 (4): 7–31], and especially the sensitivity of men and women to expected wages and to the risk as related to a limited number of positions on the labor market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study traces the evolution of the returns to education for young Canadians, classified by very detailed education groups, gender, and province from 1990 to 2005, using large samples from the analytical census files. We find that the growth of returns for higher education for young adults (ages 21–35), especially for women, is much larger than that for the full working-age population (ages 16–65) usually selected in other studies. We also find considerable heterogeneity in the returns across provinces and gender, in particular for education levels lower than university. Finally, we find that the returns to potential experience have considerably increased for both genders from 1990 to 2005. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper estimates the distribution of educational returns by gender for India. While previous studies focus on mean returns, the variance of educational returns has important implications for policy-making and micro-level decision making with respect to education. If the variance of educational returns is large, it can leave large sections of the population with negative returns; if the variance of educational returns is gender specific, it can influence households’ decisions to educate girls versus boys. Our econometric results provide evidence that India''s labor markets are characterized by significant uncertainty and that the uncertainty is systematically larger for women. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper calculates the public savings (financial benefits) from greater public investments in the education of African-American males. Over one-fifth of each age cohort of black males in US is not a high school graduate. We identify five interventions that would—based on credible research—increase the graduation rate; we also report the public cost of each intervention. We then calculate the lifetime public benefits in terms of increased tax revenues and lower spending on health and crime. In present values, for a black male aged 20, these public benefits amount to $256,700 per new graduate and the median intervention would cost only $90,700. The benefit/cost ratio is 2.83. Simply equating the high school graduation rate of black males with that of white males would yield public savings of $3.98 billion for each age cohort. These results suggest that increased investments in education for black males at risk of dropping out of high school should be an economic priority. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose - This study sets out to investigate the pattern of benefits from education along the earnings distribution and compares this pattern between general and vocational/technical education in Singapore, with a particular focus on male-female differences. Design/methodology/approach - Quantile regression methodology is used, which allows for estimates of education benefits that differentiate the contribution of the quantity and quality of education along the earnings distribution. The quantile regression estimates highlight where in the income/ability distribution the impact of education is more pronounced. Findings - Finds that, while the pattern of returns to an additional year of education for general education follows that of other high income countries, exhibiting increasing returns to education as one goes from lower to higher income quantiles, the returns to vocational education exhibit much lower heterogeneity. Based on the findings, the vocational education system in Singapore has served women with secondary vocational qualifications particularly well. They earn more, have higher labor force participation, experience higher employment rates and are associated with a narrower gender earnings gap compared with women with general education. However, this is not the case for women with polytechnic qualifications, who earn much less than men with such qualifications. Practical implications - The findings suggest that, by and large, Singapore's vocational education system at the secondary level has successfully addressed the needs of the industry and has contributed towards narrowing gender earnings differentials. It has also contributed towards less overall earnings inequality, because it results in less heterogeneity in the returns to education, compared with general education. However, the curricula of polytechnics need to be re-examined to identify the cause of the sharply lower female benefits from this type of education. Originality/value - The paper contributes to the empirical literature with its use of the quantile regression methodology in evaluating the benefits of vocational versus general education for men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]