Academic literature on the topic 'Labor mobility – Finland – 21st century'

THE BRAND OF THE CELEBRITY AUTHOR IN FINLAND | In the 21st century, the celebrity author has begun to interest researchers not only as a marketing phenomenon, but also as the literary institution’s own phenomenon. In my article, I explore the relationship of the celebrity author to the so-called acclaimed authors of modern times. In Anglo-American research, the celebrity author and the bestselling author are distinguished as separate author types, but in the case of Finnish Jari Tervo, these types combine. For almost 20 years, Jari Tervo has been amongboth the most sold and the most visible celebrity authors in his home country. I examine how the publicity and brand of the Finnish celebrity author are formed. I consider how the brand affects the author’s works on the one hand, and the reception of the works on the other. I point out the limiting effects of the brand, but I also examine how, in combining the high and the low, it affords mobility in the literary fields while it also offers an opportunity to influence society.

We are living in a period of strengthening of social networks and weakening of social ties. We observe communication problems even between the same generation employees. Within virtual organizational structures, where digitalization and mobility are on an advanced level, business vision is changing so fast. Rapid changes occurring in the organizational structures increase managerial uncertainty in the companies and raise a need for revision of employee behavior. Virtually addicted human resources of 21st century need to be managed in a different way. In 21st century, young workforce retention concerns raise first and foremost the question of how to manage. In particular, the characteristics of Y generation that will have a large share in global labor force, create a need to arrange the management in a coaching style. Coaching style leadership becomes even more important in order to understand working perception of Y generation, to make them gained by the company, to retain them, to develop organizational commitment, to guide their talents, to meet their expectations and to build long-term relationships with them. This study is focused on coaching style leadership in order to build sense of belonging for the Y generation, the young workforce of 21st century. Because, expected to form %75 of global labor force as of 2025, this generation is shaping talents market with its work perceptions and expectations.

The importance of bilingual education is widely debated in the scientific world; it represents an opportunity for millions of international students in the 21st century, endorsed with varied benefits, including cognitive, neurolinguistic, socio-cultural, academic or labor, among others. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the impact of bilingual education on students who graduated from bilingual programs by measuring three key factors (employability, mobility and intercultural awareness), and comparing the results with those from a group of students who graduated from non-bilingual programs. A factorial analysis was carried out to reduce the size of the original set of variables from 11 to 3, thus constituting a model of scientific efficiency. Finally, this paper shows a statistical evaluation of the real effects that bilingual programs have achieved since implementation, concluding that the three main factors identified here allow the scientific evaluation of the success of bilingual programs.

On the basis of a large variety of documents and materials the article analyses the preconditions, main stage and consequences of the Ukrainian migration to the Czech Republic during the period of European integration. The article defines the problems of the migration and the prospects for its development in the 21st century. The author emphasises globalization, world conditions, scientific and technological progress, specialization of markets at regional level, social and public labor potential as the key factors of labor mobility, as well as geopolitical and geocultural factors, that changes people­­­’s world outlook in the context of information society. The study focuses on the main reasons for migration from Ukraine to Czech Republic (relatively stable and positive situation in the Czech economy in comparison to the Ukrainian, position in the labor market, the cultural and linguistic similarities, the long history of mutual migration processes). In addition, the author points out at a number of the modern trends of the migration (the quantitative growth of migrant workers and students in absolute numbers as well as in percentage, the growing number of Ukrainians with the Czech residence permit, the transformation of the social structure of migrants, permanent illegal employment). The changes in the migration policy of the Czech Republic after accession to the EU, its political and social context, positive and negative effects, the contents of the so-called «Ukraine Project» and «Ukraine Mode» are examined. The growing impact of the Ukrainian migrants on the development of the Czech economy and society is underlined. The article identifies of the modern migration as a phenomenon, which is being institutionalized and which transforms from a traditional social movement into a structured social organism (diaspora, network of national public associations, infrastructure of the migration services market, etc.), and thus into the subject and instrument of regulation of the people’s economic activity. Some aspects of the Ukrainian diaspora life in Czech Republic are considered.

