Entrepreneurial structure of the mercantile company in pre-industrial Catalonia

The mercantile company was the basic form of enterprise in pre-industrial Catalonia. The aim of this paper is to study the formation and development of the mercantile companies in Barcelona whose end was the wholesale and retail sale of textiles in the botigues de teles (textile retail shops) throughout the eighteenth century. These firms were officially registered before a notary and their deeds reveal how these establishments were administered and managed.The study covers a sample of 121 mercantile companies, and the articles and documentation that were put into effect by 32 notaries who were active in Barcelona in the 18th century have been consulted in their entirety. From an initial selection of documentation, a total of 228 deeds registering companies have been found, 107 of which (47%) relate to the creation of companies whose various activities were centred in taverns, textile manufacturing, braiding.... While the 121 companies, which make up our sample and which account for 53% of the deeds registered with the notaries mentioned above, focused exclusively on the management of textile retail shops located in the commercial heart of the city. Thus one point of interest that the documentation reveals is that the majority of the mercantile companies registered by Barcelona notaries throughout the 18th century were establishments which traded in textiles. The first part of the article focuses on the structural characteristics of these enterprises, the number and socio-professional status of the partners and the extent of each partner s involvement in the administration and management. The second part of the article examines the capital investment made by each partner, their rights and obligations agreed on, the sharing out of profits and possible losses and the duration of the companies. The final aim of the paper is to highlight the evolution of these companies through one specific case.

Socio-economic inequalities in health in Catalonia

In this paper we measure the degree of income related inequality in mental health as measured by the GHQ instrument and general health as measured by the EQOL-5D instrument for the Catalan population. We find that income is the main contributor to inequality, although the share of inequality in mental health that can be explained by income is much greater than the corresponding share of inequality in general health. We also find that the variation in demographic structure reduces income related inequality in mental health but increases income related inequality in general health. The regional variations in both instruments for health are striking, with the Barcelona districts faring relatively bad with respect to the rest of geographical areas and Lleida being the health region where, all else held equal, the population reports the greatest level of health. A big share of inequality in the two health measures, but specially mental health, is due to the favourable position in both health and income of those who enjoy an indefinite contract with respect to the rest of individuals. We also find that risky working conditions affect both health measures and are able to explain an important share of socio-economic inequality.

Social spending and demographics: The role of public policies in the intergenerational redistribution of income. Empirical evidence from Spain and Catalonia

The demographic shift underway in Southern Europe requires a revision of some of thefundamental principles of the traditional welfare state. We analyze the evolution of several aspects of welfare and social expenditure over the last two decades. We find that in the context of the present demographic changes and real estate boom current social and pension policy leads to a new distribution of benefits and burdens which is highly intergenerationally unequal. We argue for a revised definition of public policy based on Musgrave's proposition as a possible rule for an intergenerationally fair distribution.

University admission marks in Catalonia: Some highlights from the empirical research

The results of the examinations taken by graduated high school studentswho want to enrol at a Catalan university are here studied. To do so,the authors address several issues related to the equity of the system:reliability of grading, difficulty and discrimination power of the exams.The general emphasis is put upon the concurrent research and empiricalevidence about the properties of the examination items and scores. Aftera discussion about the limitations of the exams' format and appropriatenessof the instruments used in the study, the article concludes with somesuggestions to improve such examinations.

Els Aiguamolls de la Puda de Banyoles: una proposta de gestió

La Puda, no fa pas tants anys, constituïa un espai emblemàtic de Banyoles i, en canvi, avui dia ha esdevingut un àmbit totalment al marge de la dinàmica de la ciutat. La realitat actual mostra que és un espai que no ha desenvolupat les seves potencialitats, fet que l'ha portat a no posseir plenament les característiques d'un parc urbà ni les pròpies d'una àrea natural. L'objectiu principal d'aquest article és proposar un model de gestió per als aiguamolls de la Puda, amb el propòsit de regenerar i protegir ambientalment la zona i recuperar per a la societat banyolina un espai oblidat. Es tracta, dones, de contemplar-ne tant la vessant natural com la social i de fer-ho prenent en consideració diferents escales d’anàlisi. Les raons que condueixen a tal objectiu es fonamenten en la convicció que tot i la precària salut ambiental que pateix la lona, encara està en condicions de desenvolupar plenament el seu alt valor ecològic, i que tot i la marginalitat que presenta respecte a la resta del municipi, manté la possibilitat d'esdevenir un espai singular i atractiu que participi activament de la vida banyolina

The burden of musculoskeletal disorders in Catalonia

INTRODUCTION: Musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs)are extremely common and one of the major causes of disease burden around the world. The original Global Burden of Disease Study was commisioned by the World Bank in 1991 and established the DALY(Disability Ajusted Life Years) as an indicator of disease burden. The DALY calculation allows an assessment of not only mortality but also disability, in terms of time lived in health states worse than perfect health.OBJECTIVE: To estimate the burden of musculoskeletal disorders in Catalonia in 2010, through calculation of the DALY index.

