The Paula Principle

International

The PP applies across many countries. It’s a sign of developepd status when women outperform men educationally.

Discrimination against part-timers: a slightly unfair example

"The flexibility of Britain's labour market makes stagnation slightly more tolerable in the short-term than in countries where rigid labour markets have contributed to high unemployment. Yet there is a price to pay, as many jobs are part-time or temporary; when you take account of inflation, wages overall are declining." Thus Pier Carlo Padoan, chief economist of OECD, writing in this month's Prospect magazine. Nothing remarkable there, you might say. Padoan goes on: "If economic weakness lingers, there is a risk of further polarisation between full-time employees and those in part-time, insecure, often low-paid work." Again, the statement is in one sense unremarkable - except for the important warning from…
Read More

Korea: a case study

Korea's first female president, Park Geun-hye, takes up office today.  This is a big step forward for the country, and for the wider political scene.   I've never been to Korea, but I've been thinking of using it as a case study for the Paula Principle, for the folllowing reasons. Koreans have made extraordinarily rapid educational progress over the past two decades.   15-20 years ago they were near the foot of the OECD league table on achievement at secondary school;  now they are at or around the top. It is a truly remarkable transformation. Their tertiary system has expanded in consequence, very rapidly, so that there are now large numbers of…
Read More

Makula

This post is a little different.  I want to introduce my cleaner - and friend - Makula. Makula went to school in Uganda, up to O levels at S4 (16 years).  She was unusual in that as a girl in a poor family, with 3 brothers, she would have been expected to leave school at the end of primary school, get married and go to work.  In Uganda school costs money, and she would normally have gone to earn money as early as possible.  But she was visibly a bright student, and her brothers said that they wished to leave school themselves, so the family agreed she should stay on. She…
Read More

The Double X Economy and measuring things

Professor Linda Scott from Oxford University has coined the term the Double X economy to refer to the need to look at global economic issues through different eyes.   Now the competition is strong for catchy concepts which might waft their author to fame and fortune.  But this one has a very down-to-earth application.  I'd urge you to listen to the part in Scott's inaugural lecture where she talks about what it means for girls in many Afircan countries to have to use cloth rags as sanitary towels. Scott is an economist who has plenty to say about the failings of neo-liberal approaches, but also about the irrelevance of some radical critiques.  She reminds…
Read More

Working hours: do Brits work the longest?

It's a fairly common belief that the British are the long hours 'champions' of Europe (the commas are deliberately ironic - see below).  This is usually seen to be partly the result of our opt-out from the European Working Time Directive.   Some of those working very long hours are right at the bottom end of the wage hierarchy, and have to work massive overtime to make a living wage.  At the other end are those who have committed themselves to the corporation body and perhaps soul, working all hours but for very high  rewards. Certainly in my field of adult education when people are asked about what stops them taking part in education or training,…
Read More

Segregation complications

A powerful recent paper in Sociology by Jarman, Blackburn and Racko (for ref see below) raises some tough issues when it comes to thinking through the implications of gender segregation in occupations. (I'm grateful to Athene Donald's blog for drawing it to my attention.)  Covering 30 countries, the authors show (I'm summarising, obviously) that the position of women is more favourable where segregation is high. In the first place, men's advantage on pay is less in countries where occupational segregation is high.  I knew that Scandinavian countries have low inequality but high segregation, as women work largely in personal services such as health and education. But the pattern extends beyond these countries.…
Read More

Adult learning in Europe – pretty gloomy; but women do better

I've just looked at the EU Monitor on education and training 2012.   The EU target is for 15% of adults to take part in adult learning by 2015.    There's no chance this will be reached;  in fact the participation rate is going down.  In 2011 it was 8.9%, for formal and informal learning combined. 'Adults' are defined as 25-64. At some point countries are going to have to adjust their statistical categories to reflect demography, and push up the upper age boundary. As you can guess, I looked for the gender split. It's 8.2% for men, and 9.6% for women - nearly 20% higher. Only in Turkey and Rumania do more men…
Read More

part-time pathways

The PP got its first publicity splash yesterday with a 2-page feature in London's Evening  Standard ! In a previous blog I referred at some length to the excellent OECD report Closing the Gender Gap.  I quoted one figure which I said I found hard to believe - that only 3% of part-time women workers went on to work full-time.  I checked with the OECD and they very promptly and helpfully gave me the reference source.  It turns out that the 3% refers specifically to women who use part-time employment as a stepping stone to full-time having started outside employment altogether.   The broader figure for progressing from part-time to full-time is 14% , and I…
Read More

Discrimination against part-timers: a slightly unfair example

"The flexibility of Britain's labour market makes stagnation slightly more tolerable in the short-term than in countries where rigid labour markets have contributed to high unemployment. Yet there is a price to pay, as many jobs are part-time or temporary; when you take account of inflation, wages overall are declining." Thus Pier Carlo Padoan, chief economist of OECD, writing in this month's Prospect magazine. Nothing remarkable there, you might say. Padoan goes on: "If economic weakness lingers, there is a risk of further polarisation between full-time employees and those in part-time, insecure, often low-paid work." Again, the statement is in one sense unremarkable - except for the important warning from…
Read More

Korea: a case study

Korea's first female president, Park Geun-hye, takes up office today.  This is a big step forward for the country, and for the wider political scene.   I've never been to Korea, but I've been thinking of using it as a case study for the Paula Principle, for the folllowing reasons. Koreans have made extraordinarily rapid educational progress over the past two decades.   15-20 years ago they were near the foot of the OECD league table on achievement at secondary school;  now they are at or around the top. It is a truly remarkable transformation. Their tertiary system has expanded in consequence, very rapidly, so that there are now large numbers of…
Read More

