‘Primary’ Factors in Intergenerational Class Mobility in Europe: Results from the Application of a Topological Model

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erzsébet Bukodi ◽  
John H Goldthorpe
Keyword(s):  
Past Research ◽  
Topological Model ◽  
Specific Kind ◽  
Class Hierarchy ◽  
Class Mobility ◽  
Relative Class ◽  
Secondary Factor ◽  
Mobility Tables ◽  
Cross National

Abstract There is little consensus in past research regarding the sources of cross-national variation in relative rates of intergenerational class mobility. We argue for the importance of distinguishing between ‘primary’ factors that explain why inequalities in relative chances of mobility exist in the first place, and ‘secondary’ factors that explain variation in these chances. Our main aim is to identify primary factors. We follow Erikson and Goldthorpe in developing a topological model of the endogenous mobility regime which we then apply to class mobility tables for 30 European nations. The model claims that inequalities in relative class mobility chances derive from three kinds of effect: those of class hierarchy, class inheritance and status affinity. When applied to all nations together, the model accounts for the very large part of the total association between class origins and destinations. Clear differences, however, show up between the mobility regimes of men and of women: gender is a secondary factor. When the model is applied separately to nations in the high fluidity and low fluidity sets that we distinguish, we find that the effects of the primary factors identified by our model strengthen in a consistent way from the former set to the latter, although it seems likely that different secondary factors may operate in offsetting ways. Finally, when the model is applied to the groups of nations that we distinguish within the high and low fluidity sets, few differences in the strengths of the various effects show up, but those that do are highly concentrated in post-socialist nations and can be related to secondary factors of a specific kind associated with particular features of their transitions to some form of capitalist democracy.

Merger and Acquisition and Firm Performance: An Analysis of Proton-Geely

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 484-505
Author(s):  
Edna Gnomblerou
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Merger And Acquisition ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Cross National

This study draws attention to a merger and acquisition case that involves Geely and Proton respectively, Chinese and Malaysian firms. The article mainly focuses on the financial performance of Geely before and after the acquisition. To achieve this, the paper adopted a qualitative research method by using archival data sources to analyze the single case of the acquisition of Proton by Geely. The sampling area is Asia being China and Malaysia describing a cross-border transaction in emerging markets. The paper performed ratio analysis to investigate the different indicators of Geely’s financial performance before and after the acquisition. After documenting and analyzing this case, the paper argues that Geely performed well before and after the acquisition. The analysis can serve as evidence of a better financial performance of Chinese firms after cross-national M&A transactions. As a qualitative research, this article benefits not only from the bibliometric analysis done through past research and official reports related to the case but also from the quality and validity required for a case study analysis. This study is an original attempt at presenting the case study of Geely’s acquisition of Proton from the lens of the acquiring firm’s performance before and after the acquisition. However, due to the limited information provided by financial ratios, the findings of the paper are not exhaustive.

Evaluating alternative approaches for predicting pension benefits and incentives

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
David Knapp ◽  
Maciej Lis ◽  
Jinkook Lee ◽  
Drystan Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Administrative Data ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Pension Benefit ◽  
Work History ◽  
Earnings Dynamics ◽  
Retirement Incentives ◽  
Alternative Approaches ◽  
Pension Benefits ◽  
Global Aging ◽  
Cross National

AbstractIn an effort to promote comparative research on pensions, the Gateway to Global Aging Data is developing harmonized cross-national panel data on pension benefits and retirement incentives. Past research has varied in how it predicts pension benefits for individuals who have not yet claimed their benefits when administrative data on earnings histories is unavailable. We use the Gateway data to evaluate several alternative approaches to computing prospective pension benefits using common survey questions and validate them against matched administrative data. We find that in some settings naïve measures of pension benefit growth from continued work and delayed benefit claiming can perform as well as measures based on administrative data. We also find that prospective benefit levels are sensitive to the heterogeneity of lifecycle earnings dynamics, resulting in substantial measurement error even after accounting for work history.

