The politics of temporary work deregulation in Europe: solving the French puzzle

Temporary work has expanded in the last three decades with adverse implications for inequalities. Because temporary workers are a constituency that is unlikely to impose political costs, governments often choose to reduce temporary work regulations. While most European countries have indeed implemented such reforms, France went in the opposite direction, despite having both rigid labour markets and high unemployment. My argument to solve this puzzle is that where replaceability is high, workers in permanent and temporary contracts have overlapping interests, and governments choose to regulate temporary work to protect permanent workers. In turn, replaceability is higher where permanent workers’ skills are general and wage coordination is low. Logistic regression analysis of the determinants of replaceability — and how this affects governments’ reforms of temporary work regulations — supports my argument. Process tracing of French reforms also confirm that the left has tightened temporary work regulations to compensate for the high replaceability.

Essays on labour market dualisation in Western Europe: active labour market policies, temporary work regulation and inequality

European labour markets are increasingly divided between insiders in full-time permanent employment and outsiders in precarious work or unemployment. Using quantitative as well as qualitative methods, this thesis investigates the determinants and consequences of labour market policies that target these outsiders in three separate papers. The first paper looks at Active Labour Market Policies (ALMPs) that target the unemployed. It shows that left and right-wing parties choose different types of ALMPs depending on the policy and the welfare regime in which the party is located. These findings reconcile the conflicting theoretical expectations from the Power Resource approach and the insider-outsider theory. The second paper considers the regulation and protection of the temporary work sector. It solves the puzzle of temporary re-regulation in France, which contrasts with most other European countries that have deregulated temporary work. Permanent workers are adversely affected by the expansion of temporary work in France because of general skills and low wage coordination. The interests of temporary and permanent workers for re-regulation therefore overlap in France and left governments have an incentive to re-regulate the sector. The third paper then investigates what determines inequality between median and bottom income workers. It shows that non-inclusive economic coordination increases inequality in the absence of compensating institutions such as minimum wage regulation. The deregulation of temporary work as well as spending on employment incentives and rehabilitation also has adverse effects on inequality. Thus, policies that target outsiders have important economic effects on the rest of the workforce. Three broader contributions can be identified. First, welfare state policies may not always be in the interests of labour, so left parties may not always promote them. Second, the interests of insiders and outsiders are not necessarily at odds. Third, economic coordination may not be conducive to egalitarianism where it is not inclusive.

Electromyographic Evaluation of Neuromuscular Coordination of Subject After Orthodontic Intervention

The aim of this work was to investigate the neuromuscular changes associated with the orthodontic post-treatment using surface electromyography. One hundred (100) young, healthy adults without signs and symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) were divided into two groups: 60 subjects who were undergoing orthodontic intervention (Ortho Group) and 40 subjects who had no orthodontic intervention (Control Group), aged 18-25 years. EMG activity of masseter and temporalis anterior muscle was recorded during two different tests: 1. maximum voluntary clench (MVC) with cotton rolls; and 2. MVC in intercuspal position. In all subjects, both tests were performed with symmetric muscular patterns (more than 85%) and with insignificant latero-deviating of the mandible (lower than 10%). There are no statistically significant differences between the subjects of both groups evaluated. Both groups showed medium index values calculated according to the normal standards established previously.

Is the unfolding of the group discussion off-pattern? Improving coordination support in educational forums using mobile devices

A forum is a valuable tool to foster reflection in an in-depth discussion; however, it forces the course mediator to continually pay close attention in order to coordinate learners` activities. Moreover, monitoring a forum is time consuming given that it is impossible to know in advance when new messages are going to be posted. Additionally, a forum may be inactive for a long period and suddenly receive a burst of messages forcing forum mediators to frequently log on in order to know how the discussion is unfolding to intervene whenever it is necessary. Mediators also need to deal with a large amount of messages to identify off-pattern situations. This work presents a piece of action research that investigates how to improve coordination support in a forum using mobile devices for mitigating mediator`s difficulties in following the status of a forum. Based on summarized information extracted from message meta-data, mediators consult visual information summaries on PDAs and receive textual notifications in their mobile phone. This investigation revealed that mediators used the mobile-based coordination support to keep informed on what is taking place within the forum without the need to log on their desktop computer. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, spectral and thermal studies on dicarboxylate-bridged palladium(II) coordination polymers. Part I

This work describes the synthesis, IR and (13)C CPMAS NMR spectroscopic as well the thermal characterization of the new dicarboxylate complexes [Pd(2)(ox)(2)(4,4'-bipy)]n (1), [Pd(2)(ox)(2)(bpe)](n) (2) and [Pd(2)(ox)(2)(pz)](n) (3) {ox = oxalate, bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine, bpe = 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane, pz = pyrazine}. TG experiments reveal that compounds 1-3 undergo thermal decomposition in three steps. Metal palladium was the final product of the thermal decompositions, which was identified by X-ray powder diffraction.

Synthesis, spectral and thermal studies on dicarboxylate-bridged palladium(II) coordination polymers. Part II

The synthesis and thermal behavior of the new [Pd(fum)(bipy)] (n) center dot 2nH(2)O (1), [Pd(fum)(bpe)] (n) center dot nH(2)O (2) and [Pd(fum)(pz)] (n) center dot 3nH(2)O (3) {bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine, bpe = 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethene and pz = pyrazine} fumarate complexes are described in this work as well their characterization by IR and (13)C CPMAS NMR spectroscopies. TG curves showed that the compounds released organic ligands and lattice water molecules in the temperature range of 46-491 A degrees C. In all the cases, metallic palladium was identified as the final residue.

