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Cognitive assistance systems help people with learning disabilities to increase their skills and consequently their employment opportunities in the regular labour market. Research on advanced work instructions has encouraged training disabled workers in cognitively demanding production tasks, especially manual assembly. However, studies lack evidence on the effect of repetition or work cycle alongside the form of instruction and type of disability. This paper addresses this gap and reports on an experiment conducted at a sheltered workplace. Four forms of instruction (paper-based, animations, projection, adaptive projection) were tested to assist operators with three types of disability (illiterate, psychosocial, cognitive) with a manual assembly task. The results show that projection enhances the first assembly cycle. Challenging operators by filtering the content of the instruction with increased experience leads to greater independence and a better understanding of their tasks. However, adaptive instructions can form a barrier for those operators who are most dependent on mentor support. The form of instruction should thus be considered carefully for each operator as their adaptation to changes and cognitive assistance systems varies. The results are discussed in light of the Industry 5.0 human-centric and socially sustainable production agenda with managerial and research implications and future research priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Externalized employment, aimed at reducing labor costs, is becoming increasingly prevalent. However, the effective implementation of management practices to improve the career mobility of outsourced employees remains unknown. Drawing from social cognitive theory, this study constructs a self-driven career mobility model for outsourced employees. What's more, this study proposes the concept of differentiation in perceived organizational supports (DPOS), that is 'the relative degree of outsourced employee's perception of support from client organizational exceeds that from supplier organization in triangular employment relationships', and regards it as a key boundary condition for outsourced employees to interpret the cognition of employment opportunities. Data were collected from a three-wave survey of 271 outsourced employees from 52 interorganizational teams. Results showed that the perceived likelihood of standard employment (PLSE) by client organizations positively predicts outsourced employees' turnover intention from supplier organization. Job-related human capital development (JRHCD) and occupational self-efficacy play a chain mediating role between PLSE and turnover intention. DPOS moderates the relationship between PLSE and JRHCD, and also moderates the mediating and chain mediating effect of JRHCD and occupational self-efficacy. We discuss the implications of findings for outsourcing management research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide empirical evidence showing that for managers with more potential outside employment opportunities, adoption of the Inevitable Disclosure Doctrine (IDD) causes them to just 'stay safe' by taking on less risk because of reduced labour mobility. Moreover, managers lower firm risk through reduced R&D intensity, capital expenditure, and more diversifying acquisitions. Consequently, these firms have a lower value after the adoption of the IDD. Overall, we document a novel unintended consequence of the recognition of the IDD, specifically, its effect on firm risk and investment policies for managers with more potential outside employment opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the effect of structural and individual factors on migration aspirations in a secondary migration context. Through an online survey experiment conducted with Syrian migrants (N = 551) living in Turkey, we unpack factors explaining aspirations to stay and move onward from the current country of residence. The findings indicate that open borders alone do not compel migrants to move onward. Instead, employment opportunities in their current residence play a crucial role in shaping aspirations to stay put. Moreover, individuals inclined to take risks are more likely to migrate, even when strict border controls are in place. By highlighting the question of what motivates migrants to stay as well as to move onward, this research emphasizes individual differences in forming migration aspirations and contributes to migration aspirations literature in the secondary migration context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public works program (PWP), the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) in India, opened a new chapter in rural governance, signifying transformative potential for enhancing economic and social security. Despite the aim of this social protection scheme to enhance the "livelihood security of the household", provide employment to landless labourers, and encourage sustainable development, young men still opt to be migrant labourers in Bombay, many of whom become infected with AIDS and subsequently die. Often economic returns outweigh social risks and the new channels of disempowerment it reopens for women and children who are dependent on the income of these migrant men. We draw on ethnographic research conducted in Udaisarai (Gram Panchayat), Bhitaura block in Fatehpur District (Uttar Pradesh), to uncover rural-to-urban migration to Bombay, for better employment opportunities, and AIDS as one of the fallouts of the poor implementation of MNREGA. These pressing concerns need to be critically evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural India – following the COVID-induced shrinking of employment opportunities; heavy reliance on adverse coping strategies, including liquidation of productive assets and dispensing with productive investments; and inadequacies in government-support programs – may observe both further deterioration of its existing poor and the emergence of a new poor, with characteristics and implications that are dissimilar to those of the existing poor. The dynamic characteristics of poverty are not adequately captured by the official statistics and issues of flows into and out of poverty continue to remain a puzzle in India. Therefore, this paper underscores the urgent need to undertake evidence-based research to identify and profile the new poor and to customise the welfare schemes addressing their specific needs and priorities. It further argues for a rethinking of the role of local institutions, i.e. Gram Panchayats, in the tracking of poverty and in conceiving the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP), prioritising resource allocation for the new poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Counselling Psychologists (CPs) constitute a considerable proportion of psychologists in South Africa (SA), yet empirical knowledge on this workforce remains limited. Furthermore, changes within this workforce overtime have not been thoroughly examined. This study compares early career (<10 years) and established (>10 years) CPs relating to demographic characteristics, work settings, professional roles and activities, career satisfaction, and perspectives on efforts to demarcate the practice of CPs in SA. A total of 512 survey responses were analysed, with 39% representing early career CPs and 61% representing