Actuality of the research topiс. Strategic priorities of world labor market development in the first quarter of the 21st century are shaped under the impact of a range of multidirectional actions factors – from globalization and respect for the open economy principle by majority of the world countries to neoprotectionism which is becoming more widespread in foreign economic policy of developed countries of the world. Each country which observes the market-based principles is closely linked to the world labor market via labor force resource and labor migration processes. These ties are constantly strengthening as countries obey international law, consider international labor market regulatory mechanisms in their national governance practice, and introduce the best world examples of institutional support for employment, unemployment reduction, labor migration regulation and counteracting all forms of discrimination at labor market. Respect for strategic priorities of world labor market development is of actual importance for all world countries, including Ukraine which for the last five years has significantly expanded labor migration flows and become the active participant of world labor market. Analysis of recent research and publications. Considerable contribution to the study of current situation and defining the newest world labor market development trends in the 21st century was made by profound Ukrainian scholars like A.Philippenko, O.Hrishnova, O.Malinovs’ka, E.Libanova, A.Dembitska and others. Among the foreign scientists who researched the core and main patterns of world labor market development within globalization we should mention G. Borjas, Y. Jansen, R. Celikates, J. de Bloois, A. Zolberg, E.Meyers, P. Wickramasekara, A. Zogata-Kusz etc. Extraction of unexplored parts of a common problem. Scope of the study into the core and constituencies of world labor market are pretty fully highlighted in the world economic literature. Yet, to define strategic priorities of world labor market development it is especially important to study the impact of institutional and organizational and economic tools of international organizations activity on world labor market regulation and development. This issue is an important component of international economic relations. Statement of the research purpose and tasks. The purpose of the study is to examine commonality and define strategic priorities of world labor market development in the 21st century. To achieve it the following tasks are set and resolved in the article: - to research the factors affecting world labor market reforming and defining the priorities of its development; - to research institutional and legal, organizational and economic mechanisms of international organizations impact on regulation and unification, defining strategic priorities of world labor market development; - to reveal the newest trends of world labor market development which are shaped under structural and innovative changes, countries’ transition to ‘Industry 4.0’, as well as under impact of labor migration processes. Method or methodology of the research. While defining strategic priorities of world labor market development a set of theoretical and empirical scientific research methods are used. Revealing institutional factors affecting world labor market development, historical and logical methods, methods of synthesis and analysis, abstract and specific methods, and cause-effect method are used. To research the impact of institutional and legal, organizational and economic mechanisms on world labor market historical and logical methods, methods of induction and deduction, methods of classification and generalization are employed. Whereas methods of synergy and expert estimates, casual method are used to justify the innovational processes and labor migration impact on shaping strategic priorities of world labor market development. Presentation of the main material (research results). World labor market is a complex economic system modified under dynamics of supply and demand for labor resources at the world market; under the impact of labor force price charges specificity, terms and pay level formation, as well as social security peculiar nature; qualitative and quantitative mobility and placement of labor force in different world countries; differences in national approaches to labor force reproduction, their professional training and qualification improvement. Within globalization national labor markets lose their closeness and remoteness, becoming constituent part of world labor market. Strategic priorities of world labor market development are shaped under the impact of a range of multidirectional actions factors: globalization and national economy openness, neoprotectionism, structural and innovational changes in world economy, countries’ transition to ‘Industry 4.0’. It occurs due to labor migration activization and enhancing the role of international organizations as coordinators of international economic relations development. Strategic priorities of world labor market development are strongly affected by the international organizations which set standard rules of the game for all countries of the world both at local and world labor markets. Among the priorities the following ones are particularly important: protecting the rights of the employed, unification of system of remuneration and taxation, establishing social guarantees and social security, procedures of admission and dismissal, preventing all forms of discrimination and legal employment. Transition to a 4-day working week is of reality for developed countries of the world. Working terms under freelance system are standardized, as well as for those who work from home in services and within the norms of creative economy. The 21st century faces the growth of labor force mobility, unification of labor migrants’ rights security, labor standards and salary conditions, guaranteeing labor migrants’ social protection. Institutional and legal, as well as organizational and economic security of national labor markets of the world countries is gradually harmonized and unified with world standards implemented by international organizations. International organizations shape the newest trends of world labor market reforms. Organizational forms of world labor market in the 21st century include elaboration and adoption of institutional and legal norms of world labor market development provision; indicative planning (forecasting); defining strategic priorities and long-term purposes of world labor market development; administrative regulatory methods (including fines, penalties, licenses and sanctions). The role of international institutional and financial assistance is growing via consultations, forums, technical aid and recommendations, as well as target-projected financing, grants, free humanitarian and other financial assistance. World labor market is a subject to regular international monitoring, system of international control on the development aimed at prevention all forms of discrimination, human rights and freedoms violation (including labor force and employees), child exploitation and human trade at the world labor market. Strategic priorities of world labor market reforms involve measures directed at employment legalization, preventing human trade and illegal labor force exploitation, avoiding child labor exploitation, preventing all forms of discrimination and ‘shadow economy’ features in recruitment and income generation, protection of employees and labor migrants’ rights and freedoms at world labor market. Reforming Ukrainian labor market as a part of world labor market demands for such strategic priorities as implementation of international standards on the employees’ rights security in Ukraine, pay rise in accordance with EU countries standards, prevention of discrimination and ‘shadow economy’ features at labor market, legalization of employers’ and employees’ income, protection of their rights and freedoms, social securing of their guarantees, as well as the ones for employed migrants working at Ukrainian labor market and Ukrainian labor migrants abroad. The field of the results application. International economic relations and world market. Conclusions according to the article. Trends of world labor market development are correlated with general trends and directions of economic cycle stages (recession, depression, growth and peak), whereas depending on demographical situation in the country and the world, character and dimension of countries’ economy structural transformation and integrational world countries grouping. Basic trends of world labor market development in the 2010s include system of remuneration reforming, moving to general growth in pay rise while freezing substantial discrepancies in wages and salaries between developed and developing countries of the world. The essential trend of world labor market is activization of labor migration processes both at the markets of developed and developing countries. Labor migration in the 21st century is mostly of legal official character, though their segments alter towards growth in demand for labor force at the EU and Asian markets. The demand for highly skilled professionals whose activity is close to innovations is rising dynamically at the world labor market.