Un aflorament volcànic inèdit al massís del Montgrí: el volcà de l’Aixart de la Conca

Es descriu un aflorament volcànic inèdit localitzat al massís del Montgrí. Es troba a l'Aixart de la Conca, just al límit meridional de l'antigabase Loran de l'Estartit, dins el terme municipal de Torroella de Montgrí. Es tracta d'una xemeneia volcànica enclavada en les calcàries del cretaci inferior. Les bretxes i basalts que la constitueixen tenen un grau d'alteració molt elevat. Aquests materials han estat fortament erosionats i han donat lloc a una depressió tancada, d'aspecte semblant a una dolina, que fa uns 220 m de diàmetre màxim i té una profunditat d'uns 7 m

El campo volcánico catalán

Catalan volcanic field, in Iberian Peninsula Northeast, has been made during Neogene and Quaternary. It is made up Empordà, la Selva and la Garrotxa Zones, the best volcanic morphology is in the last one because is the most recent. In this paper we explain the volcanic rocks general characteristics, what eruption activity generate it and the final volcanic edifice morphology. Finally, we propose some crops to visit

Geología del Montgrí

This paper, fundamentally stratigraphic, is based on the vertical distribution of fauna in sediments which constitute the Montgri Massif. The stratigraphic series is composed of two units: one allochtonous (Mesozoic) and a second one autochtonous (Paleogene). The latter crops out in front of the thrust belt and presents the typical facies described by PALLI (1972). The allochtonous part is formed by the following units (from bottom to top): variegated gypsiferous shales of Keuper age; marls, limestones and dolomites from the Lias (Domerian); gray breccia ted dolomites: supraliassic; and Cretaceous limestones with rare interbeds of calcareous marls and nodular shaly marls. In this unit the Neocomian, Barremian (?), Aptian, Albian, Cenomanian, Turonian (?) and Santonian haven been recognized. Structurally, the Montgri Massif is part of a thrust belt which has been divided into three parts of different development ang age. Both parts are affected by ample synclinal folds of NE-SW directions and fractures of NW-SE orientation. The fractures condition the torrential streams as well as the karstic phenomena present in the Massif. These and the eolian actions are the main causes of the present geomorphology of the Montgri

Un nou monument megalític a Calonge: el menhir del Mas Mont

Descripció d'un nou menhir localitzat a Calonge i conegut amb el nom de Menhir del Mas Mont

El modelat del massís de Begur

In the present paper, the diverse morphologies observed in the Begur Mountain Range are described and the controlling development factors and their relationships are analized. Finally, a systematics of the different rock types macro and microforms is presented

Geologia del massís de les Gavarres

In the present paper, the diverse morphological aspects of the Les Gavarres Massif (Catalonian Coastal Ranges) are described. Also, the different outcrop rocks are shaped in a schematic geological chart

Sediments antics del litoral del Baix Empodà entre es Forn (Begur) i Vall-presona (Santa Cristina d'Aro)

A la Costa Brava hi ha, en comparació amb altres àrees mediterrànies, pocs testimonis de sediments litorals antics. El domini manifest dels processosd'erosió n'és la causa principal. Tanmateix, hi ha alguns dipòsits litorals fòssils, que se situen uns decimetres per sobre i per sota del nivell del mar actual. L'estudi detallat dels diferents nivells localitzats fins ara ha permès caracteritzar-los des d'un punt de vista estratigràfic. Així, s'ha pogut constatar que es tracta d'acumulacions de blocs aplegats al peu de penya-segats, de platges emergides sense cimentar, i de platges submergides que han patit un procés de cimentació. La seva edat és molt recent, en termes geològics, i es remunta a començaments de l'era cristiana

Nova aportació al coneixement de les Fonts Picants de la Vall d'Aro mitjançant radiocarboni

L' objectiu principal d'aquest estudi és aprofundir en el coneixement de la dinàmica hídrica del sistema de fonts picants de la Vall d'Aro. Partim d'un estudi anterior (Clotet, 1990) en el qual es proposà un model de funcionament d'aquesta dinàmica on les surgències picants drenen el massís granític de les Gavarres. El granit saturat en aigua és travessat per un flux ascendent d'anhídrid carbònic el qual, en dissoldre's en les aigües del massís, els confereix la seva picantor. A partir de l'anàlisi de contingut en carboni 14 o radiocarboni d'una mostra considerada representativa de la massa hídrica que circula pel massís, intentarem constatar la presència de carboni d'origen intern en les esmentades aigües picants