Synthesis, spectral and thermal studies on pyrazolate-bridged palladium(II) coordination polymers

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and thermal behavior of pyrazolate-bridged palladium complexes [Pd(mu-Pz)(2)](n) (1), [Pd(mu-mPz)(2)](n) (2), [Pd(mu-dmPz)(2)](n) (3), [Pd(mu-IPz)(2)](n) (4) {pyrazolate (Pz(-)), 4-methylpyrazolate (mPz(-)), 3,5-dimethylpyrazolate (dmPz(-)), 4-iodopyrazolate (IPz(-))} have been described in this work. The exobidentate coordination mode of pyrazolato ligands in 1-4 was inferred on basis of IR spectroscopic evidences. TG investigations indicated that the introduction of substituents at the 4 position in the pyrazolyl moiety into coordination polymers do not affect significantly their thermal stability, whereas at the 3 and 5 position reduced the stability of the main chain. Metal palladium was the final product of the thermal decompositions, which was identified by X-ray powder diffraction.

Self-assembly of Pd(II) pyrazolyl complexes to 1-D hydrogen-bonded coordination polymers

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of two novel Pd(II) pyrazolyl complexes of the type [PdX2(HdmPz)(2)](n) {X=SCN- (1), N-3(-) (2); HdmPz=3,5-dimethylpyrazole} that self-assemble through N-H...NCS or N-H...NNN hydrogen bonds to yield infinite one-dimensional chains, as confirmed by single crystal X-ray study on 1. The expected solid state polymeric structure for 2 is slowly broken up in CHCl3 Solution, leading to an equilibrium mixture of cis and trans-[Pd(N-3)(2)(HdmPz)(2)] monomers, as demonstrated by time-dependent IR and NMR studies. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Low-weight coordination polymers derived from the self-assembly reactions of Pd(II) pyrazolyl compounds and azide ion

The low-weight Pd(II) coordination polymers [(N(3))(HL)Pd {Pd(3)(mu-N(3))(mu-L)(5)}10(mu-L)(2)Pd(L)(HL)]{L = Pz(-) (1); mPz(-) (2), IPz(-)(3)} and [(N(3))(HPz)Pd{Pd(6)(mu-N(3))(2)(mu-PZ)(5)(mu-L)(5)}(10)(mu-L)(2)Pd(Pz)(HPz)] {L = mPz(-) (4), dmPz(-) (5); IPz(-) (6)} {L = pyrazolate (Pz(-)), 4-methylpyrazolate(mPz(-)), 4-iodopyrazo late (IPz(-)), 3,5-dimethylpyrazolate (dmPz(-))} have been prepared in this work. IR spectra clearly indicated the exobidentate nature of pyrazolato ligands as well the end-on coordination mode of the azido group. The molecular weight determinations by osmometry indicated that the species have a low degree of polymerization (n = 10). NMR experiments showed two pyrazolate environments in a 2:1 ratio, being assigned to the six-membered ring Pd(mu-L)(2)Pd and the Pd(mu-N(3))(mu-L)Pd metallocycle, respectively. UV-visible spectroscopy gave further evidences for the oligomeric structures of 1-6. Some alternative structures for the isostructural polymers have been suggested. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coordination of Eu3+ ions in siliceous nanohybrids containing short polyether chains and bridging urea cross-links

Infrared and photoluminescence spectroscopies have been used to investigate the local environment of the Eu3+ ions in luminescent sol-gel derived materials-di-ureasils-based on a hybrid framework represented by U(600). This host is composed of a siliceous backbone grafted, through urea cross-links, to both ends of polymer segments incorporating 8.5 oxyethylene repeat units. The active centers have been introduced as europium perchlorate, Eu(ClO4)3. Samples with compositions n = 232, 62, 23, 12, and 6 (where n denotes the ratio of (OCH2CH2) moieties per lanthanide ion) have been examined. The combination of the information retrieved from the analysis of characteristic bands of the FTIR spectra-the perchlorate and the Amide I/Amide II features-with that obtained from the photoluminescence data demonstrates that at compositions n = 232 and 62 the anions are free, whereas the Eu3+ ions are complexed by the heteroatoms of the polyether chains. At higher salt concentration, the cations are bonded, not only to the ClO4 - ions, but also to the ether oxygen atoms of the organic segments and to the carbonyl oxygen atoms of the urea linkages. The dual behavior of U(600) with respect to cation coordination has been attributed to the presence in this nanohybrid of strong hydrogen-bonded urea-urea structures, which, at low salt content, cannot be disrupted, thus inhibiting the formation of Eu3+-O=C(urea) contacts and promoting the interaction between the lanthanide ions and the (OCH2CH2) moieties. The present work substantiates the claim that the activation of the coordinating sites of the di-ureasil framework can be tuned by varying either the guest salt concentration at constant chain length or the length of the.organic segments at constant salt concentration. This relevant property opens challenging new prospects in the fields of application of this class of hybrids. © 2001 American Chemical Society.

Hydrothermal synthesis and crystal structure of a copper(ii) coordination polymer with bridging dicarboxylate and diamine ligands

This work reports on the synthesis of a copper(II) coordination compound with 4,4-oxibis(benzoate) (obb) and trans-1,2- bis(4-pyridyl)ethene (bpe) ligands. The complex was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, which showed a 3D polymeric structure. Each copper center is surrounded by four oxygen atoms at the basal plane and one nitrogen atom and one copper atom at the axial positions, revealing a distorted octahedral geometry. Four carboxylic groups bridge two copper atoms, forming a cage-like structure, with the distance between the metallic centers being 2.656(1)Å. 2008 © The Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry.

Fostering economic policy coordination in Latin America: the REDIMA approach to escaping the prisoner's dilemma

Includes bibliography

Coordination of public expenditure in transport infrastructure: analysis and policy perspectives for Latin America

Includes bibliography