The current study falls in line with global and local mobility that aims to investigate the science teachers’ perceptions of integrating STEM approach in cycle 2 schools in AL Batinah North Governorate in Sultanate of Oman. To implement the study, descriptive methodology was used with a questionnaire of 19 items that divided into two parts: Achieving requirements of 21st century skills and linking science education with economic issues. After verifying the psychometric characteristics of the questionnaire, it was applied on the sample of 147 science teachers (71 male and 76 female). The findings showed a high perception of the science teachers towards integrating STEM in teaching science to acquire students the significant skills and competencies to help them to keep pace with modern scientific developments and have an opportunity to compete in the labor market. According to the findings, the study recommends to add engineering design steps to the science curricula and activating workshops to train the teachers to formulate classroom questions in real problems context.

Objectives of the article: to analyze the migration process in Ukraine in order to obtain education against the background of the global process in the educational sphere and the general migration process for compliance with general migration trends. The research methodology is based on the processing of analytical and statistical materials from various sources, both national and foreign, using methods of analysis, synthesis, statistical processing of information. Research results. It has been established that educational migrations are a dynamically developing process since the end of the twentieth century, to which more and more countries are joining. This trend is also inherent in Ukraine, where educational migration has been developing dynamically throughout the 21st century. The factors influencing the external mobility of students are the military-political and economic crisis. Students go to study mainly to neighboring countries. Educational migration processes from Ukraine in their dynamics and geography correspond to the trends characteristic of labor migrations. The geography of educational migrations to Ukraine is also expanding and flows are increasing, although they are much smaller in volume than educational flows from Ukraine. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the identification of correlations between the general trends of the migration process and educational migration. The practical significance of the results obtained is aimed at drawing attention to the problem of the outflow of youth, which is the demographic, labor and intellectual potential of the nation, abroad.