Makula

This post is a little different.  I want to introduce my cleaner - and friend - Makula. Makula went to school in Uganda, up to O levels at S4 (16 years).  She was unusual in that as a girl in a poor family, with 3 brothers, she would have been expected to leave school at the end of primary school, get married and go to work.  In Uganda school costs money, and she would normally have gone to earn money as early as possible.  But she was visibly a bright student, and her brothers said that they wished to leave school themselves, so the family agreed she should stay on. She…
Read More

The Double X Economy and measuring things

Professor Linda Scott from Oxford University has coined the term the Double X economy to refer to the need to look at global economic issues through different eyes.   Now the competition is strong for catchy concepts which might waft their author to fame and fortune.  But this one has a very down-to-earth application.  I'd urge you to listen to the part in Scott's inaugural lecture where she talks about what it means for girls in many Afircan countries to have to use cloth rags as sanitary towels. Scott is an economist who has plenty to say about the failings of neo-liberal approaches, but also about the irrelevance of some radical critiques.  She reminds…
Read More

Working hours: do Brits work the longest?

It's a fairly common belief that the British are the long hours 'champions' of Europe (the commas are deliberately ironic - see below).  This is usually seen to be partly the result of our opt-out from the European Working Time Directive.   Some of those working very long hours are right at the bottom end of the wage hierarchy, and have to work massive overtime to make a living wage.  At the other end are those who have committed themselves to the corporation body and perhaps soul, working all hours but for very high  rewards. Certainly in my field of adult education when people are asked about what stops them taking part in education or training,…
Read More

Segregation complications

A powerful recent paper in Sociology by Jarman, Blackburn and Racko (for ref see below) raises some tough issues when it comes to thinking through the implications of gender segregation in occupations. (I'm grateful to Athene Donald's blog for drawing it to my attention.)  Covering 30 countries, the authors show (I'm summarising, obviously) that the position of women is more favourable where segregation is high. In the first place, men's advantage on pay is less in countries where occupational segregation is high.  I knew that Scandinavian countries have low inequality but high segregation, as women work largely in personal services such as health and education. But the pattern extends beyond these countries.…
Read More

Adult learning in Europe – pretty gloomy; but women do better

I've just looked at the EU Monitor on education and training 2012.   The EU target is for 15% of adults to take part in adult learning by 2015.    There's no chance this will be reached;  in fact the participation rate is going down.  In 2011 it was 8.9%, for formal and informal learning combined. 'Adults' are defined as 25-64. At some point countries are going to have to adjust their statistical categories to reflect demography, and push up the upper age boundary. As you can guess, I looked for the gender split. It's 8.2% for men, and 9.6% for women - nearly 20% higher. Only in Turkey and Rumania do more men…
Read More

part-time pathways

The PP got its first publicity splash yesterday with a 2-page feature in London's Evening  Standard ! In a previous blog I referred at some length to the excellent OECD report Closing the Gender Gap.  I quoted one figure which I said I found hard to believe - that only 3% of part-time women workers went on to work full-time.  I checked with the OECD and they very promptly and helpfully gave me the reference source.  It turns out that the 3% refers specifically to women who use part-time employment as a stepping stone to full-time having started outside employment altogether.   The broader figure for progressing from part-time to full-time is 14% , and I…
Read More

Discrimination against part-timers: a slightly unfair example

"The flexibility of Britain's labour market makes stagnation slightly more tolerable in the short-term than in countries where rigid labour markets have contributed to high unemployment. Yet there is a price to pay, as many jobs are part-time or temporary; when you take account of inflation, wages overall are declining." Thus Pier Carlo Padoan, chief economist of OECD, writing in this month's Prospect magazine. Nothing remarkable there, you might say. Padoan goes on: "If economic weakness lingers, there is a risk of further polarisation between full-time employees and those in part-time, insecure, often low-paid work." Again, the statement is in one sense unremarkable - except for the important warning from…
Read More

Korea: a case study

Korea's first female president, Park Geun-hye, takes up office today.  This is a big step forward for the country, and for the wider political scene.   I've never been to Korea, but I've been thinking of using it as a case study for the Paula Principle, for the folllowing reasons. Koreans have made extraordinarily rapid educational progress over the past two decades.   15-20 years ago they were near the foot of the OECD league table on achievement at secondary school;  now they are at or around the top. It is a truly remarkable transformation. Their tertiary system has expanded in consequence, very rapidly, so that there are now large numbers of…
Read More

Makula

This post is a little different.  I want to introduce my cleaner - and friend - Makula. Makula went to school in Uganda, up to O levels at S4 (16 years).  She was unusual in that as a girl in a poor family, with 3 brothers, she would have been expected to leave school at the end of primary school, get married and go to work.  In Uganda school costs money, and she would normally have gone to earn money as early as possible.  But she was visibly a bright student, and her brothers said that they wished to leave school themselves, so the family agreed she should stay on. She…
Read More

The Double X Economy and measuring things

Professor Linda Scott from Oxford University has coined the term the Double X economy to refer to the need to look at global economic issues through different eyes.   Now the competition is strong for catchy concepts which might waft their author to fame and fortune.  But this one has a very down-to-earth application.  I'd urge you to listen to the part in Scott's inaugural lecture where she talks about what it means for girls in many Afircan countries to have to use cloth rags as sanitary towels. Scott is an economist who has plenty to say about the failings of neo-liberal approaches, but also about the irrelevance of some radical critiques.  She reminds…
Read More

Working hours: do Brits work the longest?

