This monthly guide to the state of the labour market contains statistics and analysis of the latest trends, covering issues such as employment, unemployment, economic activity and inactivity, earnings, claimant count, government employment, vacancies, hours, labour disputes and training. It gives the latest results from national surveys, plus the most significant findings from the government's labour market research programme.

Descripción / Resumen (Español / Castellano): El taller sobre tecnologías de información y comunicación disruptivas para la innovación y la transformación digital, organizado bajo el alcance del proyecto disruptiva, tiene como objetivo discutir los problemas, desafíos y beneficios del uso de tecnologías digitales disruptivas, a saber, Internet de las cosas, Big data, computación en la nube, sistemas multi-agentes, aprendizaje automático, realidad virtual y aumentada, y robótica colaborativa, para apoyar la transformación digital en curso en la sociedad Temas Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Industry 4.0 and digital transformation Internet of Things Cyber-security Collaborative and intelligent robotics Multi-Agent Systems Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems Virtualization and digital twins Predictive maintenance Virtual and augmented reality Big Data and advanced data analytics Edge and cloud computing Descripción / Resumen (Inglés): The workshop on Disruptive Information and Communication Technologies for Innovation and Digital transformation, organized under the scope of the Disruptive project, aims to discuss problems, challenges and benefits of using disruptive digital technologies, namely Internet of Things, Big data, cloud computing, multi-agent systems, machine learning, virtual and augmented reality, and collaborative robotics, to support the on-going digital transformation in society Topics Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Industry 4.0 and digital transformation Internet of Things Cyber-security Collaborative and intelligent robotics Multi-Agent Systems Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems Virtualization and digital twins Predictive maintenance Virtual and augmented reality Big Data and advanced data analytics Edge and cloud computing

This volume is about why ‘work’ changed to become more precarious around the turn of the century. This happened not just in the developed world but also inside sectors that were demarcated as organized and modern within developing countries like India. In these sectors, unlike the greater part of the Indian economy, insecure jobs were uncommon before winds of change made them normal. This shift had occurred before the great global financial crisis of 2008. Between 2005-8 a survey based on over thousand structured interviews with workers in offices, factories, shops and establishments (below the supervisory rank) in Mumbai was undertaken. This is the innovative segment of the book which tries to measure and quantify some of these changes and their associations. It is designed to investigate the central proposition of the ‘Insecurity Hypothesis’ (IH), which is that the economic risk of increased and global competition was being progressively passed on from the employer to the employee. This was happening through shortened job tenure, erratic remuneration, variable work, contingent employment, and institutional changes that remove or reduce protection, bargaining power of employees in the work place everywhere. The corollary is that widespread and unremitting work (and income related) insecurity is an expedient competitive strategy but a damaging socio-economic phenomenon. Please note: Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

This book makes a forthright case for a shift in policy focus from 'community cohesion' to the broader notion of social cohesion, and is distinctive and innovative in its focus on evaluation. It constitutes an extremely valuable source both for practitioners involved in social cohesion interventions and for researchers and students studying theory-based evaluation and the policy areas highlighted (housing, intergenerational issues, the recession, education, communications, community development).

The Power and Paradox of Physical Attractiveness is a scholarly look into physical attractiveness. It articulates the great importance placed on this dimension of a person's appearance. Analysis of the dynamics and consequences reveals a powerful, pervasive, and frequently unrecognized or denied physical attractiveness phenomenon. This phenomenon transcends time, geography, and culture, regardless of demographics and socioeconomics of individuals and populations. With penetrating vision, Dr. Patzer provides evidence that despite professed ideals, people do judge others by their looks. Physical attractiveness is a more powerful determinant of a person's fortune and misfortune in life than people admit. No matter the words, thoughts, and ideals proclaimed by people, these same people judge, assume, infer, believe, act, treat, decide, accept, reject, and behave toward or against individuals, in patterns consistent with their own physical attractiveness and that of others. While many dimensions define appearance, physical attractiveness predominates. The physical attractiveness of a person impacts every individual throughout every community, across the United States and around the world. All people inherit and alter their physical attractiveness, which is determined by complex, interdependent, physical and non-physical factors. Hidden and not-hidden values drive thoughts and actions with significant effects and realities whereby higher physical attractiveness is beneficial, lower physical attractiveness is detrimental, and associated pursuits are relentless. Physical attractiveness may look skin-deep as a surface aspect of appearance, but looks can be deceiving. Researchers throughout the world collect empirical data complemented with anecdotal data to probe beyond the surfaces. Through investigations that meet meticulous scientific methodological procedures, acute observations reveal previously undetected dimensions that advance understanding about physical attractiveness. The Power and Paradox of Physical Attractiveness explores, discovers, and documents the theories, evidence, and circumstances in which physical attractiveness is a remarkable veneer with influences that extend considerably beyond what we call skin-deep. The author, Dr. Patzer, formally cites more than 750 references as he identifies a complex phenomenon in which physical attractiveness serves as an informational cue that propels a multiple-stage process. Through this process, people knowingly and unknowingly infer extensive information based on this cue, which in-turn triggers assumptions, expectations, attitudes, and behaviors. It ultimately leads to powerful consequences with significant benefits and detriments for every person, accompanied by continuous pursuits toward these benefits and away from these detriments, caused by his or her level of physical attractiveness.