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- Ethnic Diversity and Well-Being
This paper
investigates how ethnic diversity of immigrants (measured using migrant country
of origins) correlates with well-being of natives. Using region-year variation
of ethnic diversity and subjective measures of well-being in various highly
immigrated regions of Germany, we find a positive effect ethnic diversity on
the well-being of natives. The results are highly robust to numerous
specification checks including a correction for possible non-random selection
of natives and migrants into regions. The result is consistent with
respect to welfare benefits of multiculturality, social capital, democratic
decentralization and also assimilation of migrants in the regions.
slides
- Unemployment Benefits and Immigration: Evidence from the EU
The
purpose of the study is to test the welfare magnet hypothesis for
international migration, which suggests that migrants move across
countries because of the differences in the welfare systems. The
analysis is based on a panel of 19 European countries observed over the
period 1993 to 2008. The instrumental variable approach reveals that
changes in benefit spending are not associated with changes in
immigrant inflows from within or outside the EU. Our results lead to
the rejection of the welfare magnet hypothesis.
published paper, see also IZA DP 6075
- Social Networks and Labour Market Outcomes of Rural to Urban Migrants in China
Social networks are an important informal channel through which information about job
opportunities is transmitted to individuals. This paper explores the
relationship between social networks and wages of Chinese rural to
urban migrants. The findings indicate that a larger network (size) and
having a closest contact that is employed (network quality) are
associated with higher wages for migrants who found a job through
informal channels.
preliminary draft version
- Post-enlargement migration and ‘social dumping’
Paper provides an encompassing perspective on
labour market cleavages between migrants from new EU member states and
natives in old EU member states. It thus sheds light on how
post-enlargement mobility, interacting with the consequences of the
economic downturn, has affected the social fabric in the receiving
countries. We conclude that equal treatment and skill mismatch remain
key policy challenges for the EU.
book chapter
EDUCATION
- Unequal Access to Higher Education in the Czech Republic:
The Role of Spatial Distribution of Universities
The
study explores the difference in the probability of entering a tertiary
education for two secondary school graduates who differ only in that
the first one resides within commuting distance to university while the
other one does not. The results suggest that the presence of a
university per se is not driving the student’s decision to apply, but
it constitutes a premium in the admission examinations. We further show
that the influence of a local university is specific to the field of
study. The premium becomes larger if the student applies to a highly
oversubscribed program.
(download as IZA DP 6285 and CERGE-EI WP 350)
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
- An empirical analysis of welfare dependence in the Czech Republic.
This
paper demonstrates the existence of a welfare trap in the Czech
Republic, created by the tax and social security systems. Individuals
who receive relatively higher social benefits are also more likely to
remain unemployed. Findings imply that the most affected groups are
those with low education and long unemployment spells.The results of
the analysis support policy improvements towards low-income households.
A better harmonization of tax and social security systems is necessary
in order to ensure that the incentives to leave unemployment are not
hampered by high social benefits.
(download paper also as IZA DP 7478 and CELSI DP 16).
OTHER PROJECTS
- Global Living Wage
In the last decade the concept of living wage has received renewed
international attention. While a living wage might mean different
things in different parts of the world, all living wage campaigns aim
to ensure wages are sufficient to meet the basic needs of workers and
their families. Despite its importance, internationally comparable
estimates of living wage do not exist.I worked on the concept that uses
the data base of prices collected through web-surveys in order to
provide timely, reasonably accurate and globally comparable estimates.
The living wage estimates are normatively based and provide a practical
basis for helping to set the level of a statutory minimum wage in the
countries.
See paper, slides and Living Wage map.
- WageIndicator
The aim of WageIndicator is to provide the most reliable wage
information for any specific occupation and worker’s profile.
WageIndicator collects data by means of a voluntary web-based survey
available at national WageIndicator sites. My responsibility in the
project is the preparation of Salary Checks in 80 countries. The Salary
Check predicts the expected wage for a given profile of worker's
characteristics. In other words, it answers the question how much can
an individual of given characteristics expect to earn.
Project website: http://www.wageindicator.org
- Knowledge for INtegration Governance (KING)
The project comprises expert specialists from the seven disciplines to
elaborate a report on the state of play of migrant integration in
Europe.
Project website
- GINI Project
I collaborated on country reports for the Czech and Slovak Republics in
the GINI project that studies the economic, social, cultural and
political impacts of increasing inequality in the Europe. The results
of GINI are published in two volumes by Oxford University Press.
Final report and project website: http://www.gini-research.org
- Skill Needs Forecasting
Between 2005 and 2008, I was involved in developing the ROA-CERGE
prognostic model for the Czech Republic. The model evaluates employment
prospects for holders of various qualifications in the short-term
horizon. In this way it provides timely information on what
qualifications and how many workers holding them the economy will need,
and assesses who has good prospects finding appropriate employment.
Further model evaluates employers’ chances of finding workers with
preffered qualifications. (project reports: 2005 (pdf); 2006 (pdf); 2007 (pdf); 2008 (pdf))
Results are published here: http://www.budoucnostprofesi.cz
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