The transition period of post-socialist cities brought significant demographic and spatial changes within their daily urban systems (DUS). Functional transformations of the core, as well as functionally dependent settlements in the mentioned systems, had a significant impact on the daily mobility of the population. For the purposes of this paper, the example of Belgrade was taken as the core of the most significant DUS on the territory of Serbia, and beyond its borders. As a research time frame the focus is on the first intercensal period of the 21st century, taking into account social and economic changes in that period. The daily mobility of the labor force was used as a relevant indicator of the functional manifestation of the work center and the functional direction of the residential settlement. A model of the spatial manifestation of the workforce daily mobility was used as a basis for researching the structure, changes, and determining the boundaries of the territorial scope of the DUS. Based on the presented results, dynamic changes within the DUS of Belgrade were determined, which are manifested through an increase in its spatial and population coverage, as well as through the changes in the degree of functional dependence of the settlements that participate in it. Conclusions were drawn on the connection between the transformation of the DUS and its demographic component, as well as the factors that initiate the investigated changes.

At the turn of 20th and 21st century, Spain was one of target countries of earning immigration not only in the European Union, but in the entire world as well. This paper aims at analyzing the influence of immigration on the dynamics of Spanish GDP in the context of its direct influence on the level of productivity, employment rate, as well as the demographic factor that results from the share of working foreigners in the creation of national income, and the indirect impact resulting from its influence on, among other things, functioning of the labor market through mobility or occupational activity, as well as on changes in the volume of demand notified in the economy. Next, we are going to present the influence of immigration on condition and standing of public finance against the background of revenues generated by foreigners and public expenditures borne on immigrated population. Due to the size of this paper and difficult availability of data, the analysis will cover the country as a whole, disregarding regional differences

The article summarizes the experience of Ukraine’s participation in international academic mobility on the example of undergraduate higher medical education. Analysis of the archival documents in the second half of the 20th century revealed two types of student exchange programs: introductory internships on the basis of clinical and medical institutions of Ukraine and European countries, under the guidance of an international group of teachers; labor introductory practice – exchange of student construction teams who got acquainted with the health care system of the host country and worked in hospitals and medical camps during the summer holidays. From the beginning of the 21st century, international mobility students in the Ukrainian medical universities (undergraduate medical education) have been studying at the following programs: 1) educational practice based on interuniversity cooperation agreements; 2) student exchanges organized by the International Federation of Medical Students Associations; 3) interuniversity international agreements on long-term (with credit transfer) and short-term exchange programs. The number of these students at the level of undergraduate medical education is increasing, but insignificantly compared to foreign students from Europe, Asia, Africa who receive undergraduate medical education on a permanent basis (as of 2018 – more than 23 thousand). Based on the obtained results, the general positive prospects and directions of the development of international academic mobility of medical students in Ukraine are determined: 1) short-term Ukrainian and European international student exchanges, which allow to increase their level of motivation to study, develop individual educational trajectories, expand their level of competence in the field of health care system of different countries; 2) expansion of the semester programs of student academic mobility taking into account the availability of educational programs in English in Ukraine and its lower cost compared to European universities, promising for both “EU students” and “non-EU students” of European universities, who: а) want to expand their experience and competence in the provision of medical services at the primary and secondary levels of health care and the pre-medical sphere; b) study medical management in the field of health care in different countries; c) have problems with tuition fees. Keywords: international academic mobility, undergraduate medical education, student exchange programs.