It's a fairly common belief that the British are the long hours 'champions' of Europe (the commas are deliberately ironic - see below).  This is usually seen to be partly the result of our opt-out from the European Working Time Directive.   Some of those working very long hours are right at the bottom end of the wage hierarchy, and have to work massive overtime to make a living wage.  At the other end are those who have committed themselves to the corporation body and perhaps soul, working all hours but for very high  rewards. Certainly in my field of adult education when people are asked about what stops them taking part in education or training,…
Read More

Segregation complications

A powerful recent paper in Sociology by Jarman, Blackburn and Racko (for ref see below) raises some tough issues when it comes to thinking through the implications of gender segregation in occupations. (I'm grateful to Athene Donald's blog for drawing it to my attention.)  Covering 30 countries, the authors show (I'm summarising, obviously) that the position of women is more favourable where segregation is high. In the first place, men's advantage on pay is less in countries where occupational segregation is high.  I knew that Scandinavian countries have low inequality but high segregation, as women work largely in personal services such as health and education. But the pattern extends beyond these countries.…
Read More

Adult learning in Europe – pretty gloomy; but women do better

I've just looked at the EU Monitor on education and training 2012.   The EU target is for 15% of adults to take part in adult learning by 2015.    There's no chance this will be reached;  in fact the participation rate is going down.  In 2011 it was 8.9%, for formal and informal learning combined. 'Adults' are defined as 25-64. At some point countries are going to have to adjust their statistical categories to reflect demography, and push up the upper age boundary. As you can guess, I looked for the gender split. It's 8.2% for men, and 9.6% for women - nearly 20% higher. Only in Turkey and Rumania do more men…
Read More

part-time pathways

The PP got its first publicity splash yesterday with a 2-page feature in London's Evening  Standard ! In a previous blog I referred at some length to the excellent OECD report Closing the Gender Gap.  I quoted one figure which I said I found hard to believe - that only 3% of part-time women workers went on to work full-time.  I checked with the OECD and they very promptly and helpfully gave me the reference source.  It turns out that the 3% refers specifically to women who use part-time employment as a stepping stone to full-time having started outside employment altogether.   The broader figure for progressing from part-time to full-time is 14% , and I…
Read More

Discrimination against part-timers: a slightly unfair example

"The flexibility of Britain's labour market makes stagnation slightly more tolerable in the short-term than in countries where rigid labour markets have contributed to high unemployment. Yet there is a price to pay, as many jobs are part-time or temporary; when you take account of inflation, wages overall are declining." Thus Pier Carlo Padoan, chief economist of OECD, writing in this month's Prospect magazine. Nothing remarkable there, you might say. Padoan goes on: "If economic weakness lingers, there is a risk of further polarisation between full-time employees and those in part-time, insecure, often low-paid work." Again, the statement is in one sense unremarkable - except for the important warning from…
Read More

Korea: a case study

Korea's first female president, Park Geun-hye, takes up office today.  This is a big step forward for the country, and for the wider political scene.   I've never been to Korea, but I've been thinking of using it as a case study for the Paula Principle, for the folllowing reasons. Koreans have made extraordinarily rapid educational progress over the past two decades.   15-20 years ago they were near the foot of the OECD league table on achievement at secondary school;  now they are at or around the top. It is a truly remarkable transformation. Their tertiary system has expanded in consequence, very rapidly, so that there are now large numbers of…
Read More

Makula

This post is a little different.  I want to introduce my cleaner - and friend - Makula. Makula went to school in Uganda, up to O levels at S4 (16 years).  She was unusual in that as a girl in a poor family, with 3 brothers, she would have been expected to leave school at the end of primary school, get married and go to work.  In Uganda school costs money, and she would normally have gone to earn money as early as possible.  But she was visibly a bright student, and her brothers said that they wished to leave school themselves, so the family agreed she should stay on. She…
Read More

The Double X Economy and measuring things

Professor Linda Scott from Oxford University has coined the term the Double X economy to refer to the need to look at global economic issues through different eyes.   Now the competition is strong for catchy concepts which might waft their author to fame and fortune.  But this one has a very down-to-earth application.  I'd urge you to listen to the part in Scott's inaugural lecture where she talks about what it means for girls in many Afircan countries to have to use cloth rags as sanitary towels. Scott is an economist who has plenty to say about the failings of neo-liberal approaches, but also about the irrelevance of some radical critiques.  She reminds…
Read More

Working hours: do Brits work the longest?

It's a fairly common belief that the British are the long hours 'champions' of Europe (the commas are deliberately ironic - see below).  This is usually seen to be partly the result of our opt-out from the European Working Time Directive.   Some of those working very long hours are right at the bottom end of the wage hierarchy, and have to work massive overtime to make a living wage.  At the other end are those who have committed themselves to the corporation body and perhaps soul, working all hours but for very high  rewards. Certainly in my field of adult education when people are asked about what stops them taking part in education or training,…
Read More

Segregation complications

A powerful recent paper in Sociology by Jarman, Blackburn and Racko (for ref see below) raises some tough issues when it comes to thinking through the implications of gender segregation in occupations. (I'm grateful to Athene Donald's blog for drawing it to my attention.)  Covering 30 countries, the authors show (I'm summarising, obviously) that the position of women is more favourable where segregation is high. In the first place, men's advantage on pay is less in countries where occupational segregation is high.  I knew that Scandinavian countries have low inequality but high segregation, as women work largely in personal services such as health and education. But the pattern extends beyond these countries.…
Read More

