Following the enlargement of the European Union in May 2004, Roma (or gypsies) are now the largest minority group in Europe. They are also one of the poorest and most vulnerable groups, living mainly in Central and Eastern Europe, suffering poverty levels as high as ten times that found within majority populations. The lack of information about the living conditions and needs of Roma people compound these stark gaps in human development outcomes. This publication, prepared for a conference held in Budapest, Hungary in June 2003, brings together original sociological research, evaluations of programme initiatives, and the first comparative cross-country household survey on ethnicity and poverty. It finds that Roma poverty is multi-faceted and can only be addressed by a inclusive policy approach which respects their diversity.

This book provides a multi-stakeholder perspective on sustainable HRM for the policymakers, managers and academics, addressing issues, approaches, research studies/frameworks and emerging patterns relating to the subject. It discusses various aspects of sustainability, such as making HR more responsible for ensuring sustainability focusing on the triple bottom line, characteristics of sustainable HRM, psychological contracts, emotional intelligence, and psychological capital. The book also explores organizational citizenship behavior, employment relations, employee engagement, sustainable leadership, disruptive HR practices, sustaining employee motivation, educational sustainability, sustainable career management, sustainable environment, employer and employee branding, sustainable organizations, organization culture, training for sustainability, sustainable employee performance, business sustainability and sustainable employability. It provides an update on the concept, processes, issues and emerging paradigms from multidimensional and cross-country perspectives to showcase sustainable HR practices, and appeals to the academics, practitioners and policymakers in the area of HRM.

Work is constantly reshaped by technological progress. New ways of production are adopted, markets expand, and societies evolve. But some changes provoke more attention than others, in part due to the vast uncertainty involved in making predictions about the future. The 2019 World Development Report will study how the nature of work is changing as a result of advances in technology today. Technological progress disrupts existing systems. A new social contract is needed to smooth the transition and guard against rising inequality. Significant investments in human capital throughout a person’s lifecycle are vital to this effort. If workers are to stay competitive against machines they need to train or retool existing skills. A social protection system that includes a minimum basic level of protection for workers and citizens can complement new forms of employment. Improved private sector policies to encourage startup activity and competition can help countries compete in the digital age. Governments also need to ensure that firms pay their fair share of taxes, in part to fund this new social contract. The 2019 World Development Report presents an analysis of these issues based upon the available evidence.

This research project offers a new perspective on post-sixteen transitions. Combing secondary data with narrative accounts it describes how young people in the UK make choices at the end of their compulsory schooling and provides a dynamic model of decision-making and a thorough critique of current research in the area, beyond fashionable concepts.

In Central and Eastern European countries, inequalities for Roma families living in marginalized communities start early and are striking. Some of these inequalities reflect hard-wired family circumstances such as being born in poverty. Others reflect lack of opportunities such as limited access to those basic goods and services that are necessary not only for realizing one's potential in life, but also for living with dignity. Gaps between Roma and non-Roma widen over the lifecycle in a way that reinforces and perpetuates disadvantage and translates into significantly unequal outcomes, despite the fact that Roma report having similar aspirations to those of their non-Roma neighbors. Promoting equal opportunities for disadvantaged Roma is not only an imperative for societies that want to call themselves fair, but it is also a smart economic choice, especially in those countries where populations are aging rapidly. Investing early, with a particular emphasis on supporting healthy and cognitive development for disadvantaged Roma children, is likely to go a long way in promoting fair chances. However, leveling the playing field in childhood is likely not enough: disadvantaged Roma continue being exposed to unequal opportunities at key nodes in their lives, such as when pursuing education or when looking for a job. Therefore, it is as important that a broader set of policies address some of the circumstances in which a large share of Roma children grow up, including access to employment and decent living conditions for their families. Implementing interventions that help overcome these interrelated barriers will require strong ownership at the national level, coordinated policies across different ministries and government levels, and an integrated delivery system that is grounded in approaches that are customized to local conditions and implemented in a participatory manner. Good practices in Europe and elsewhere show that inclusion of the most disadvantaged - including many Roma - is possible and the current programming cycle for European Funds represents a unique opportunity to fund such interventions.

This informative book discusses in depth the youth unemployment "problem" and examines the various policy responses to it, including education and training, and active labor market policy. It emphasizes the need for adequate labor market information, policy monitoring and program evaluation to help provide more and better quality jobs for young people --while also offering specific recommendations and guidelines for this age group in industrialized, transition and developing countries.