established CPs. Findings reveal significant differences between early career and established CPs across several domains, including age, race, geographic location, highest professional degree, languages spoken; current job-seeking status; satisfaction with income, employment opportunities, work-life balance and primary work settings; likelihood of emigration; and supervision frequency and format. Overall, the results suggest movement towards transformation within the CP profession in SA. Nevertheless, systemic issues continue to hinder the optimal utilisation and equitable distribution of CPs within the country. Advocacy and ongoing workforce analysis is thus essential to support, retain, and effectively utilise CPs as a valuable resource, especially in light of the ongoing debates surrounding the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) system in SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines experiences of workplace precarity and employment vulnerability among resettled refugees in the United States. Our study, which draws on eight months of participant observation at a refugee resettlement agency and in-depth interviews with refugees, provides important insights into the ways that refugees navigate (un)employment after initial resettlement and the precarities they encounter while on the job. Our findings suggest that the confluence of specific workplace experiences, familial expectations, and resettlement case processing creates distinct vulnerabilities for refugee men and women. Moreover, we find gender to be especially crucial to both work-family pressures and negative workplace encounters, limiting men’s employment opportunities and undercutting women’s labor market potential. We discuss associated vulnerabilities and gendered pressures and conclude by highlighting avenues for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature review has clearly indicated that the scale and characteristics of demand for Geography Earth and Environmental Sciences experts across different countries is unknown. Therefore, there is an urgent need to investigate this issue. This paper presents the results of research on the real demand for GEES specialists. In the paper, real demand is expressed by job vacancies (N = 17 378) published in six European countries over a period of 18 months. To analyse such an extensive body of text data, we used data mining techniques such as: SVD, inter-factor correlation analysis, word frequency analysis and word significance indicators, which allowed us to recognise similarities and differences in the size and structure of demand for these specialists in specific groups of countries. Employers from the UK and Ireland offered the most comprehensive range of positions whereas the expectations of Polish employers were the least diverse. Word frequency analyses for each occupation group demonstrated which components of GEES experts' knowledge and skills are considered universal on the labour market and which are subject to substantial regional variations. Moreover, word significance analyses allowed us to identify the occupations where a wider range of general skill areas was required and the positions for which primarily geographic skills were in demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development has gender equality as one of its primary objectives. Although many countries have implemented policy changes aimed at addressing gender inequality, the issue of limited access to employment opportunities for women remains prevalent. This study investigates (1) the underlying beliefs held by hotel managers regarding the hiring of women, (2) the role of different pressures in increasing women participation, and (3) potential conflicts between policy reforms and manager beliefs. Three studies on the hospitality sector in Egypt were conducted using a mixed-methods approach. The first study involves interviews with 32 managers, the second is a quantitative analysis of data from 200 managers, and the third consists of in-depth interviews with 20 experts. Our findings demonstrate: (1) thirteen key female-hiring beliefs, which inform hotel managers' hiring decisions; (2) perceived policy pressures play a significant role in the hiring of more women, but managers' attitudes remain the most important determinant; and (3) four conflicts between policy-level reforms and managerial beliefs may arise, attenuating female hiring. This research creates a scenario-based model and proposes potential remedies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous economic development is a critical area of focus for many communities globally. Indigenous social enterprises play an important role in enhancing economic development by providing employment opportunities for Indigenous community members. Thus, understanding the factors that impact employment of Indigenous staff by Indigenous enterprises has important social and economic implications. This study examines the relationship between high commitment human resource management (HC-HRM) practices of Australian Indigenous social enterprises and their employment of Indigenous staff. Specifically, the paper contends with the research question how does the utilisation of HC-HRM by Indigenous enterprises shape the Indigenous employment outcomes of enterprises? Working with research partner Supply Nation, Australia's Indigenous Minority Supplier Diversity Council, a survey of Indigenous social enterprises was conducted about their HRM practices in relationship to leader risk propensity and business strategy pertaining to cultural product/services. A key result of the study is that the use of HC-HRM practices helps increase Indigenous employment outcomes. In addition, the relationship between HC-HRM and Indigenous employment outcomes is moderated by both the enterprise's business strategy and the leaders' risk propensity. These findings provide important insight into how Indigenous social enterprises can be best managed to create social and economic benefits in Indigenous communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates three potential mechanisms of educational differentials in formal childcare uptake in Belgium, a country characterised by high availability, but also pronounced gradients in childcare uptake. We investigate whether and to what extent educational differentials can be accounted for by (i) differences in employment opportunities of mothers with different educational backgrounds, (ii) variation in local childcare availability which may entail different access, or (iii) differential availability of grandparents as an alternative source of affordable and flexible care. We use data from the 2011 Belgian census, which provides us with information on the socio-demographic characteristics of the entire population legally residing in Belgium. The census was linked to tax register data which gives insight into the uptake of formal childcare as childcare expenses are tax-deductible, as well as municipality-level data on childcare availability. Using logistic regression analysis, we investigate the uptake of formal childcare among two-parent families with one child younger than 2.5 years old. Results indicate that educational gradients are mainly due to differences in employment opportunities rather than differential availability of formal childcare at the local level or informal childcare availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People