The use of active labour market policies (ALMPs) is a common approach in Europe to reintegrate the unemployed back into the labour market. But the effectiveness of these ALMPs is unestablished, as...Show moreThe use of active labour market policies (ALMPs) is a common approach in Europe to reintegrate the unemployed back into the labour market. But the effectiveness of these ALMPs is unestablished, as previous research contributes either failure or success to factors such as strategy, implementation, and continuity. An additional factor is the presence of non-Western migrants, as non-Western migrants are believed to have a greater distance to the labour market, which affects their performance on the labour market. In the Netherlands, municipalities are responsible for their own ALMP strategy. This thesis aims to find the relationship between enrolment in ALMPs and outflow of the social assistance benefit to work, for both the general population and specifically for non-Western migrants, per municipality. A fixed-effects regression for the years 2015 to 2017 in the Netherlands, that controls for unobservable differences between municipalities, show that increased enrolment in ALMPs has no significant effect on the outflow to work. An interaction effect between share of non-Western migrants in a municipality and the enrolment in ALMPs also has no significant effect on the outflow to work. This means that the effectiveness of ALMPs is weak and inelastic, both for the general population and non-Western migrants. Small changes in the short term per municipality in either the number of residents, the fraction of the social assistance benefit recipients that are enrolled in an ALMP, and the share of non-Western migrants, do not impact outflow to work.Show less
Since its accession to the European Union in 2004, but especially since 2010, emigration rates from Hungary have significantly increased. Migration patterns have shifted; young, highly skilled...Show moreSince its accession to the European Union in 2004, but especially since 2010, emigration rates from Hungary have significantly increased. Migration patterns have shifted; young, highly skilled professionals are most likely to migrate and they are increasingly leaving the country with no intention to return. This leads to severe shortages in the Hungarian labour market in several sectors, such as academia, IT, tourism, and in particular healthcare. Studies on the ‘brain drain’ have been mainly concerned with the effects of the phenomenon on receiving and sending countries, whereas research focused little on the determinants of migration and solutions to controlling the human capital flow. Opposition parties, the media and several sectors are putting pressure on the government to act and scholars have highlighted the role states can play in influencing the ‘brain drain’ (Vas-Zoltán, 1976; De Haas, 2011). The government approach is contradictory and at times controversial. This thesis studies the approach of the Hungarian government to the ‘brain drain’ based on attitude demonstrated as well as policies pursued and whether it addresses the causes of migration.Show less
On 26 September 26 2013, Japanese prime-minister Shinzo Abe vowed in front of the General Assembly of the United Nations to 'create a society in which women shine'. In this paper, I will discuss...Show moreOn 26 September 26 2013, Japanese prime-minister Shinzo Abe vowed in front of the General Assembly of the United Nations to 'create a society in which women shine'. In this paper, I will discuss the structural impediments to Abe’s work- and family balance plans to increase women’s participation in the Japanese labour force, and how the Japanese government can overcome them. The analysis of past policies does not only suggest that Abe’s womenomics plans are not particularly innovative, but also indicates Abe’s ‘work- and family balance’ plans are subject to social stigmas, reinforced not only by Japanese company employment practices, but also by the government itself. Additionally, suitable policy recommendations are provided.Show less
