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on Information and Communication Technologies |
| By: | Beerli, Andreas; Indergand, Ronald; Kunz, Johannes S. |
| Abstract: | An important goal of immigration policy is to facilitate the entry of foreignborn workers whose skills are in short supply in national labor markets. In recent decades, information and communication technology [ICT] has fueled the demand for highly educated workers at the expense of lower educated groups. Exploiting the fact that different regions in Switzerland have been differentially exposed to ICT due to their pre-ICT industrial composition, we present evidence suggesting that more exposed regions experienced stronger ICT adoption, accompanied by considerably stronger growth in relative employment and wage-premia for college-educated workers. Following this change in the landscape of relative economic opportunities, we find robust evidence that these regions experienced a much stronger in ux of highly educated immigrants in absolute terms as well as relative to lower educated groups. Our results suggest that immigrants' location decisions respond strongly to these long-run, technology-driven changes in their economic opportunities. |
| Keywords: | immigrant sorting,international migration,skill-biased technical change,information and communication technology,skill supply |
| JEL: | F22 J61 J24 J31 J23 |
| Date: | 2021 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:glodps:998&r= |
| By: | Agapova, Anna; Budarina, N; Shafiev, R; Tataeva, I.; Bludova, S. |
| Abstract: | Today Africa is the world leader in terms of consumption growth. Agriculture, chemical industry and agro-technologies, oil refining and extractive industries, energy and peaceful nuclear technologies are rapidly developing on the continent. Most countries are interested in the development of infrastructure, the demand for cars and special equipment is growing. Russia is ready to act as a partner for all African countries in a number of areas. These include projects for the supply of the latest Russian equipment for metallurgical and mining enterprises, the development of a transport and logistics system - including not only the supply of rolling stock for railways, aircraft and helicopters of various classes and purposes, but also control and safety systems for the respective modes of transport. In addition, Russia is interested in participating in the creation of energy infrastructure in the countries of the African region - oil and gas and generating capacities, including hydro and nuclear energy, ensuring food security, as well as developing a health care system and drug supply. |
| Keywords: | North Africa, Cooperation, Export, Import |
| JEL: | O10 |
| Date: | 2021–03–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:110766&r= |
| By: | Ali, Amjad; Audi, Marc; Nisar, Sabahat; Senturk, Ismail |
| Abstract: | This study explores the factors which ensure efficiency in public procurement through the economy and transparency. This paper examines the public procurement rules of Punjab 2014. The study is conducted in three stages. In the first stage, in-depth interviews are conducted by procurement experts to identify important factors which bring economy and transparency to the public procurement process. In the second stage, a comprehensive questionnaire is developed considering identified factors. Finally, various types of analyses are used to examine identified factors. The results of the study indicate that annual procurement planning, use of ICT, capacity building, strong redressal system, and tender financial limit are the key factors that bring efficiencies in public procurement. This paper contributes to understanding the core factors which may influence public procurement efficiency. The study ensures a healthy contribution in saving public funds by achieving efficiencies in public procurement. |
| Keywords: | Public Procurement, Procurement Efficiencies, Procurement Planning, ICT |
| JEL: | H3 O3 |
| Date: | 2021 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:111214&r= |
| By: | Ake-Kob, Alin; Blazeviciene, Aurelija; Colonna, Liane; Cartolovni, Anto; Dantas, Carina; Fedosov, Anton; Florez-Revuelta, Francisco; Fosch-Villaronga, Eduard; He, Zhicheng; Klimczuk, Andrzej; Kuźmicz, Maksymilian; Lukács, Adrienn; Lutz, Christoph; Mekovec, Renata; Miguel, Cristina; Mordini, Emilio; Pajalic, Zada; Pierscionek, Barbara Krystyna; Jose Santofimia Romero, Maria; Ali Salah, Albert; Sobecki, Andrzej; Solanas, Agusti; Tamò-Larrieux, Aurelia |
| Abstract: | Ambient assisted living (AAL) technologies are increasingly presented and sold as essential smart additions to daily life and home environments that will radically transform the healthcare and wellness markets of the future. An ethical approach and a thorough understanding of all ethics in surveillance/monitoring architectures are therefore pressing. AAL poses many ethical challenges raising questions that will affect immediate acceptance and long-term usage. Furthermore, ethical issues emerge from social inequalities and their potential exacerbation by AAL, accentuating the existing access gap between high-income countries (HIC) and low and middle-income countries (LMIC). Legal aspects mainly refer to the adherence to existing legal frameworks and cover issues related to product safety, data protection, cybersecurity, intellectual property, and access to data by public, private, and government bodies. Successful privacy-friendly AAL applications are needed, as the pressure to bring Internet of Things (IoT) devices and ones equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) quickly to market cannot overlook the fact that the environments in which AAL will operate are mostly private (e.g., the home). The social issues focus on the impact of AAL technologies before and after their adoption. Future AAL technologies need to consider all aspects of equality such as gender, race, age and social disadvantages and avoid increasing loneliness and isolation among, e.g. older and frail people. Finally, the current power asymmetries between the target and general populations should not be underestimated nor should the discrepant needs and motivations of the target group and those developing and deploying AAL systems. Whilst AAL technologies provide promising solutions for the health and social care challenges, they are not exempt from ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI). A set of ELSI guidelines is needed to integrate these factors at the research and development stage. |
| Keywords: | Ethical principles,Privacy,Assistive Living Technologies,Privacy by Design,General Data Protection Regulation,housing |
| JEL: | O18 D19 R58 M14 O33 |
| Date: | 2021 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:esrepo:248470&r= |