Defense Date: 01/09/2010
Examining Board: Prof. Laszlo Bruszt, EUI (Supervisor) Prof. AnnaLee Saxenian University of California, Berkeley (External Supervisor) Prof. Colin Crouch, University of Warwick Business School Prof. Adrian Favell, Aarhus University
The study explores the meaning of locality and distance in the global world. Prominent social theorizations have declared locality and distance dead in the global era, which is characterized by the widespread use of virtual communication. Yet diverse empirical studies on transnational skilled mobility, global brain circulation, and innovation and knowledge transfer show that locality and distance still matter. I argue that grand theorizations would benefit from empirically grounded research, while empirical studies would gain from explicit, systematic studies on the issue of the presumed demise of distance and locality. The present study aims towards filling this gap with an empirically grounded approach close to real-life meanings and experiences. The empirical questions focus on two issues: 1) personal motivations and identities in relation to place and 2) everyday work and knowledge sharing both locally and at distance. The approach is qualitative and inductive with ethnographic features; the main data are in-depth interviews with Finnish professionals in Silicon Valley. Highly skilled Finns in Silicon Valley represent a case of West-West mobility; from one successful Western location to another. Skilled professionals are an interesting case for the investigation of the meaning of locality and distance, because according to many authors more privileged people in particular are presumed to be detached from localities and free from the realities and constraints of distance. The findings show that locality and distance are still very much alive from both personal and work perspectives. Firstly, the relationship between personal motivations/identities and place is a two-way one: locations can be seen as targets or ways to fulfill personal or professional dreams, achieve goals, or challenge and develop as a person. Changing locations also evokes new identities, such as the pioneer or the mediator, which are counterintuitive considering the presumed death of distance. Secondly, the dynamics of locality and distance are present in everyday work, which is structured across several time zones, not only the local one. Virtual communication has therefore changed the organization of work locally, but has not erased distance or rendered locality less significant. In contrast, the awareness of distance is emphasized in virtual communication. Physical distance and differences of context (time of day, weather, cultural environment) can pose challenges in reaching mutual understandings or making joint decisions. Furthermore, being present in a locality and experiencing face-to-face interaction becomes even more meaningful in the form of chance encounters, taking collaboration to the next level, accessing certain types of information and knowledge, and inspiration (the experience of "being at the center of things"). Furthermore, the findings indicate that certain kinds of information and tacit knowledge do not travel well across distance and that local presence is needed to access these. The meaning of locality for these professionals can be summarized as three I?s: Information, Interaction and Inspiration. Finally, I will consider the idea of the death of locality and distance and what has actually changed and what has not when it comes to their current meanings, on a more interpretive level.

Defence date: 23 May 2016
Examining Board: Professor Hans-Peter Blossfeld, European University Institute; Professor Fabrizio Bernardi, European University Institute; Professor Angela M. O'Rand, Duke University; Professor Cristina Iannelli, The University of Edinburgh
The UK's comparatively open and flexible education system provides more options for individuals from less advantaged backgrounds to participate, and has a high uptake of tertiary and adult education. However, individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds remain proportionately under-represented at the highest levels of post-compulsory education. The complex relationship between expansion, the diversification of educational systems and freedom of choice in modern liberal societies means that the background from which students are drawn remains highly relevant to their progression. Multiple options and qualitative differences between courses and institutions puts the onus on students and parents to make correct career decisions - if students from lower socio-economic backgrounds are found more often in less prestigious educational pathways, then prestigious higher level institutions are likely to remain exclusive. The major contribution of my dissertation is the development of an overview of UK educational and labour market pathway formation and its influence on individuals' educational trajectories and social positions. More specifically, I expand on Kerckhoff's (1993) work on "Diverging Pathways: Social Structure and Career Deflections", taking into account changes since the introduction of the comprehensive system, gender differences and adult education. I further the distinction between a pathway and a trajectory in life-course research and elaborate on the debated question of "persistent inequality", taking the theoretical perspective of "effectively maintained inequality" (Lucas 2001) into account. Finally, I consider the role of interactions between different types of inequality (cumulatingdimensions). This thesis finds that students from more educated backgrounds are more likely to choose academic subjects and pathways early, which influences their performance and further progression opportunities. It also finds that men and women differ regarding educational pathways, that vertical gender inequalities and horizontal gender differences at first labour market entry have remained relatively stable over the latter half of the 20th century. And finally, that adult education and learning is subject to a "Matthew effect" (Merton 1968).

The turn towards a ‘Social Investment’ approach to welfare implies deploying resources to enhance human capital and mobilise the productive potential of citizens, starting in early childhood. Many influential academic and policy advocates present it as a new paradigm for the 21st Century. The book is structured in three parts around the social investment themes of: interventions in early life, labour market activation, and social solidarity. Empirical chapters offer original evidence from ten European countries: Italy, UK, Sweden, Finland,Greece, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Hungary, and Spain. Each of these chapters uncovers regional and local realities of social investment policies and services. Editorial chapters overview the conceptual landscape and synthesise key advances in thinking about the social investment 'paradigm', informed by original insight into what implementation of its principles can look like at street level.