Adult learning in Europe – pretty gloomy; but women do better

I've just looked at the EU Monitor on education and training 2012.   The EU target is for 15% of adults to take part in adult learning by 2015.    There's no chance this will be reached;  in fact the participation rate is going down.  In 2011 it was 8.9%, for formal and informal learning combined. 'Adults' are defined as 25-64. At some point countries are going to have to adjust their statistical categories to reflect demography, and push up the upper age boundary. As you can guess, I looked for the gender split. It's 8.2% for men, and 9.6% for women - nearly 20% higher. Only in Turkey and Rumania do more men…
Read More

part-time pathways

The PP got its first publicity splash yesterday with a 2-page feature in London's Evening  Standard ! In a previous blog I referred at some length to the excellent OECD report Closing the Gender Gap.  I quoted one figure which I said I found hard to believe - that only 3% of part-time women workers went on to work full-time.  I checked with the OECD and they very promptly and helpfully gave me the reference source.  It turns out that the 3% refers specifically to women who use part-time employment as a stepping stone to full-time having started outside employment altogether.   The broader figure for progressing from part-time to full-time is 14% , and I…
Read More

Discrimination against part-timers: a slightly unfair example

"The flexibility of Britain's labour market makes stagnation slightly more tolerable in the short-term than in countries where rigid labour markets have contributed to high unemployment. Yet there is a price to pay, as many jobs are part-time or temporary; when you take account of inflation, wages overall are declining." Thus Pier Carlo Padoan, chief economist of OECD, writing in this month's Prospect magazine. Nothing remarkable there, you might say. Padoan goes on: "If economic weakness lingers, there is a risk of further polarisation between full-time employees and those in part-time, insecure, often low-paid work." Again, the statement is in one sense unremarkable - except for the important warning from…
Read More

Korea: a case study

Korea's first female president, Park Geun-hye, takes up office today.  This is a big step forward for the country, and for the wider political scene.   I've never been to Korea, but I've been thinking of using it as a case study for the Paula Principle, for the folllowing reasons. Koreans have made extraordinarily rapid educational progress over the past two decades.   15-20 years ago they were near the foot of the OECD league table on achievement at secondary school;  now they are at or around the top. It is a truly remarkable transformation. Their tertiary system has expanded in consequence, very rapidly, so that there are now large numbers of…
Read More

Makula

This post is a little different.  I want to introduce my cleaner - and friend - Makula. Makula went to school in Uganda, up to O levels at S4 (16 years).  She was unusual in that as a girl in a poor family, with 3 brothers, she would have been expected to leave school at the end of primary school, get married and go to work.  In Uganda school costs money, and she would normally have gone to earn money as early as possible.  But she was visibly a bright student, and her brothers said that they wished to leave school themselves, so the family agreed she should stay on. She…
Read More

The Double X Economy and measuring things

Professor Linda Scott from Oxford University has coined the term the Double X economy to refer to the need to look at global economic issues through different eyes.   Now the competition is strong for catchy concepts which might waft their author to fame and fortune.  But this one has a very down-to-earth application.  I'd urge you to listen to the part in Scott's inaugural lecture where she talks about what it means for girls in many Afircan countries to have to use cloth rags as sanitary towels. Scott is an economist who has plenty to say about the failings of neo-liberal approaches, but also about the irrelevance of some radical critiques.  She reminds…
Read More

Working hours: do Brits work the longest?

It's a fairly common belief that the British are the long hours 'champions' of Europe (the commas are deliberately ironic - see below).  This is usually seen to be partly the result of our opt-out from the European Working Time Directive.   Some of those working very long hours are right at the bottom end of the wage hierarchy, and have to work massive overtime to make a living wage.  At the other end are those who have committed themselves to the corporation body and perhaps soul, working all hours but for very high  rewards. Certainly in my field of adult education when people are asked about what stops them taking part in education or training,…
Read More

Segregation complications

A powerful recent paper in Sociology by Jarman, Blackburn and Racko (for ref see below) raises some tough issues when it comes to thinking through the implications of gender segregation in occupations. (I'm grateful to Athene Donald's blog for drawing it to my attention.)  Covering 30 countries, the authors show (I'm summarising, obviously) that the position of women is more favourable where segregation is high. In the first place, men's advantage on pay is less in countries where occupational segregation is high.  I knew that Scandinavian countries have low inequality but high segregation, as women work largely in personal services such as health and education. But the pattern extends beyond these countries.…
Read More

Adult learning in Europe – pretty gloomy; but women do better

I've just looked at the EU Monitor on education and training 2012.   The EU target is for 15% of adults to take part in adult learning by 2015.    There's no chance this will be reached;  in fact the participation rate is going down.  In 2011 it was 8.9%, for formal and informal learning combined. 'Adults' are defined as 25-64. At some point countries are going to have to adjust their statistical categories to reflect demography, and push up the upper age boundary. As you can guess, I looked for the gender split. It's 8.2% for men, and 9.6% for women - nearly 20% higher. Only in Turkey and Rumania do more men…
Read More

part-time pathways

The PP got its first publicity splash yesterday with a 2-page feature in London's Evening  Standard ! In a previous blog I referred at some length to the excellent OECD report Closing the Gender Gap.  I quoted one figure which I said I found hard to believe - that only 3% of part-time women workers went on to work full-time.  I checked with the OECD and they very promptly and helpfully gave me the reference source.  It turns out that the 3% refers specifically to women who use part-time employment as a stepping stone to full-time having started outside employment altogether.   The broader figure for progressing from part-time to full-time is 14% , and I…
Read More

