New ESRC research highlights the diversity of employment patterns in the European Union. The study, specially commissioned to be presented at the ESRC's sixth national social science conference was prepared by Richard Berthoud and Maria Iacovou, of the Essex University's Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER). It is largely based on analysis of a survey of 73,000 households across the EU.
Their findings include:
For further information, see the accompanying extract of Berthoud's and Iacovou's presentation to the conference. The full report will be available at the ESRC's conference on 21st November 2002 at the QEII Conference Centre.
Alternatively, contact Professor Richard Berthoud on berthoud@essex.ac.uk or 44-120-687-3982 or Dr Maria Iacovou (noon till 6pm only) on maria@essex.ac.uk or 44-120-687-3994 or Romesh Vaitilingam on 44-776-866-1095.
Or Iain Stewart or Lesley Lilley at ESRC, on 44-179-341-3032/413119
Notes for the editors:
1. Richard Berthoud and Maria Iacovou are researchers at the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex - the base for ESRC's UK Longitudinal Studies Centre.
2. About the study: The raw household survey data for most of the research comes from the European Community Household Panel, a survey undertaken in all 15 current EU members. The sample totals around 73,000 households across Europe, ranging from 7,000 each in Italy and France to just 1,000 in Luxembourg; all adults in selected households were interviewed, providing data about 153,000 individuals. Much of the material in the paper is drawn from the work of the European Panel Analysis Group. (see www.iser.essex.ac.uk/epag )
3. The ESRC is the UK's largest funding agency for research and postgraduate training relating to social and economic issues. It has a track record of providing high-quality, relevant research to business, the public sector and Government. The ESRC invests more than £53 million every year in social science research. At any time, its range of funding schemes may be supporting 2,000 researchers within academic institutions and research policy institutes. It also funds postgraduate training within the social sciences thereby nurturing the researchers of tomorrow. The ESRC website address is http://www.esrc.ac.uk