moving from smaller to larger cities often do so in search of better economic opportunities. But what motivates migration from larger to smaller cities, which are acknowledged to offer fewer available jobs and prospects? This study's empirical findings, in the context of South Korea, reveal that an individual's willingness to move to a smaller-sized, secondary city is positively associated with the perception of local public goods there, but, surprisingly, not significantly aligned with job opportunities. However, this valuation differs by marital status and family-life-cycle stage. In addition, our results illustrate the importance of non-employment factors: dissatisfaction with current residency and place ties (e.g., length of previous residence and psychological place attachment) are strong factors motivating internal migration intention to smaller secondary cities. We discuss the implications of these findings for local government and policy makers in small cities that aim to attract new young and middle-aged adult residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study delves into the complex interplay of decentralization, patronage, and rent seeking within the context of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA, Act) in Uttar Pradesh (UP). It addresses some pertinent questions: How does decentralization promote corruption? What tactics and strategies does the local implementer (pradhan) adopt to manipulate this Act? Have these manipulations benefited the pradhan? How have these strategies affected poor households? Drawing on data collected through household surveys, and semi-structured interviews with bureaucrats, sitting pradhans, and local power holders, I investigate whether decentralization has enabled marginalized communities to access employment opportunities or has facilitated patronage and rent seeking practices. The findings suggest that political actors and power brokers exploit decentralized structures for personal gains, manipulating resource allocation and beneficiary selection. Such practices of rent seeking can dilute the demand-driven principles of the Act and defeat the objective of equitable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on a case study of adult learners in Accra Learning Center (ALC) to explore limiting factors to learning in higher education institutions (HEIs) using distance education (DE) mode in Ghana. Educated adults possess experiences that help them take up leadership roles and transform communities. However, limiting factors including lack of media support and employment opportunities to adult learners in HEIs were highlighted by this study. Mixed method research (MMR) that tilted toward qualitative study was employed, and a dialogical approach to MMR was adopted. Semi-structured interview schedules were developed and administered to 45 adult learners. Random sampling procedure was used, and descriptive and interpretivist approaches were adopted in presenting the results. Simple descriptive statistics were adopted to help build a case for using the qualitative data which sought participants' voices, meanings, experiences, and understanding of limiting factors to learning in HEIs by DE mode. Poverty, the high cost of education, and poor time management constituted some of the limiting factors to adult learners in HEIs. The article recommends that HEIs adopt flexible terms of fee payment for adult learners and that young adult learners seek jobs and learn to save while learning in HEIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of employment opportunities for planners working in the private sector has resulted in a rapid change in the composition of the planning profession in the UK, with over 40% of Royal Town Planning Institute members now employed in private practice. Existing writing on private planning practice is somewhat circumspect, with the private sector being associated largely with a profit-driven approach. Drawing on interviews with private sector planners, this paper argues that this fails to reflect the lived reality of private sector planners, and in so doing sets out an alternative and more nuanced characterisation of private practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were to (a) qualitatively determine former students' perceptions of environment, personal and behaviour factor changes that were due to the teachers involved in the Strengthening of Mathematics and Science in Secondary Education (SMASSE) project in Kenya and (b) reveal the long-term influence of these qualitative changes on their lives. The study also clarified the significance of using life story analysis to this end. The theoretical framework we utilised is social learning theory. Data collected from interviews were examined using Steps for Coding and Theorisation (SCAT) analysis, as well as NVivo, to identify respondents' experiences as former SMASSE students. First, SCAT analysis revealed that participants' lives were influenced in the long term owing to changes in: (a) environmental factors, such as interaction with SMASSE teachers and collaboration with other students; (b) personal factors, such as changes in cognitive and affective aspects; (c) behavioural factors, such as learning methods. Second, by using NVivo to integrate all the stories, we showed that former students' perceptions of the environmental, personal and behaviour changes that were due to the teachers involved the SMASSE project were mutually interrelated. The analysis has also identified long-term effects on various aspects of human resource development: post-graduation career development, employment opportunities, and mindset. Finally, the results of this study emphasise the robustness of qualitative research in identifying the qualitative changes in the participants in a multi-dimensional manner for this international project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite agriculture being the largest employer of young people, South Africa faces a youth unemployment crisis. The youth are increasingly disinterested in agriculture and often view it as a last resort in the absence of alternative employment opportunities. This paper explores strategies to change these negative perceptions and attract young people to agriculture. Drawing on twenty-two studies conducted over the past decade, national grade 12 statistics, University enrolments, yearbook reviews, and twenty job advertisements, I identify five key areas for intervention. First, the youth interested in agripreneurship need support to access financial and physical resources. They also need training offered jointly by tertiary institutions and the government. Second, agricultural education in primary and secondary schools will likely attract and retain youths to agriculture. Third, we need to reform the education system at all levels to ensure holistic student development opportunities, including the technical and soft skills required by agricultural sector employers. Fourth, our marketing strategies need reform; collaboration with the media is necessary to increase awareness and change youths' perceptions about agriculture and agricultural careers. Five, we need to strengthen the role of agricultural associations to bridge the gap between the agricultural sector and secondary and tertiary education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apartheid South Africa remains an important theme in sport