Economy and mankind are inextricably interlinked. Just as the economy or the production of material wealth is unimaginable without a man, so human existence and development are impossible without the wealth created in the economy. Shortly, both the goal and the means of achieving and realization of the economy are still the human resources. People have long ago noticed that it was the economy that created livelihoods, and the delays in their production led to the catastrophic events such as hunger, poverty, civil wars, social upheavals, revolutions, moral degeneration, and more. Therefore, the special interest of people in understanding the regulatory framework of the functioning of the economy has existed and exists in all historical epochs [A. Sisvadze. Economic theory. Part One. 2006y. p. 22]. The system of economic disciplines studies economy or economic activities of a society. All of them are based on science, which is currently called economic theory in the post-socialist space (the science of economics, the principles of economics or modern economics), and in most countries of the world - predominantly in the Greek-Latin manner - economics. The title of the present book is also Modern Economics. Economics (economic theory) is the science that studies the efficient use of limited resources to produce and distribute goods and services in order to satisfy as much as possible the unlimited needs and demands of the society. More simply, economics is the science of choice and how society manages its limited resources. Moreover, it should be emphasized that economics (economic theory) studies only the distribution, exchange and consumption of the economic wealth (food, beverages, clothing, housing, machine tools, computers, services, etc.), the production of which is possible and limited. And the wealth that exists indefinitely: no economic relations are formed in the production and distribution of solar energy, air, and the like. This current book is the second complete updated edition of the challenges of the modern global economy in the context of the coronary crisis, taking into account some of the priority directions of the country's development. Its purpose is to help students and interested readers gain a thorough knowledge of economics and show them how this knowledge can be applied pragmatically (professionally) in professional activities or in everyday life. To achieve this goal, this textbook, which consists of two parts and tests, discusses in simple and clear language issues such as: the essence of economics as a science, reasons for origin, purpose, tasks, usefulness and functions; Basic principles, problems and peculiarities of economics in different economic systems; Needs and demand, the essence of economic resources, types and limitations; Interaction, mobility, interchangeability and efficient use of economic resources. The essence and types of wealth; The essence, types and models of the economic system; The interaction of households and firms in the market of resources and products; Market mechanism and its elements - demand, supply and price; Demand and supply elasticity; Production costs and the ways to reduce them; Forms of the market - perfect and incomplete competition markets and their peculiarities; Markets for Production Factors and factor incomes; The essence of macroeconomics, causes and importance of origin; The essence and calculation of key macroeconomic indicators (gross national product, gross domestic product, net national product, national income, etc.); Macroeconomic stability and instability, unemployment, inflation and anti-inflationary policies; State regulation of the economy and economic policy; Monetary and fiscal policy; Income and standard of living; Economic Growth; The Corona Pandemic as a Defect and Effect of Globalization; National Economic Problems and New Opportunities for Development in the conditions of the Coronary Crisis; The Socio-economic problems of moral obsolescence in digital technologies; Education and creativity are the main solution way to overcome the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus; Positive and negative effects of tourism in Georgia; Formation of the middle class as a contributing factor to the development of tourism in Georgia; Corporate culture in Georgian travel companies, etc. The axiomatic truth is that economics is the union of people in constant interaction. Given that the behavior of the economy reflects the behavior of the people who make up the economy, after clarifying the essence of the economy, we move on to the analysis of the four principles of individual decision-making. Furtermore, the book describes how people make independent decisions. The key to making an individual decision is that people have to choose from alternative options, that the value of any action is measured by the value of what must be given or what must be given up to get something, that the rational, smart people make decisions based on the comparison of the marginal costs and marginal returns (benefits), and that people behave accordingly to stimuli. Afterwards, the need for human interaction is then analyzed and substantiated. If a person is isolated, he will have to take care of his own food, clothes, shoes, his own house and