Intimidating voters with violence and mobilizing them with clientelism

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 682-696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mascha Rauschenbach ◽  
Katrin Paula
Keyword(s):  
Multilevel Analysis ◽  
Hot Spots ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Theoretical Argument ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Mixed Support ◽  
Electoral Strategies ◽  
Election Results ◽  
Positive Inducements ◽  
Cross National

Recent research suggests that intimidating voters and electoral clientelism are two strategies on the menu of manipulation, often used in conjunction. We do not know much, however, about who is targeted with which of these illicit electoral strategies. This article devises and tests a theoretical argument on the targeting of clientelism and intimidation across different voters. We argue that in contexts where violence can be used to influence elections, parties may choose to demobilize swing and opposition voters, which frees up resources to mobilize their likely supporters with clientelism. While past research on this subject has either been purely theoretical or confined to single country studies, we offer a first systematic cross-national and multilevel analysis of clientelism and voter intimidation in seven African countries. We analyze which voters most fear being intimidated with violence and which get targeted with clientelistic benefits, combining new regional-level election data with Afrobarometer survey data. In a multilevel analysis, we model the likelihood of voters being targeted with either strategy as a function of both past election results of the region they live in and their partisan status. We find that voters living in incumbent strongholds are most likely to report having being bribed in elections, whereas those living in opposition strongholds are most fearful of violent intimidation. We further provide suggestive evidence of a difference between incumbent supporters and other voters. We find support that incumbent supporters are more likely to report being targeted with clientelism, and mixed support for the idea that they are less fearful of intimidation. Our findings allow us to define potential hot spots of intimidation. They also provide an explanation for why parties in young democracies concentrate more positive inducements on their own supporters than the swing voter model of campaigning would lead us to expect.

scholarly journals Still Green at Fifteen? Investigating Environmental Awareness of the PISA 2015 Population: Cross-National Differences and Correlates

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2985
Author(s):  
Marit Kristine List ◽  
Fabian T. C. Schmidt ◽  
Daria Mundt ◽  
Dennis Föste-Eggers
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Awareness ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Country Level ◽  
National Differences ◽  
Individual School ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Pisa 2006 ◽  
Cross National

The PISA studies provide unique opportunities to investigate the competencies and attitudes of 15-year-olds across the world. Past research investigating environmental awareness (EA) in PISA 2006 found associations between EA and science-related competencies and attitudes. Investigating EA in the PISA studies may have important implications for education for sustainable development (ESD): results may show which factors should be considered in educational interventions to enhance students’ EA. Cross-national analyses of EA may provide insights into the predictors of EA on a local, national or international level. This study investigates the individual, school, and country level predictors of EA in PISA 2015 (365,194 students, 12,594 schools, 53 countries). The multi-level regression analysis on EA reveals that most of the variance is located at the student level. On the individual level, variables related to science learning in school are associated with EA across all countries. This study also compares the degrees of EA in the 2006 and 2015 populations. The results show similar degrees of EA in 2006 and 2015. Altogether, the study provides cross-country evidence on important aspects that should be addressed in successful ESD programs.

scholarly journals Corporate governance and takeovers: Insights from past research and suggestions for future research

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-218
Author(s):  
Eduardo Costa ◽  
Ana Marques
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Managerial Ownership ◽  
Corporate Boards ◽  
Governance Mechanism ◽  
Internal Governance ◽  
Market For Corporate Control ◽  
Corporate Governance Mechanism ◽  
Cross National

This paper reviews the literature on the association between corporate governance and takeovers. It approaches takeovers as an effective external corporate governance mechanism. The main conclusions to be drawn is that although the mere threat of an active market for corporate control may be positively correlated with good internal governance, takeovers will always take place independently of good internal corporate governance by targets and that managerial ownership is crucial for a favorable shareholder outcome in a takeover event. We believe future research on corporate boards, cross-national takeovers and managers of bidding firms would be of great interest

scholarly journals Intergenerational Social Mobility and Self-Rated Health in Europe

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Präg ◽  
Alexi Gugushvili
Keyword(s):  
Social Class ◽  
Social Mobility ◽  
Occupational Class ◽  
Class Mobility ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
National Differences ◽  
Societal Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Communist Countries ◽  
Cross National

Occupational class and health are closely linked, however the health consequences of intergenerational social class mobility have not yet been systematically explored. A long tradition of research on individuals’ class mobility and health reports mixed or no effects, however cross-national differences have rarely been tested comprehensively. Further, recent studies show that intergenerational social class mobility at the societal level is beneficial for population health. Using representative survey data from 30 European countries (N = 159,591), we present the first study to investigate the role that intergenerational class mobility both at the individual and societal level play for self-rated health. We find that, apart from four post-communist countries, neither downward nor upward mobility is significantly and systematically related to poor self-rated health. There is also no association between societal-level social mobility and the prevalence of poor self-rated health across the 30 societies. Results are robust to alternative specifications and suggest that individuals’ own social class and partially their parents’ social class are primary explanations of health rather than their mobility experiences between origins and destinations.

