The paper assesses the flexicurity index for disabled people in Italy using regional data, over the period 2006-2011. In particular, we develop a multidimensional indicator of flexicurity based on the Mazziotta-Pareto Index. The results of the investigation show that regions in northern Italy show a higher degree of flexicurity than in southern Italy ones. The low level of flexicurity in south Italy is a consequence of the high concentration of civilian disability pensions among those in working age in this macro-area (passive measure). In addition, the strong link between the flexicurity index and matching rate of people with disabilities undoubtedly leans towards a better balance of active and passive policies, giving more prominence to active measures especially due to their ability to improve social and economic integration of people with disabilities.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is a state of complete physical and psychological well-being. Such a definition entails a multi-dimensional approach to the promotion of health. This issue rules out the application of normative judgments relying on Welfare Economics framework. Based on the existing literature, this paper discusses the implications of the application of different theories of justice to address allocative decisions within the healthcare sector. In particular, we discuss inconsistencies of the Welfare Economics framework, as well as, possible backdrops of extra-welfarist approaches. Among those, the capability approach by Sen seems to capture best the multidimensional nature of health emphasized by the WHO. However, further research is needed to develop a measurement framework consistent with the capability approach.
Productivity and profitability of cotton production and processing are key determinants of growth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) cotton producing countries. The SSA cotton sector has partly been reformed and outcomes have notoriously been blurry, the cause generally being ascribed to the collapse of the input credit scheme. In this paper I analyse one particular feature, other than input credit, I recognise as a design-sensitive feature of central importance in the SSA cotton sector, i.e. cotton quality. After setting the context, I tackle the origin of demand of quality in cotton and explain how the price of cotton is made and the variables that influence it. I thus present the results of an empirical investigation into the effects of market reform programmes on the quality performance of the cotton sector in SSA. Finally I discuss critically the implementation of a liberalization of the cotton sector in SSA and conclude.
The aim of the article is to compare the economic situation of two former industrial regions – South Wales and the Silesian voivodeship – from the point of view of the type of the economic culture. The cost-effectiveness of their narrow economic specialization is losing raison d’eˆtre today. This is not only a consequence of globalization, but also of economic crises enforcing a flexible adaptation of the regional markets to the requirements of the modern world. Generally, polycultural regions deal with the negative effects of economic difficulties better than monocultural ones. The authors have distinguished 5 indicators to assess how polycultural both regions are.