I.J.P. Sieben

The total impact of the family on educational attainment

The concept of social exclusion implies that there is a downward spiral in which labour market marginality leads to poverty and social isolation, which in turn reinforce the risk of long-term unemployment. The evidence in favour of this view hitherto has been largely restricted to cross-sectional data that assess the degree of association between labour market position, poverty status and patterns of sociability. In this article we seek to test more rigorously the implied causal argument by exploring the relationship between these factors over time. The article first explores whether the transition from employment to unemployment heightens the risk of poverty and social isolation, and then turns to the issue of whether poverty and social isolation significantly affect the length of time it takes people to leave unemployment for a job. It draws on data from the European Community Household Panel, which provides longitudinal data for most of the EU member states, for the period 1994 to 1996. The article concludes that there is strong evidence that poverty contributes to a vicious circle of exclusion. Unemployment increases the risks of poverty and poverty in turn makes it more difficult for people to return to work. However, there is no clear support for the view that social isolation is directly caused by unemployment. Rather the risk of social isolation is contingent upon broader cultural patterns with respect to household structure and local sociability, which differ considerably between countries. Furthermore, there was no significant effect of any of the types of sociability studied on the time that it took people to re-enter employment. The article concludes that a concern for the implications of unemployment for social exclusion should focus primarily on the problem of poverty.The concept of social exclusion implies that there is a downward spiral in which labour market marginality leads to poverty and social isolation, which in turn reinforce the risk of long-term unemployment. The evidence in favour of this view hitherto has been largely restricted to cross-sectional data that assess the degree of association between labour market position, poverty status and patterns of sociability. In this article we seek to test more rigorously the implied causal argument by exploring the relationship between these factors over time. The article first explores whether the transition from employment to unemployment heightens the risk of poverty and social isolation, and then turns to the issue of whether poverty and social isolation significantly affect the length of time it takes people to leave unemployment for a job. It draws on data from the European Community Household Panel, which provides longitudinal data for most of the EU member states, for the period 1994 to 1996. The article con...

Training and Expectations on Job Mobility in the Call Centres Sector.

Analyses whether the participation of workers in general, sector‐specific, and firm‐specific training affects their expectations on job mobility within or outside the call centres sector. Distinguishes between the perceived difficulty to find an equally attractive job and the inclination to quit for another job. Employing data on 525 call centre agents working in eight call centres in The Netherlands, finds that training does not significantly affect the perceived labour market perspectives of call centre agents, nor influence expected job mobility inside or outside the sector. The inclination to quit the present job within two years is the same for agents with and without training. There is one exception, however. Agents who followed firm‐specific training significantly less often considered quitting for a job in another call centre. All this is good news for firms offering training. Another finding, however, might be more problematic. The work experience of agents positively affects their labour market perspectives inside the sector. In addition, agents with more experience are more inclined to quit for a job in another call centre. This means that firms need to keep their employees satisfied.

Multistep role for actin in initial closure of the mesencephalic neural groove in the chick embryo

In a previous study, we have demonstrated that initial closure of the mesencephalic neural groove in the chick embryo is different from neurulation elsewhere. The neural groove invaginates, the walls appose and make contact in a ventrodorsal direction, and subsequently separate ventrally, forming an incipient neural tube lumen, which finally widens into a definitive lumen. In this study, a role for actin in the processes of this initial mesencephalic closure is studied. Based on rhodamine‐phalloidin–stained sections, three distinct actin distribution patterns emerged, and time‐lapse video microscopy revealed cytochalasin‐D–reversible neurulation movements. We propose that actin is involved in formation and stabilization of the neural groove hinge point, in invagination of dorsal neuroepithelial cells into the neural groove, in the origin of the incipient lumen and the reinforcement of adhesion of the dorsal neural folds, and finally in the development of a wide lumen. Such a multifunctional effect of actin microfilaments within a narrow time window and at specific sites has not been reported yet.