history. The study of South African football has produced a handful of monographs and several research articles. In this body of literature, relatively few studies acknowledge the migratory flows of South African footballers to various levels of British football. Often omitted altogether in these studies is the acknowledgment of the hundreds of British players, coaches, and referees who visited South Africa after the introduction of apartheid in 1948. Many of these football migrants moved to the country for employment opportunities and played the game on a recreational and professional basis. Significant numbers also migrated because of the football opportunities offered in the segregated game. Some of these migrants were involved in the burgeoning black and non-racial game in the country too. From the mid-1950s through to the 1980s, hundreds of British football migrants made South Africa their home for varying lengths of time. In many cases, despite the broader socio-political context, this was too good of a financial opportunity to turn down. To appreciate the complexities of apartheid football, cognizance of the British contribution to upholding, challenging, and overcoming the status quo in South African football is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In academia, just transition has received increasing interest, including the topical research on sustainable welfare states and integrative ecosocial policies. However, an analytical perspective of labour market policy has been surprisingly weak and studies associating just transition with labour security considerations in welfare states are lacking. By inductively synthesising labour-related just transition literature, this review identifies three intertwined approaches to labour market policies: green jobs approach, green skills approach, and green compensation approach. Respectively, they chime with three forms of labour security in terms of employment opportunities, skill reproduction, and income security. We argue that these three forms of labour security constitute three pillars of just transition labour market policies. Addressing three pillars in a holistic fashion is highlighted given that currently they are unbalanced in just transition discussion. Additionally, a critical reflection on the role of economic growth in labour market policymaking is advocated considering it is the labour security that unifies all three pillars. To steer the labour markets toward a greener future, more studies could focus on redefining green jobs, repurposing active labour market policy, and tackling work-welfare nexus from an ecosocial perspective. Exploring the potential of job guarantee for promoting labour security without growth is worthwhile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edith Penrose's The Theory of the Growth of the Firm provides an intellectual foundation for a theory of innovative enterprise, which is essential to any attempt to explain productivity growth, employment opportunity, and income distribution. Penrose's theory of the firm is also an antidote to the absurdity that has been taught by PhD economists to millions of college students for over seven decades: the most unproductive firm is the foundation of the most efficient economy. The dissemination of this 'neoclassical fallacy' to a mass audience began with Paul A. Samuelson's textbook, Economics: An Introductory Analysis, first published in 1948. Over the decades, the neoclassical fallacy has persisted through 18 revisions of Samuelson, Economics and in its countless 'economics principles' clones. This essay challenges the intellectual hegemony of neoclassical economics by exposing the illogic of its foundational assumptions about how a modern economy operates and performs. To get beyond the neoclassical fallacy, economists must be trained in a 'historical transformation' methodology that integrates history and theory. It is a methodology in which theory serves as both a distillation of what we have learned from the study of history and a guide to what we need to learn about reality as the 'present as history' unfolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study argues that arrival infrastructures play a crucial role in shaping the mobility and integration of Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa. By examining the experiences of migrants with access to these infrastructures and those without, the research explores the influence of the infrastructures on the challenges of destitution and homelessness that migrants face in their new environment. Through a comparative analysis of interviews, the study reveals how arrival infrastructures contribute to migrants' familiarity with the City of Cape Town, provide housing and employment opportunities and facilitate the overall integration processes. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the importance of arrival infrastructures and underscore their profound impact on the settlement experiences of Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the implications of Artificial Intelligence Content Generators (Gen-AI) for the field of screen media education. In light of the 2022–2023 releases of ChatGPT, DALL·E 2 and Midjourney AI, the article addresses the idea of what value there is for a student to enrol in a creative arts degree given the public view that Gen-AI threaten to replace human jobs in artistic fields. The article argues that there is potential for Gen-AI to offer major benefits to existing approaches to media education and that the technology could in fact drive greater interest in studying the creative arts. The act of creativity is valued by those who practise it for intrinsic purposes, and many graduates of screen programmes have traditionally leveraged their passion and creative conceptual understandings in a wide variety of employment fields outside vocationally-oriented screen production roles. Therefore, the article demonstrates that Gen-AI can benefit screen media programmes by improving employment opportunities for graduates, enhancing access and diversity for under-represented students, and can address the classic challenges of the theory-practice nexus for media production students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how the small peripheral town of Yoqneam became one of the largest high-tech centres in Israel. It does so by using official data analysis and in-depth interviews with key figures to construct a holistic model that explains the town's phenomenal success in upgrading its socioeconomic level from 3 to 7 in 25 years. Four major success anchors have been identified: a) Employment opportunities that include high paying jobs in innovative clean industrial parks that enable personnel mobility and experience sharing; b) High standard of living that includes an excellent education system, along with various housing opportunities and beautiful surroundings; c) Growth accelerators, such as technological incubators that can contribute towards the transformation of this peripheral area into a technological centre; and d) Efficient transportation system that connects the town to the country's business centre, as well as to knowledge centres such as universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies suggest that policies designed to create new shared workspaces have the power to deliver skills, innovation and new employment opportunities to peripheral areas