Education and innovation are essential tools for social mobility and economic development. Our educational system is increasingly challenged by budgetary constraints, while our research and innovation are lagging behind our competitors. At the same time we are ever more exposed to international competition. Reform is necessary to meet the new challenges, to catch up in R&D and to reap the fruits of our human capital.
| Itinera Papers and Presentations |
Entrepreneurship as a source of wealth
22 September 2008
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Some entrepreneurs chose for the profession out of necessity while others made a deliberate choice in order to grasp a business opportunity. For the first group, push factors like the small amount of job opportunities triggered by a high unemployment were a sufficient motivation. This can probably explain why Flanders’ part of self employed is higher than in Wallonia compared to total population, but not compared to the working population. The employment rate is just lower in the south of the country. |
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Gifted children, unused potential
16 September 2008
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At the moment, the attention paid to the wasted talents that are the exceptionally gifted children who got through the stitches of the net increases slightly. However, it is still very likely that a large number of them will drop out somehow during the school year 2008-2009.
In this report, we develop solutions proposals which rest on a systematic and premature detection. We demonstrate besides that such an investment is profitable on the short run and that there is thus no place for delay on this topic. Even in period of budgetary illness. |
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The U.S., land of economic liberalism, and sportive dirigisme
22 August 2008
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The Olympic Games are a true triumph for China: an incredible organisation and a sportive success measured by the number of medals wan. Economic research shows that authoritarian regimes are more capable to succeed in top-class sports. America’s dirigisme in sports, on the other hand, is less well-known. |
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Languages and Economy
01 July 2008
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As 59% and 53% of Flemish people master French and English, only 19% and 17% of the Walloon speak Dutch and English. The economic impact of this is not to be underestimated. |
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Entrepreneurship as a public good
31 March 2008
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International comparisons learn that Belgium counts too few start-up companies. Apparently, potential entrepreneurs need to be activated just as the unemployed. Is there a genetic explanation for this passive attitude or is the average Belgian most and for all a rational free-rider preferring others to take up the efforts and risks of job creation? |
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| External Papers and Presentations |
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The Itinera Institute offers interested readers a selection of recent and topical publications and presentations from external sources, with a relevant angle towards the Institute’s key issues for Belgium. The selection is updated regularly and readers have the opportunity to stay on track through RSS for each issue. The selection in no way reflects a policy preference on behalf of the institute and is done for information purposes only. Suggestions for publications or presentations are welcome and can be sent to info@itinerainstitute.org
R&D: Europe progresses, but the efforts need to be pursued
03 November 2008
| According to the 2008 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard of the European Commission, with 8,8 %, companies of the EU show for the first time a stronger growth of the R&D investments than their Americans counterparts (8,6 %). The research intensity, that is the ratio between R&D and net sales, stays nevertheless very superior in the United States, where it establishes, on average at 4,5 % against 2,7 % in Europe. Besides, the R&D of the private sector in Europe represents only 1 % of the gross domestic product, what would indicate that an increasing part of the investments in R&D of the European firms is made outside the Union. We get closer to the Lisbon objectives, but the efforts need to be pursued to hope reaching them. |
What is to know about corporations’ learning curve
24 October 2008
| More competition enhances productivity: it stimulates corporations to work more efficiently and gives them incentives to learn from other domestic companies. According to the Dutch Central Plan Bureau, the know-how present within domestic companies is more important than the know-how abroad. This is why companies have to invest in R&D, to be capable of imitating. This is also why foreign companies have to be given a real opportunity to settle in Belgium. In these turbulent economic times, protectionism is thus not an option. |
Is free higher education really democratic?
17 October 2008
| At first sight, free higher education is a good thing. Nonetheless, this article from the Institut Montaigne reminds us that this is contrary to the initial concept of democratisation. Higher education is indeed being financed by taxes from all to benefit largely the better off that are going to college without having any difficulties paying for it. This article makes several suggestions to make individual efforts in financing higher education more efficient and equitable. |
University accessibility and university quality do not always go hand in hand
13 October 2008
| With more and more high-school graduates going on to university, governments face tough decisions on funding and quality standards to ensure that their education systems respond adequately to booming demand for degrees, a new OECD publication shows. In Belgium too, governments will have to cut the knot: university accessibility and university quality do not necessarily go hand in hand. |
Family attention pays
05 September 2008
| Inequality between young Americans is increasing. While the lucky ones get a college degree, the less fortunate ones, whose intellectual and socio-emotional capabilities aren’t equally developed, fight against inequality, in a part due to a lesser productivity on the labour market. For James J. Heckman (Chicago University) the environment in which these kids grow up is in part responsible for these social differences, which is why they need to be tackled right there. Today policies tend to focus on the intellectual capabilities of teenagers, while the focus should be on the young children because economically more profitable. Therefore, family plays a crucial part in the development of a child, and this is true not only for the U.S. but for every country in the world. |
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| • Useful links |
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These links present a selection of reference sources relevant for the specific issue. This selection in no way reflects any policy preference but merely aims to provide interested readers with further information sources. The full list of external links can be consulted under the “links” section in the navigation bar. Suggestions for further links can be emailed to Itinera.
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