Activation Policy as an Investment in Human Capital: Theory and Practice

Abstract

Introduction. Social and economic activation programs are a key area of the social policy in advanced economies. A defining feature of this policy is a shift in focus from passive assistance to employment promotion and economic activity. Problem Statement. Implementation of activation programs requires the creation of a relevant methodological basis and tools for their development, realization and evaluation. Purpose. To substantiate approaches to the implementation and evaluation of programs for activating idle recipients of social assistance. Materials and Methods. The results of projects implemented as part of international support programs in 2011-2018, in particular, a pilot project directed to test mechanisms for attracting recipients of benefits to the labor market have been considered. The face-to-face sociological survey methods, statistical methods for processing anonymous data from the social assistance system registry, as well as the method of combining data from the registry and the survey have been used. A methodology for monitoring the effectiveness and efficiency of activity tools has been specially developed. Results. The prerequisites for creation of the activation policy were identified, and the experience of its implementation has been generalized. Based on the assessment of the composition and psychological attitudes of social assistance recipients, results of previous reforms, the relevance of implementing activation programs in Ukraine has been proved. The essence of programs promoting employment and activating socially vulnerable groups of the population has been determined. The project has been evaluated on a set of criteria, including the impact on unemployment, poverty, budget revenues, and jobs. Recommendations on the practical implementation of activation programs have been developed. Conclusions. Piloting the activation tools has shown their high efficiency. However, in spite of the obvious positive results, risks that shall be taken into account when introducing the tools into practice have been identified.

Influence of Fiscal Policies and Labor Market Characteristics on Sustainable Social Insurance Budgets—Empirical Evidence from Central and Eastern European Countries

“…The larger part of the revenues of the public sector is accumulated from taxes and social contributions. Authors like Aronsson and Micheletto, Omran and Bilan, Libanova et al showed that employment and unemployment policies impact the tax revenues and the public budget receipts [28][29][30]. Moreover, several studies introduced the importance of human capital, their skills and knowledge to promote economic and social development, labor market competitiveness, social security, welfare and national budget's revenues [31][32][33][34].…”

Ukraine labour potential modelling based on using the theory of unclear logic

“…The theoreticalmethodological, scientificmethodical foundations of the formation of the strategy for the develop ment and preservation of the labour potential of Ukraine and the factors affecting the labour potential, in particular the study on the problem of social security in the labour market and the strategic priorities of its provision in the modern con ditions of the transformation of the main threats, are consid ered in scientific work [2]. Social support of unemployed ablebodied citizens as a factor in the development of labour potential [3] is now extremely important, because of military conditions and a high level of labour migration [4] there is a need to provide the economy with labour and create prereq uisites for the economic development of Ukraine. The im pact of social security and employment policy on the correla tion between migration and unemployment is discussed in detail in the work [5], particularly the importance of the im plementation of effective social programs by the state aimed at overcoming unemployment and creating prerequisites for the use of labour within the country is emphasized.…”

“…The integral criterion of LP (denoted by the English letter D or R) is proposed to be divided into intervals from 1 to 10, in particular: d 1 (the value falls into the interval [1][2][3][4]) -LP at the macro level is at a low level; d 2 (interval value [4][5][6][7]) − LP at the macro level can be estimated as average; d3 (the value lies in the interval [7][8][9][10]) − LP at the macro level is at a high level.…”

“…The number of terms in LP mod elling can be different for the proposed variables (factors). Thus, the terms for evaluating such a variable as -"coefficient of coverage of emigration" by immigration are defined as fol lows: "Low" (L); "Average" (A); "High" (H), with a universal set in the interval [1][2][3][4][5]. The tree of logical conclusion of hier archical relationships of factors that allow one to assess the state of LP of Ukraine is shown in graph 2, where the root of the tree is the level of LP, and the leaves, respectively, medico demographic, socioeconomic, behavioural factors that have an impact on this level.…”

Model of an Active Policy of Combatants’ Social Protection in Ukraine

“…Provisions for the analysis of social protection policy, social and economic activation of the population are set out in the works of the following scientists: E. Libanova, O. Makarova, V. Sarioglo [2], D. Karamishev [3] and others. Medico-psychological aspects of security and adaptation of military men to extreme conditions, issues of psychological adaptation and the impact of combat experience on the mental health of veterans were studied by S. Bielai, I. Prykhodko, A. Hrynzovskyi, A. Zhelaho, S. Hodlevskyi, S. Kalashchenko, Y. Matsehora [4,5].…”