and lagging economies. We examine this idea using case studies from two British coastal locations and industrial ports of different sizes and governance structures: Portsmouth (Hampshire) and Newhaven (East Sussex). Our findings indicate the need for integrated place-based solutions that are targeted and anchored in the local needs and identities of the place. Governmental frameworks should not only address the physical aspects of regeneration but also the social and institutional ones. Positive externalities are registered when shared workspaces act as social infrastructure. For this to happen, regeneration policy needs to work on community building, regaining local trust and nurturing positive local identities and imaginaries. Finally, we note that fragmented institutional patterns hamper the scaling up of positive externalities at the wider regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Namibia, the commercialisation of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) is often promoted as a means to improve rural livelihoods, especially for vulnerable communities. This paper analysed how NTFP value chains are integrated into and contribute to the livelihoods of Khwe and !Xun San harvesters. Accordingly, the working conditions, employment and upgrading opportunities of the globally traded Devil's Claw were compared to those of regionally traded products, including Natal Oranges. A mixed-method approach was applied to collect data in Okongo Constituency and Bwabwata National Park. Findings revealed that while NTFPs contribute to the harvesters' income generation, the income is insufficient to sustain their livelihoods. Interestingly, the results of both regional and global value chain integration do not lead to improved livelihoods. Further research is needed to analyse the synergies between the government, traditional and local authorities, NGOs, and other institutions in implementing laws that promote equitable sharing of benefits from NTFPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to reduce the skills redundancy in ecology graduates by developing an employer-tailored work-simulated learning curriculum. Furthermore, we evaluate the overall potential of work-simulated learning (WSL) as a key pedagogic component of a work-integrated learning (WIL) framework. We employed the DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) approach that encompassed i) surveying ecology-facing employers and job descriptions, ii) creating a programme of WSL, iii) a comprehensive review (student questionnaire and Industrial Steering Group workshop). A two-tiered curriculum was created; 15-credit FHEQ-5 residential field course and a 20-credit work-simulated learning FHEQ-6 module. Simulations included Phase I Habitat mapping, protected species surveys, and Preliminary Ecological Appraisals. Students developed greater knowledge of employment opportunities, enhanced technical skills, and improved their CV and employability. The steering group substantiated and validated the WSL strategy, supporting the high relevance for enhancing graduate employability, while identifying curriculum gaps and areas for refinement. These outcomes highlight the wide-reaching benefits of practice-driven WSL opportunities as a key component of a wider WIL framework. HIE–employer interactions are also critical in ensuring content relevance; however, we recommend the faculty exercise pragmatism by employing suitable pedagogic strategies to ensure they conform to the constraints of HEI while satisfying employer needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the last 20 years, women have benefited from increased opportunity for employment in traditionally male dominated fields. Yet, they continue to face inequality in the home, where they shoulder a disproportionate share of domestic responsibilities. Referred to as "the second shift" by Hochschild in 1989, these ascribed gender roles remain resistant to change. Based on surveys and interviews with members of the Association of Women Executives in Corrections (AWEC), this study examines how the challenges of achieving a work-life balance impacts women's desires for, or ability to, compete for promotion in the field of corrections. The authors found that women corrections executives cited difficulties in achieving a work-life balance as a primary challenge to serving in executive-level roles. But despite their own professional accomplishments, they believed that the challenge of achieving a work-life balance remains a primary reason that women continue to be underrepresented as corrections executives. Study implications suggest that family friendly policies and support at the departmental level, for both men and women, might encourage more women to apply to the executive ranks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the late 1960s, the American Economic Association (AEA) began to address the concerns of the marginalized in the profession with the publication of Job Openings for Economists. Women economists, empowered by the mass women's liberation movement at the time, formed a committee within the AEA to press for equal opportunity and greater access to the job market. This committee focused their early efforts on reforming the labor market with one of the key activities being the creation of a job vacancy publication. The consequence of having a job vacancy publication was the establishment of a path whereby newly trained women economists were made aware of opportunities and the existing informal hiring system was gradually relied upon less. Women economists played an important role in the establishment, legitimization, and broader acceptance of a job vacancy publication that helped to further empower women and other marginalized economists. HIGHLIGHTS Women pursued equal opportunity in economics via reforms to employment-search practices. Published vacancies achieved a greater representation of women in the labor market by formalizing aspects of the labor market. The publication of job vacancies was only a first step to creating an inclusive environment for women. Not all marginalized groups saw their path to acceptance within economics paved by labor market reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employment vulnerability is considered as working under inadequate conditions. This research examined the impact of employment vulnerability on earnings with special reference to gender-based differences. Analyses were based on panel data for 2010–2013 and 2016 from the household survey. A panel data fixed-effects model with instrumental variable within the Lewbel (2012) method was applied to estimate an earnings equation. Results indicates negative impact of employment vulnerability on earnings. Women experienced this negative effect more severely. Given these empirical findings, government labour-market policy should not focus on increasing employment alone, but should also address the issue of vulnerability of employment, improvement of working conditions, and expanding employment opportunities for women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of the research on food security in Ethiopia focuses on the rural poor, paying very little attention to the urban poor. The urban poor, marginalized from employment opportunities and other services, are usually made invisible by the government. Hence, exploring the invisible crisis of urban food security can help