scholarly journals Cross-National Variation in the Predictors of Wellbeing: Life Domains and Positive Personality Traits

2021 ◽  
pp. 65-72
Author(s):  
Jonathan Fonberg ◽  
Andrew P. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Financial Situation ◽  
National Differences ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Cross National

Background: Previous research has demonstrated cross-national variation in domain-life satisfaction relationships, with neither health, family, social life, personal safety, financial situation, home life or job satisfaction being universal predictors of wellbeing. The largest limitation of this previous research was a lack of appropriate control variables. Past research has shown that personality traits are powerful predictors of wellbeing, with three particularly important constructs being self-esteem, optimism and self-efficacy. Aims: The present study examined whether after controlling for positive personality traits, domain-life satisfaction relationships would vary cross-nationally and whether a direct cross-national comparison of domain-life satisfaction would reveal significant differences. It was predicted that the cross-national differences would be smaller than those found using more countries with greater cross-cultural differences. Methods: These hypotheses were tested using an online survey with samples from the USA and India, recruited using Mechanical Turk. Results: Both hypotheses were supported in that there was cross-national variation in domain-life satisfaction relationships, even after controlling for positive personality traits. In the Indian sample, health, financial and job satisfaction predicted life satisfaction. Amongst Americans, family, social life, financial situation and home satisfaction predicted it. Direct comparison revealed significant differences in the predictive power of home and job satisfaction, supporting the second hypothesis. As expected, the differences noted in this study were smaller than those revealed through our analysis of the World Values Scale and Eurobarometer. Conclusions: Domain life satisfaction relationships vary cross-nationally, even when personality traits are controlled.

scholarly journals The Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect for Reading Self-Beliefs: A Cross-National Exploration With PISA 2018

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geetanjali Basarkod ◽  
Herb Marsh ◽  
Jiesi Guo ◽  
Theresa Dicke ◽  
Kate M. Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Reading Test ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
School Students ◽  
Perceived Difficulty ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Robust Evidence ◽  
Cross National

Past research shows the Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect (BFLPE; negative effect of school-average achievement on student-level self-concept) to generalize across countries. However, evidence is largely limited to math and science, limiting conclusions of universality to these subjects. Using data from Program for International Students Assessment 2018 (533,165 students, 72 countries), the present study is the first to examine and provide robust evidence for the cross-national generalizability of the BFLPE for the reading self-concept of high school students (perceived competence and difficulty subscales). Consistent with our social-comparison perspective, we also show that the BFLPE is strong when the frame-of-reference for comparison is relative rather than absolute; the effect of school-average achievement was robust for difficulty experienced with reading in general (self-concept of perceived difficulty), but very weak for difficulty experienced specifically during the PISA reading test (PISA test difficulty). Our findings extend support for the generalizability of the BFLPE to reading self-concept.

Sociopolitical Events and Foreign Direct In vestment: American In vestments in South and Central American Countries, 1950-1982

1988 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Fatehi-Sedeh ◽  
M. Hossein Safizadeh
Keyword(s):  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Investment Decision ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Negative Association ◽  
Central American ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Sociopolitical Instability ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Cross National

In any investment decision, risk is one of the most important consid-erations. A significant contributing factor to the risk offoreign invest-ment is sociopolitical instability of the host country. Despite otherfac-tors such as market size and competition, it is reasonable to assume a negative association between theflow offoreign direct investment and the emergence of sociopolitical instability symptoms. Surprisingly, however, a number of empirical cross-national studies have failed to show the expected association between the two. This study discusses possible reasonsfor thefailure of past research and attempts to ascertain the relationship between foreign direct in-vestment (FDI) and sociopolitical instability. Using multiple regres-sion analysis with lagged independent variables, this study analyzes such a relationship for South and Central American countries for the years 1950-1982. Taken together as a group, no relationship wasfound between sociopolitical instability and FDI in South and Central Amer-ican countries. However, separate analyses for individual countries produced the expected negative association for some of the countries. With the increasing volume and importance of FDI, there is a grow-ing interest among multinational corporations to incorporate foreign investment analysis into their strategic planning process. The results of this study indicate that because of the heterogeneity of sociopolitical structure of different host countries, a generalized set of criteria should not be used to measure the sociopolitical risk of investing in every country.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document