Discrimination against part-timers: a slightly unfair example

"The flexibility of Britain's labour market makes stagnation slightly more tolerable in the short-term than in countries where rigid labour markets have contributed to high unemployment. Yet there is a price to pay, as many jobs are part-time or temporary; when you take account of inflation, wages overall are declining." Thus Pier Carlo Padoan, chief economist of OECD, writing in this month's Prospect magazine. Nothing remarkable there, you might say. Padoan goes on: "If economic weakness lingers, there is a risk of further polarisation between full-time employees and those in part-time, insecure, often low-paid work." Again, the statement is in one sense unremarkable - except for the important warning from…
Read More

Korea: a case study

Korea's first female president, Park Geun-hye, takes up office today.  This is a big step forward for the country, and for the wider political scene.   I've never been to Korea, but I've been thinking of using it as a case study for the Paula Principle, for the folllowing reasons. Koreans have made extraordinarily rapid educational progress over the past two decades.   15-20 years ago they were near the foot of the OECD league table on achievement at secondary school;  now they are at or around the top. It is a truly remarkable transformation. Their tertiary system has expanded in consequence, very rapidly, so that there are now large numbers of…
Read More

Makula

This post is a little different.  I want to introduce my cleaner - and friend - Makula. Makula went to school in Uganda, up to O levels at S4 (16 years).  She was unusual in that as a girl in a poor family, with 3 brothers, she would have been expected to leave school at the end of primary school, get married and go to work.  In Uganda school costs money, and she would normally have gone to earn money as early as possible.  But she was visibly a bright student, and her brothers said that they wished to leave school themselves, so the family agreed she should stay on. She…
Read More

The Double X Economy and measuring things

Professor Linda Scott from Oxford University has coined the term the Double X economy to refer to the need to look at global economic issues through different eyes.   Now the competition is strong for catchy concepts which might waft their author to fame and fortune.  But this one has a very down-to-earth application.  I'd urge you to listen to the part in Scott's inaugural lecture where she talks about what it means for girls in many Afircan countries to have to use cloth rags as sanitary towels. Scott is an economist who has plenty to say about the failings of neo-liberal approaches, but also about the irrelevance of some radical critiques.  She reminds…
Read More

Working hours: do Brits work the longest?

It's a fairly common belief that the British are the long hours 'champions' of Europe (the commas are deliberately ironic - see below).  This is usually seen to be partly the result of our opt-out from the European Working Time Directive.   Some of those working very long hours are right at the bottom end of the wage hierarchy, and have to work massive overtime to make a living wage.  At the other end are those who have committed themselves to the corporation body and perhaps soul, working all hours but for very high  rewards. Certainly in my field of adult education when people are asked about what stops them taking part in education or training,…
Read More

Segregation complications

A powerful recent paper in Sociology by Jarman, Blackburn and Racko (for ref see below) raises some tough issues when it comes to thinking through the implications of gender segregation in occupations. (I'm grateful to Athene Donald's blog for drawing it to my attention.)  Covering 30 countries, the authors show (I'm summarising, obviously) that the position of women is more favourable where segregation is high. In the first place, men's advantage on pay is less in countries where occupational segregation is high.  I knew that Scandinavian countries have low inequality but high segregation, as women work largely in personal services such as health and education. But the pattern extends beyond these countries.…
Read More

Adult learning in Europe – pretty gloomy; but women do better

I've just looked at the EU Monitor on education and training 2012.   The EU target is for 15% of adults to take part in adult learning by 2015.    There's no chance this will be reached;  in fact the participation rate is going down.  In 2011 it was 8.9%, for formal and informal learning combined. 'Adults' are defined as 25-64. At some point countries are going to have to adjust their statistical categories to reflect demography, and push up the upper age boundary. As you can guess, I looked for the gender split. It's 8.2% for men, and 9.6% for women - nearly 20% higher. Only in Turkey and Rumania do more men…
Read More

part-time pathways

The PP got its first publicity splash yesterday with a 2-page feature in London's Evening  Standard ! In a previous blog I referred at some length to the excellent OECD report Closing the Gender Gap.  I quoted one figure which I said I found hard to believe - that only 3% of part-time women workers went on to work full-time.  I checked with the OECD and they very promptly and helpfully gave me the reference source.  It turns out that the 3% refers specifically to women who use part-time employment as a stepping stone to full-time having started outside employment altogether.   The broader figure for progressing from part-time to full-time is 14% , and I…
Read More

Discrimination against part-timers: a slightly unfair example

"The flexibility of Britain's labour market makes stagnation slightly more tolerable in the short-term than in countries where rigid labour markets have contributed to high unemployment. Yet there is a price to pay, as many jobs are part-time or temporary; when you take account of inflation, wages overall are declining." Thus Pier Carlo Padoan, chief economist of OECD, writing in this month's Prospect magazine. Nothing remarkable there, you might say. Padoan goes on: "If economic weakness lingers, there is a risk of further polarisation between full-time employees and those in part-time, insecure, often low-paid work." Again, the statement is in one sense unremarkable - except for the important warning from…
Read More

Korea: a case study

Korea's first female president, Park Geun-hye, takes up office today.  This is a big step forward for the country, and for the wider political scene.   I've never been to Korea, but I've been thinking of using it as a case study for the Paula Principle, for the folllowing reasons. Koreans have made extraordinarily rapid educational progress over the past two decades.   15-20 years ago they were near the foot of the OECD league table on achievement at secondary school;  now they are at or around the top. It is a truly remarkable transformation. Their tertiary system has expanded in consequence, very rapidly, so that there are now large numbers of…
Read More