policymakers to design and implement effective strategies to reduce food insecurity. Study results indicated that unpredictable market prices, lack of employment opportunities, and distress-coping strategies are indicators of household food insecurity. In conclusion, the study argues that attaining food security must be an urgent government concern in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how criminal justice majors taking courses during the COVID-19 pandemic perceive their future careers. These expectations are compared to those of students majoring in lab sciences and non-lab fields. Variation by race and ethnicity are also assessed. Data were obtained from 188 undergraduate students at a single institution in Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 using an online survey. Results indicated that students' estimates of their future salaries and job availability were accurate to current labor market conditions. Hispanics anticipated higher salaries and more salary growth than non-Hispanics. Criminal justice majors were attracted to jobs based on potential to help others, challenge, job tasks, salary, and the fun, thrill, or excitement of the job. Health majors were more drawn to features like salary and job availability. Criminal justice students were more likely than others to note power as well as prestige, recognition, or status as appealing job features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of comparative research into the labor, organizational and spatial practices of a new kind of hybrid civic spaces that we refer to as "social impact-driven repair shops." These are an emerging typology of urban spaces dedicated to repaired and up-cycled items that also go beyond the functions of a traditional shop. Significantly, these shops are run not purely for economic reasons, but rather to position themselves as local, socio-political interventions aiming to confront the environmental impacts of waste, support ethical and affordable consumption, alongside providing new opportunities for employment. We focused our fieldwork (2017–2019) on three such "repair shops": ReTuna Återbruksgalleria in Sweden, The Loop in the United Kingdom and RiMaflow in Italy. We discuss the differing labor and spatial practices taking place within each while highlighting some of the tensions that emerge, and the implications for some of the wider debates in repair studies, "green work" and circular economies. We conclude by identifying two divergent and potentially antagonistic circuits of repair which we name "repair as solidarity" and "repair as poor economy," which we propose as a lens to better grasp the different logics underpinning the transition to circular economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major aims of Saudi Vision 2030 is to create a dynamic, diverse and sustainable economy by generating employment opportunities for young Saudis. As Education sector plays a pivotal role in boosting economy of a country, the National Transformation Program ("NTP") has laid down objectives to transform the education system with special focus on: 1. Improving recruitment, training and development of teachers, 2. Improving curricula and teaching methods. 3. Improving values and core skills and 4. Enhancing creativity and innovation. Based on the objectives laid by the NTP, the study aims to find the existing gaps between the present curricula and teaching methods in five major private and public universities of Saudi Arabia. It aims to identify the labour market needs with consideration to the six gigaprojects introduced by Saudi Arabia under economic diversification program and, provide guidelines for skills matching. The study adopts a triangular approach: interviews, documentation analysis and, Survey. Based on the results obtained and gaps identified, the researchers recommend taking into account, employers' needs and the learners' skill enhancement capabilities while formulating future educational programs to empower Saudi young generation to compete with international labor force and retain their monopoly in the saudi market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 entails the phase-out of high-emissions coal power. However, a just transition policy must be implemented, given that coal power and its upstream coal mining industry provide many employment opportunities. Leveraging a bottom-up tabular analysis, we assessed the impact on employment of coal-fired power plant closures in China's 330 prefecture-level cities. We identify vulnerable areas for employment in the transition and propose a customized employment incentive policy through a vulnerability assessment framework. Results show that in 2020, the direct employment in the coal power industry was 1.68 million, among which 16.76% will be affected by the 2045 net-zero deadline for the power sector. This number will increase to 36.90% if coal power capacity increases to 1300GW by 2030. However, 92% of Chinese cities will not suffer from unemployment risks since cities with high employment vulnerability are mostly concentrated in coal resource-based cities like Shuozhou (Shanxi Province), Huainan (Anhui Province), and Yulin (Shaanxi Province). In addition, the contraction of China's coal power-related employment will emerge only after 2035; a transition management framework focusing on highly vulnerable areas should be established as soon as possible to protect the well-being of affected workers and facilitate a just transition. Key policy insights New coal power projects should be cut back as much as possible, and instead the service life of incumbent coal power units should be extended where necessary. If no new coal power plants are built after 2020, only 16.76% of existing employment will be affected by 2045, but the share would double if new units were added. In order to effectively manage a just transition, it is necessary to plan early and establish a comprehensive policy system that takes regional differences fully into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we focus on the role of Dutch Level 2 senior vocational training in care work in relation to the prospects and options it provides for students who follow this programme. Similar to the 'care girls' from previous studies our participants are young women from lower-class backgrounds who aspire to various jobs in the care sector, but are steered away from their original aspirations by their vocational training programme. The major difference between this research and previous studies is that we examine the Dutch institutional and broader structural context of care work. In the Netherlands, there is a lack of job opportunities for Level 2 graduates. This enables us to study the impact of limited job opportunities in the making of 'care girls'. We explore whether this situation results in the reproduction of inequalities (and if so, how), or whether it represents a window of opportunity through which these girls can escape from their initial cycle of disadvantage if their goal of becoming a 'care girl' does not materialise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance of the manufacturing sector in bringing about structural transformation in the economy is well appreciated in literature. In India, with more than 70% of manufacturing employment originating in the unorganised segment, it becomes imperative to explore the dynamics of employment and growth of firms in