so on. In the case of such a closed economy and universalization of labor, firstly, its productivity will be low and, secondly, it will be able to consume only what it produces. It is clear that human productivity will be higher and more profitable as a result of labor specialization and the opportunity to trade with others. Indeed, trade allows each person to specialize, to engage in the activities that are most successful, be it agriculture, sewing or construction, and to buy more diverse goods and services from others at a relatively lower price. The key to such human interactions is that trade is mutually beneficial; That markets are usually the good means of coordination between people and that the government can improve the results of market functioning if the market reveals weakness or the results of market functioning are not fair. Moroever, it also shows how the economy works as a whole. In particular, it is argued that productivity is a key determinant of living standards, that an increase in the money supply is a major source of inflation, and that one of the main impediments to avoiding inflation is the existence of an alternative between inflation and unemployment in the short term, that the inflation decrease causes the temporary decline in unemployement and vice versa. The Understanding creatively of all above mentioned issues, we think, will help the reader to develop market economy-appropriate thinking and rational economic-commercial-financial behaviors, to be more competitive in the domestic and international labor markets, and thus to ensure both their own prosperity and the functioning of the country's economy. How he/she copes with the tasks, it is up to the individual reader to decide. At the same time, we will receive all the smart useful advices with a sense of gratitude and will take it into account in the further work. We also would like to thank the editor and reviewers of the books. Finally, there are many things changing, so it is very important to realize that the XXI century has come: 1. The century of the new economy; 2. Age of Knowledge; 3. Age of Information and economic activities are changing in term of innovations. 1. Why is the 21st century the century of the new economy? Because for this period the economic resources, especially non-productive, non-recoverable ones (oil, natural gas, coal, etc.) are becoming increasingly limited. According to the World Energy Council, there are currently 43 years of gas and oil reserves left in the world (see “New Commersant 2007 # 2, p. 16). Under such conditions, sustainable growth of real gross domestic product (GDP) and maximum satisfaction of uncertain needs should be achieved not through the use of more land, labor and capital (extensification), but through more efficient use of available resources (intensification) or innovative economy. And economics, as it was said, is the science of finding the ways about the more effective usage of the limited resources. At the same time, with the sustainable growth and development of the economy, the present needs must be met in a way that does not deprive future generations of the opportunity to meet their needs; 2. Why is the 21st century the age of knowledge? Because in a modern economy, it is not land (natural resources), labor and capital that is crucial, but knowledge. Modern production, its factors and products are not time-consuming and capital-intensive, but science-intensive, knowledge-intensive. The good example of this is a Japanese enterprise (firm) where the production process is going on but people are almost invisible, also, the result of such production (Japanese product) is a miniature or a sample of how to get the maximum result at the lowest cost; 3. Why is the 21st century the age of information? Because the efficient functioning of the modern economy, the effective organization of the material and personal factors of production largely depend on the right governance decision. The right governance decision requires prompt and accurate information. Gone are the days when the main means of transport was a sailing ship, the main form of data processing was pencil and paper, and the main means of transmitting information was sending letters through a postman on horseback. By the modern transport infrastructure (highways, railways, ships, regular domestic and international flights, oil and gas pipelines, etc.), the movement of goods, services and labor resoucres has been significantly accelerated, while through the modern means of communication (mobile phone, internet, other) the information is spreading rapidly globally, which seems to have "shrunk" the world and made it a single large country. The Authors of the book: Ushangi Samadashvili, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Associate Professor of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University - Introduction, Chapters - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11,12, 15,16, 17.1,18 , Tests, Revaz Shengelia, Doctor of Economics, Professor of Georgian Technical University, Chapters_7, 8, 13. 14, 17.2, 17.4; Zhuzhuna Tsiklauri - Doctor of Economics, Professor of Georgian Technical University - Chapters 13.6, 13.7,17.2, 17.3, 18. We also thank the editor and reviewers of the book.