Makula

This post is a little different.  I want to introduce my cleaner - and friend - Makula. Makula went to school in Uganda, up to O levels at S4 (16 years).  She was unusual in that as a girl in a poor family, with 3 brothers, she would have been expected to leave school at the end of primary school, get married and go to work.  In Uganda school costs money, and she would normally have gone to earn money as early as possible.  But she was visibly a bright student, and her brothers said that they wished to leave school themselves, so the family agreed she should stay on. She…
Read More

The Double X Economy and measuring things

Professor Linda Scott from Oxford University has coined the term the Double X economy to refer to the need to look at global economic issues through different eyes.   Now the competition is strong for catchy concepts which might waft their author to fame and fortune.  But this one has a very down-to-earth application.  I'd urge you to listen to the part in Scott's inaugural lecture where she talks about what it means for girls in many Afircan countries to have to use cloth rags as sanitary towels. Scott is an economist who has plenty to say about the failings of neo-liberal approaches, but also about the irrelevance of some radical critiques.  She reminds…
Read More

Working hours: do Brits work the longest?

It's a fairly common belief that the British are the long hours 'champions' of Europe (the commas are deliberately ironic - see below).  This is usually seen to be partly the result of our opt-out from the European Working Time Directive.   Some of those working very long hours are right at the bottom end of the wage hierarchy, and have to work massive overtime to make a living wage.  At the other end are those who have committed themselves to the corporation body and perhaps soul, working all hours but for very high  rewards. Certainly in my field of adult education when people are asked about what stops them taking part in education or training,…
Read More

Segregation complications

A powerful recent paper in Sociology by Jarman, Blackburn and Racko (for ref see below) raises some tough issues when it comes to thinking through the implications of gender segregation in occupations. (I'm grateful to Athene Donald's blog for drawing it to my attention.)  Covering 30 countries, the authors show (I'm summarising, obviously) that the position of women is more favourable where segregation is high. In the first place, men's advantage on pay is less in countries where occupational segregation is high.  I knew that Scandinavian countries have low inequality but high segregation, as women work largely in personal services such as health and education. But the pattern extends beyond these countries.…
Read More

Adult learning in Europe – pretty gloomy; but women do better

I've just looked at the EU Monitor on education and training 2012.   The EU target is for 15% of adults to take part in adult learning by 2015.    There's no chance this will be reached;  in fact the participation rate is going down.  In 2011 it was 8.9%, for formal and informal learning combined. 'Adults' are defined as 25-64. At some point countries are going to have to adjust their statistical categories to reflect demography, and push up the upper age boundary. As you can guess, I looked for the gender split. It's 8.2% for men, and 9.6% for women - nearly 20% higher. Only in Turkey and Rumania do more men…
Read More

part-time pathways

The PP got its first publicity splash yesterday with a 2-page feature in London's Evening  Standard ! In a previous blog I referred at some length to the excellent OECD report Closing the Gender Gap.  I quoted one figure which I said I found hard to believe - that only 3% of part-time women workers went on to work full-time.  I checked with the OECD and they very promptly and helpfully gave me the reference source.  It turns out that the 3% refers specifically to women who use part-time employment as a stepping stone to full-time having started outside employment altogether.   The broader figure for progressing from part-time to full-time is 14% , and I…
Read More

Discrimination against part-timers: a slightly unfair example

"The flexibility of Britain's labour market makes stagnation slightly more tolerable in the short-term than in countries where rigid labour markets have contributed to high unemployment. Yet there is a price to pay, as many jobs are part-time or temporary; when you take account of inflation, wages overall are declining." Thus Pier Carlo Padoan, chief economist of OECD, writing in this month's Prospect magazine. Nothing remarkable there, you might say. Padoan goes on: "If economic weakness lingers, there is a risk of further polarisation between full-time employees and those in part-time, insecure, often low-paid work." Again, the statement is in one sense unremarkable - except for the important warning from…
Read More

Korea: a case study

Korea's first female president, Park Geun-hye, takes up office today.  This is a big step forward for the country, and for the wider political scene.   I've never been to Korea, but I've been thinking of using it as a case study for the Paula Principle, for the folllowing reasons. Koreans have made extraordinarily rapid educational progress over the past two decades.   15-20 years ago they were near the foot of the OECD league table on achievement at secondary school;  now they are at or around the top. It is a truly remarkable transformation. Their tertiary system has expanded in consequence, very rapidly, so that there are now large numbers of…
Read More

Makula

This post is a little different.  I want to introduce my cleaner - and friend - Makula. Makula went to school in Uganda, up to O levels at S4 (16 years).  She was unusual in that as a girl in a poor family, with 3 brothers, she would have been expected to leave school at the end of primary school, get married and go to work.  In Uganda school costs money, and she would normally have gone to earn money as early as possible.  But she was visibly a bright student, and her brothers said that they wished to leave school themselves, so the family agreed she should stay on. She…
Read More

The Double X Economy and measuring things

Professor Linda Scott from Oxford University has coined the term the Double X economy to refer to the need to look at global economic issues through different eyes.   Now the competition is strong for catchy concepts which might waft their author to fame and fortune.  But this one has a very down-to-earth application.  I'd urge you to listen to the part in Scott's inaugural lecture where she talks about what it means for girls in many Afircan countries to have to use cloth rags as sanitary towels. Scott is an economist who has plenty to say about the failings of neo-liberal approaches, but also about the irrelevance of some radical critiques.  She reminds…
Read More

Working hours: do Brits work the longest?