the unorganised manufacturing sector. Additionally, interest in the sector arises since it is one of the prime avenues of employment generation. In particular, this paper examines the economic viability of unorganised manufacturing firms and underemployment therein. Results on underemployment help us to conclude on the prospect of full-time employment opportunities in the sector, whereas an assessment of economic viability brings out the major obstacles to growth plaguing unorganised manufacturing firms. This article identifies the prime areas requiring policy intervention and emphasises the need of implementing existing policies on ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employability is a powerful discourse in higher education, yet as a driver for policy and practice it has not translated into an uplift in graduate outcomes for all student groups. In particular, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Migrant and/or Refugee (CALDMR) students experience inequitable graduate outcomes and access to meaningful employment opportunities. Drawing on a national study of career advisors and CALDMR students' experiences of how Australian universities support their career development, we examine CALDMR students' employability through the conceptual framework of graduate capitals. We make two key contributions: firstly, we offer insights into staff and student perceptions of university approaches with CALDMR. Secondly, we identify a lack of linguistic and cultural diversity conceptualisations of employability by examining the experiences of CALDMR students and staff through the lens of graduate capitals. We disrupt the assumptions and presumed familiarity with cultural knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States (U.S.) is an inescapable setting for Chinese scholars to study employment anti-discrimination law. They often analyse the U.S. law from different and even diametrically opposite perspectives. The systematic study of the law has theoretical and practical implications. The evolution of the U.S. law can be divided into three phases: the emergence and rise phase from the 1960s to the 1970s, the contraction and innovation phase during the 1980s, and the overall expansion and partial retraction phase from the 1990s onward. The U.S. employment anti-discrimination law is now constricted by the coexistence of effective regulation of explicit discrimination and insufficient regulation of implicit discrimination, decreasing success rates, increasing caseloads of employment discrimination suits, and an increase in the number of employment discrimination disputes resolved through alternate dispute resolution. The contribution of the U.S. law to expanding the breadth and depth of the right to fair employment opportunities, improving the burden of proof standard for employment discrimination disputes, and establishing a robust labour market competition mechanism can be used as a reference for other countries such as China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pavement dwellers remain largely outside any shelter and social service schemes in developing countries. Most programs for urban poor are settlement specific and primarily targeted to slum communities. A number of initiatives did not succeed in the past mainly because those were limited to providing temporary shelters only. Since homeless is a multidimensional problem, an effective intervention needs to provide multifaceted support to homeless people. This paper presents the case of Amrao Manush project which has developed a model framework to uplift the living condition of homeless people through the Pavement Dweller Centers (PDC). The PDC offers shelter and multidimensional support to pavement dwellers including day-care facility, child education, basic healthcare service, and skill development training. The project demonstrates how a continuous and stepwise process of upgradation – ranging from providing basic shelter and services to skill development training – can empower homeless people to overcome extreme poverty, find employment opportunities and eventually move out of streets. The paper also discusses the major strengths and weaknesses and suggests potential strategies for further scaling-up the initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the labour market in ways that have proved difficult for economists to predict. Early studies suggested that labour demand ‘collapsed’. This initial forecast proved to be overly alarmist, due to the short-run view. We find that labour demand has rebounded sharply, though an aberration has appeared in recent months. Using what is believed to be a near-universe of online jobs postings, we demonstrate that while total job postings are up 43% from pre-pandemic levels, only one-tenth of that increase is driven by increases in new postings. This suggests that the growth in job postings in the labour market is being driven by jobs that are remaining unfilled. Labour force participation has dropped to levels not seen since the 1970s, while unemployment claims have mirrored other recent economic downturns. Combined, these two measures account for almost all the remaining jobs shed during the recent economic downturn. Analysing the characteristics of these job postings, we find a decrease in required skills and salary compared to the pre-pandemic periods. Individuals appear unwilling to re-enter the labour market, likely because of the quality of jobs currently available, leading to an overall labour shortage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The informal sector constitutes a vital part of developing countries' economy. It serves as a major source of employment and livelihood for the urban poor. However, despite its multifaceted economic contributions in many developing countries, little is known about its contribution. Hence, this study examines the role of the urban informal sector in improving the livelihoods of the participants in Hawassa city, southern Ethiopia, using primary data. A random sample of 182 informal sector participants was selected from eight kebeles using multi-stage sampling techniques. Descriptive statistics and a logistic regression model were used to analyze the data. The descriptive analysis results showed that the majority of the participants (67%) perceived that participating in the informal sector has considerably improved their livelihood. The econometric analysis reveals that informal business operators who earn a higher monthly income, those who save their income, stayed longer in the business, have access to credit and own more working capital, and those who get training opportunities are observed to have better livelihood improvement compared to their comparative group. Given the sector's role in creating employment opportunities for the burgeoning urban labor force and improving livelihood, informal businesses should not be treated as a hostile group with a marginal role in the economy. Thus, along with designing strategies for the formalization of informal enterprises, facilitating access to finance, training programs, improving the business environment, and provision of business development services prepare youth to navigate the informal sector in the study area, in particular, and Ethiopia, in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The handicraft sector plays a significant role in providing employment opportunities in rural and