Migration and competitiveness maximizing opportunities for states regions
- Slides: 7
Migration and competitiveness: maximizing opportunities for states, regions, businesses and individuals Aija Lulle, University of Sussex and University of Eastern Finland PROVIDUS Public Policy Forum Migration Policies: Competing for Talent 4 December 2017
National dimension Dominant ideas and representations about migration Competitiveness: aspirations and capabilities to create environments to perform better than others or elsewhere of a comparable nature ‘Policy failure can mean different things, so I proposed as a working definition that “policy failure may be said to occur when a policy does not achieve its stated objectives”. When politicians and officials are reluctant to declare their true objectives, we need to look for the hidden agendas they may be pursuing’. (Stephen Castles 2017)
National dimension: some paradoxes ‘Competitiveness’ and a ‘nation-state’ Source: Dona. lv Unique Territory Democracy National values Language Nation branding Global Competitiveness Index 2017 -2018. Latvia 54 th/137 http: //reports. weforum. org/global-competitiveness-index 2017 -2018/countryeconomy-profiles/#economy=LVA
Regional dimension European Union Baltic-Nordic region Baltic Sea region etc ‘What do you think are the two most important issues facing the EU at the moment? ’ (% data) Concerns Autumn 2014 Spring 2015 Autumn 2017 *LV Immigration 24 38 45 * 57 Economic situation 33 27 20 *17 Unemployment 29 24 16 *10 Source: Eurobarometer.
Entrepreneurial dimension Labour is the key to competitiveness Examples: IT, hospitality and construction Forecast change in working-age population (age 15– 64) in selected EU countries, 2010 – 50 (millions) Country 2010 2030 2050 % change 2010– 50 France 42. 0 41. 8 41. 9 – 0. 2 Germany 53. 9 46. 3 39. 4 – 26. 9 Poland 27. 2 24. 0 19. 8 – 27. 2 Sweden 6. 1 6. 3 6. 6 +8. 2 Source: After Groenewold and de Beer (2014: 5), with corrections.
Individual dimension Mobility as a key strategy for mediating significant lifecourse transitions: education, work, establishing home Source: Smallbusiness. chron. com Source: ieg. worldbankgroup. org
Conclusion ‘Migration policies are intrinsically problematic, because they are concerned with defining people as migrants, differentiating them into bureaucratic categories and regulating their movements and work. Migration policies do not address the fundamental inequalities in livelihoods, human security and opportunities for realizing individual potential. ’ (Stephen Castles) Four dimensions of ‘competitiveness’ are interlinked Competitiveness as a heuristic tool for future policies