It's a fairly common belief that the British are the long hours 'champions' of Europe (the commas are deliberately ironic - see below).  This is usually seen to be partly the result of our opt-out from the European Working Time Directive.   Some of those working very long hours are right at the bottom end of the wage hierarchy, and have to work massive overtime to make a living wage.  At the other end are those who have committed themselves to the corporation body and perhaps soul, working all hours but for very high  rewards. Certainly in my field of adult education when people are asked about what stops them taking part in education or training,…
Read More

Segregation complications

A powerful recent paper in Sociology by Jarman, Blackburn and Racko (for ref see below) raises some tough issues when it comes to thinking through the implications of gender segregation in occupations. (I'm grateful to Athene Donald's blog for drawing it to my attention.)  Covering 30 countries, the authors show (I'm summarising, obviously) that the position of women is more favourable where segregation is high. In the first place, men's advantage on pay is less in countries where occupational segregation is high.  I knew that Scandinavian countries have low inequality but high segregation, as women work largely in personal services such as health and education. But the pattern extends beyond these countries.…
Read More

Adult learning in Europe – pretty gloomy; but women do better

I've just looked at the EU Monitor on education and training 2012.   The EU target is for 15% of adults to take part in adult learning by 2015.    There's no chance this will be reached;  in fact the participation rate is going down.  In 2011 it was 8.9%, for formal and informal learning combined. 'Adults' are defined as 25-64. At some point countries are going to have to adjust their statistical categories to reflect demography, and push up the upper age boundary. As you can guess, I looked for the gender split. It's 8.2% for men, and 9.6% for women - nearly 20% higher. Only in Turkey and Rumania do more men…
Read More

part-time pathways

The PP got its first publicity splash yesterday with a 2-page feature in London's Evening  Standard ! In a previous blog I referred at some length to the excellent OECD report Closing the Gender Gap.  I quoted one figure which I said I found hard to believe - that only 3% of part-time women workers went on to work full-time.  I checked with the OECD and they very promptly and helpfully gave me the reference source.  It turns out that the 3% refers specifically to women who use part-time employment as a stepping stone to full-time having started outside employment altogether.   The broader figure for progressing from part-time to full-time is 14% , and I…
Read More

Discrimination against part-timers: a slightly unfair example

"The flexibility of Britain's labour market makes stagnation slightly more tolerable in the short-term than in countries where rigid labour markets have contributed to high unemployment. Yet there is a price to pay, as many jobs are part-time or temporary; when you take account of inflation, wages overall are declining." Thus Pier Carlo Padoan, chief economist of OECD, writing in this month's Prospect magazine. Nothing remarkable there, you might say. Padoan goes on: "If economic weakness lingers, there is a risk of further polarisation between full-time employees and those in part-time, insecure, often low-paid work." Again, the statement is in one sense unremarkable - except for the important warning from…
Read More

Korea: a case study

Korea's first female president, Park Geun-hye, takes up office today.  This is a big step forward for the country, and for the wider political scene.   I've never been to Korea, but I've been thinking of using it as a case study for the Paula Principle, for the folllowing reasons. Koreans have made extraordinarily rapid educational progress over the past two decades.   15-20 years ago they were near the foot of the OECD league table on achievement at secondary school;  now they are at or around the top. It is a truly remarkable transformation. Their tertiary system has expanded in consequence, very rapidly, so that there are now large numbers of…
Read More

Makula

This post is a little different.  I want to introduce my cleaner - and friend - Makula. Makula went to school in Uganda, up to O levels at S4 (16 years).  She was unusual in that as a girl in a poor family, with 3 brothers, she would have been expected to leave school at the end of primary school, get married and go to work.  In Uganda school costs money, and she would normally have gone to earn money as early as possible.  But she was visibly a bright student, and her brothers said that they wished to leave school themselves, so the family agreed she should stay on. She…
Read More

The Double X Economy and measuring things

Professor Linda Scott from Oxford University has coined the term the Double X economy to refer to the need to look at global economic issues through different eyes.   Now the competition is strong for catchy concepts which might waft their author to fame and fortune.  But this one has a very down-to-earth application.  I'd urge you to listen to the part in Scott's inaugural lecture where she talks about what it means for girls in many Afircan countries to have to use cloth rags as sanitary towels. Scott is an economist who has plenty to say about the failings of neo-liberal approaches, but also about the irrelevance of some radical critiques.  She reminds…
Read More

Working hours: do Brits work the longest?

It's a fairly common belief that the British are the long hours 'champions' of Europe (the commas are deliberately ironic - see below).  This is usually seen to be partly the result of our opt-out from the European Working Time Directive.   Some of those working very long hours are right at the bottom end of the wage hierarchy, and have to work massive overtime to make a living wage.  At the other end are those who have committed themselves to the corporation body and perhaps soul, working all hours but for very high  rewards. Certainly in my field of adult education when people are asked about what stops them taking part in education or training,…
Read More

Segregation complications

A powerful recent paper in Sociology by Jarman, Blackburn and Racko (for ref see below) raises some tough issues when it comes to thinking through the implications of gender segregation in occupations. (I'm grateful to Athene Donald's blog for drawing it to my attention.)  Covering 30 countries, the authors show (I'm summarising, obviously) that the position of women is more favourable where segregation is high. In the first place, men's advantage on pay is less in countries where occupational segregation is high.  I knew that Scandinavian countries have low inequality but high segregation, as women work largely in personal services such as health and education. But the pattern extends beyond these countries.…
Read More