Mass migration has become one of the 21st century's greatest challenges. With an estimated 214 million people on the move internationally and forced displacement at a record high, population mobility is one of the leading policy issues of the 21st century. Women and children with no identity can be missed by national social programs in addition to the risks posed by being on the move. Developments in Blockchain can enable the tracking and delivery of in-kind aid and facilitate cash assistance programs in humanitarian settings and coordinate, collect, and analyse data in crisis to enable a timely and appropriate response. This chapter presents the ways in which Blockchain is being deployed in humanitarian and refugee settings and a series of case studies from Finland, Moldova, Kenya, and Iraq. While promising progress has been made, there remains a need for more research and evaluation as these technologies are implemented, increased user participation in design, and to ensure that privacy and security issues are addressed.

Mass migration has become one of the 21st century's greatest challenges. With an estimated 214 million people on the move internationally and forced displacement at a record high, population mobility is one of the leading policy issues of the 21st century. Women and children with no identity can be missed by national social programs in addition to the risks posed by being on the move. Developments in Blockchain can enable the tracking and delivery of in-kind aid and facilitate cash assistance programs in humanitarian settings and coordinate, collect, and analyse data in crisis to enable a timely and appropriate response. This chapter presents the ways in which Blockchain is being deployed in humanitarian and refugee settings and a series of case studies from Finland, Moldova, Kenya, and Iraq. While promising progress has been made, there remains a need for more research and evaluation as these technologies are implemented, increased user participation in design, and to ensure that privacy and security issues are addressed.

Encouragement of European labor mobility is one of the key challenges in the 21st century. The article “E-learning in ICT and Agriculture” has as main objective the description of the results obtained in the LaProf project and the processes that lead to their development. LaProf (www.laprof.eu) project has responded to this challenge by developing computer-mediated multilingual language learning exercises for specific purposes and the overall concept of migration process. LaProf was a multiliteral project that aimed at promoting language awareness to immigrating workforces in two particular sectors, ICT and agriculture. The main goal was to provide free access to language learning resources that would help candidate immigrants get more familiarized with the terminology and cultural issues in their sectors, through developing and disseminating a number of language learning exercises. The main idea of the project was to encourage ICT teachers living in Estonia (and Baltics in general) to learn Finnish and give them assistance in an overall immigration process to Finland by increasing their knowledge about working environment and culture of the target country. Accordingly, LaProf aimed to teach Greek and cultural issues to agricultural specialists living in Romania, who want to move and work in Greece. Significant attention was given to encouraging the learning of under-representing European languages (Finnish and Greek) as foreign languages in order to help European citizens from Estonia and Romania to understand better the working environment and culture of the targeted countries (i.e. Finland and Greece). This objective is in accordance with one of the European Label national priorities: foreign languages as preparation for the work market, language skills increasing the possibility of obtaining a better job, at national and even international level. In addition, the instructions of LaProf language learning exercises are translated into widely spoken EU languages (English and French) as well as into Hungarian, Romanian, Estonian and Russian, which are notably less widely used and taught languages in Europe. To reinforce the acquisition of language and cultural competencies by its targeted user groups, as well as to raise awareness for the targeted languages, LaProf developed and promoted language learning methodologies and resources that motivate the particular categories of language learners, in order to enhance their capacity for language learning. As the main output 656 interactive language learning exercises were developed for its clearly defined user groups. A series of piloting tests were applied to a specified target group, the final outputs being thus optimized to the maximum. The targeted learning resources are focused on language learning of the targeted languages, but also reflect the embedded cultural context of the destination countries and sectors. The following key results were achieved: • A language learning framework outlining the background, topics, working culture, and relevant terminology of the targeted sectors and destination countries; • A variety of multilingual language learning exercises (translated and adapted in English, French, Romanian, Hungarian, Estonian, and Russian) are publicly available and accessible online; • Additional learning resources such as Learner’s Guide, Teacher’s Guide, Manual of Tools, WebQuest containing the background knowledge that learners should have before taking the language learning exercises, culture-aware resources that will facilitate their preparation for immigration in the destination countries, as well as pedagogical and technical guidelines for the language teachers; • Two online platforms: (1) the LaProf Web portal and (2) the LaProf Wiki page through which interested users are able to easily search, identify, retrieve and use language learning exercises in a digital format. These platforms contain also an online tool through which all producers of digital resources on language learning for the targeted communities are able to upload their resources, describe them with appropriate metadata in English and in their languages, and to make them publicly available via the LaProf Web portal for all interested users to find.