semi-urban areas of the country. It helps in generating substantial income for the artisans. The uses for palm leaves are abundant. Attractive items made of Palm Leaves are very popular in South India, mostly in Southern Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. However, to generate sustainable revenue through their products, the artisans need to understand the buyer's requirements. This study aims to understand the consumer's purchasing behavior when buying palm leaf products. The sample consists of 233 consumers with diverse backgrounds from the state of Tamil Nadu, India. A questionnaire was developed to measure awareness and attitude influence while purchasing palm leaf products. The results can help the artisans to get an insight into end-user expectations and requirements toward palm leaf products and suggest strategies to increase the income of artisans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton is a product that provides wealth for humanity with its widespread and compulsory usage, and alongside creating employment opportunities in the producer countries. Due to the availability of suitable land for agriculture, seven countries including Turkey produce close to 80% of cotton worldwide. The average cotton yield in Turkey is above the world average, placing the country close to first place among the major producing countries. On the other hand, Turkey is one of the main countries engaged in organic cotton production by using only non-transgenic seeds and therefore, its cotton as a brand is registered as "GMO Free Turkish Cotton". This provides a privileged position to the country as "the only country in the world producing GMO-free cotton". Also, the Turkish textile industry is a driving sector for the country in terms of producing high-quality products, bringing foreign exchange to the country and creating a large labor-intensive workforce for the country. In this study, the state of cotton affairs was discussed in detail using relevant data along with its trade and importance in the textile industry in the world and Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, the Beveridge curve in the Austrian labour market has shifted significantly outward. Using detailed administrative data on job vacancies and registered unemployed persons by region and skill level, we investigate which factors have caused this shift. We find that the Beveridge curve has shifted mainly because mismatch has increased significantly. Looking at the regional and skill level dimensions of mismatch unemployment, we find a significant increase in mismatch unemployment in manual routine jobs and in the Vienna region of Austria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of potential sites for sports historians to position their work. Opportunities to be employed focusing on sports history within a university setting are limited and it is challenging for sports historians to find opportunities for employment within traditional media organisations too. This paper tries to answer the simple question of 'Where will sport historians go in the future?' and considers opportunities to work with sporting organisations and others with the aim of presenting our work to audiences. In an uncertain financial climate, it can be difficult to find a role that supports the ambitions of sports historians. The article concludes that sports historians need to develop a multi-faceted approach to their careers, combining traditional academic opportunities with activities aimed at a general audience. Finding an appropriate niche is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The informal sector plays a vital role in providing income opportunities to the unemployed. The sector can create more employment opportunities in this distressed South African economy; however, sustainability concerns do exist. An exploratory research design was used in this qualitative study in order to understand the policy stances towards the informal business sector and the issues that threaten its sustainability. The results indicated that the government's efforts to support informal businesses are not tangible and are not focused on inclusive development. A strategic roadmap that could be used by the government to help the sector sustain itself is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined how and when multiple entry motivation influenced lived calling. Participants were 737 police cadets from Sichuan Province, China (female= 24.42%; sophomore= 65.0%; major in science= 32.7%). The participants completed surveys on entry motivation, perceived calling, lived calling, and organisational cultural identity scales. Following hierarchical regression and bootstrap analysis, the results indicated family expectation was positively associated with perceived calling, whereas college reputation, employment opportunity, and self-improvement negatively predicted perceived calling. Perceived calling played a mediating role in these relationships. Moreover, family expectation weakened the relationship between college reputation, employment opportunity, and self-improvement and perceived calling. Additionally, organisational cultural identity moderated the direct relationship between perceived and lived calling and the indirect effect. These findings revealed the importance of multiple motivations for perceiving career calling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the effects of digital finance on migrants' entrepreneurship using the merged data of Digital Financial Inclusion Index and China Migrants Dynamic Survey. Our findings reveal that digital finance could help migrant to get rid of low-income survival-oriented entrepreneurship, and has no effect on entrepreneur-oriented entrepreneurship. We then interpret these results from two aspects. First, the digital finance has created a better business environment, which enables migrant to obtain more employment opportunities. Second, the low human capital of migrant suppresses the entrepreneur-oriented entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional Competitiveness Operational Programme (RCOP) is one of the policies which aims to increase the competitiveness of the poorest regions of Turkey by supporting enterprises and creating employment opportunities. This study aims to investigate whether RCOP has generated more employment opportunities in the "East-Central Anatolia Region" compared to its neighbor called "West-Central Anatolia Region". As an identification strategy, we implement Difference-in-Differences (DiD) methodology, and for the robustness check, we apply DiD with Propensity Score Matching (PSM). The entire analysis relies on data derived from the Household Labor Force Survey between 2004 and 2017. Our findings show that RCOP increased only the employment rate of young people aged between 15–24. We find no evidence of a positive effect for people over 24 years old. Governments in other countries which are also concerned about unemployment and vulnerability among youth could implement similar policies. Even though the programme has been effective in increasing the youth employment rate, the employment gap between men and women persists in favor of men in all age groups, including the youth. This finding offers an insight into the necessity of additional policies to increase female employment and close the gender gap in employment opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]