Adult learning in Europe – pretty gloomy; but women do better

I've just looked at the EU Monitor on education and training 2012.   The EU target is for 15% of adults to take part in adult learning by 2015.    There's no chance this will be reached;  in fact the participation rate is going down.  In 2011 it was 8.9%, for formal and informal learning combined. 'Adults' are defined as 25-64. At some point countries are going to have to adjust their statistical categories to reflect demography, and push up the upper age boundary. As you can guess, I looked for the gender split. It's 8.2% for men, and 9.6% for women - nearly 20% higher. Only in Turkey and Rumania do more men…
Read More

part-time pathways

The PP got its first publicity splash yesterday with a 2-page feature in London's Evening  Standard ! In a previous blog I referred at some length to the excellent OECD report Closing the Gender Gap.  I quoted one figure which I said I found hard to believe - that only 3% of part-time women workers went on to work full-time.  I checked with the OECD and they very promptly and helpfully gave me the reference source.  It turns out that the 3% refers specifically to women who use part-time employment as a stepping stone to full-time having started outside employment altogether.   The broader figure for progressing from part-time to full-time is 14% , and I…
Read More

Discrimination against part-timers: a slightly unfair example

"The flexibility of Britain's labour market makes stagnation slightly more tolerable in the short-term than in countries where rigid labour markets have contributed to high unemployment. Yet there is a price to pay, as many jobs are part-time or temporary; when you take account of inflation, wages overall are declining." Thus Pier Carlo Padoan, chief economist of OECD, writing in this month's Prospect magazine. Nothing remarkable there, you might say. Padoan goes on: "If economic weakness lingers, there is a risk of further polarisation between full-time employees and those in part-time, insecure, often low-paid work." Again, the statement is in one sense unremarkable - except for the important warning from…
Read More

Korea: a case study

Korea's first female president, Park Geun-hye, takes up office today.  This is a big step forward for the country, and for the wider political scene.   I've never been to Korea, but I've been thinking of using it as a case study for the Paula Principle, for the folllowing reasons. Koreans have made extraordinarily rapid educational progress over the past two decades.   15-20 years ago they were near the foot of the OECD league table on achievement at secondary school;  now they are at or around the top. It is a truly remarkable transformation. Their tertiary system has expanded in consequence, very rapidly, so that there are now large numbers of…
Read More

Makula

This post is a little different.  I want to introduce my cleaner - and friend - Makula. Makula went to school in Uganda, up to O levels at S4 (16 years).  She was unusual in that as a girl in a poor family, with 3 brothers, she would have been expected to leave school at the end of primary school, get married and go to work.  In Uganda school costs money, and she would normally have gone to earn money as early as possible.  But she was visibly a bright student, and her brothers said that they wished to leave school themselves, so the family agreed she should stay on. She…
Read More

The Double X Economy and measuring things

Professor Linda Scott from Oxford University has coined the term the Double X economy to refer to the need to look at global economic issues through different eyes.   Now the competition is strong for catchy concepts which might waft their author to fame and fortune.  But this one has a very down-to-earth application.  I'd urge you to listen to the part in Scott's inaugural lecture where she talks about what it means for girls in many Afircan countries to have to use cloth rags as sanitary towels. Scott is an economist who has plenty to say about the failings of neo-liberal approaches, but also about the irrelevance of some radical critiques.  She reminds…
Read More

Working hours: do Brits work the longest?

It's a fairly common belief that the British are the long hours 'champions' of Europe (the commas are deliberately ironic - see below).  This is usually seen to be partly the result of our opt-out from the European Working Time Directive.   Some of those working very long hours are right at the bottom end of the wage hierarchy, and have to work massive overtime to make a living wage.  At the other end are those who have committed themselves to the corporation body and perhaps soul, working all hours but for very high  rewards. Certainly in my field of adult education when people are asked about what stops them taking part in education or training,…
Read More

Segregation complications

A powerful recent paper in Sociology by Jarman, Blackburn and Racko (for ref see below) raises some tough issues when it comes to thinking through the implications of gender segregation in occupations. (I'm grateful to Athene Donald's blog for drawing it to my attention.)  Covering 30 countries, the authors show (I'm summarising, obviously) that the position of women is more favourable where segregation is high. In the first place, men's advantage on pay is less in countries where occupational segregation is high.  I knew that Scandinavian countries have low inequality but high segregation, as women work largely in personal services such as health and education. But the pattern extends beyond these countries.…
Read More

Adult learning in Europe – pretty gloomy; but women do better

I've just looked at the EU Monitor on education and training 2012.   The EU target is for 15% of adults to take part in adult learning by 2015.    There's no chance this will be reached;  in fact the participation rate is going down.  In 2011 it was 8.9%, for formal and informal learning combined. 'Adults' are defined as 25-64. At some point countries are going to have to adjust their statistical categories to reflect demography, and push up the upper age boundary. As you can guess, I looked for the gender split. It's 8.2% for men, and 9.6% for women - nearly 20% higher. Only in Turkey and Rumania do more men…
Read More

part-time pathways

The PP got its first publicity splash yesterday with a 2-page feature in London's Evening  Standard ! In a previous blog I referred at some length to the excellent OECD report Closing the Gender Gap.  I quoted one figure which I said I found hard to believe - that only 3% of part-time women workers went on to work full-time.  I checked with the OECD and they very promptly and helpfully gave me the reference source.  It turns out that the 3% refers specifically to women who use part-time employment as a stepping stone to full-time having started outside employment altogether.   The broader figure for progressing from part-time to full-time is 14% , and I…
Read More