In the Autumn 2013 edition of CentrePiece:

In this edition:

Lovely and lousy jobs

The phenomenon of `job polarisation? is increasing inequality as the labour market splits into high- and low-wage work. According to Alan Manning, who coined the term a decade ago, we cannot ignore job polarisation ? but... Read more...

In brief... 'Smart and illicit': the making of a successful entrepreneur

Smart teenagers who engage in illicit activities are much more likely to become entrepreneurs, according to research by Ross Levine and Yona Rubinstein. But, they note, being self-employed doesn?t necessarily make someon... Read more...

Has job polarisation squeezed the American middle class?

Job polarisation has had strong effects on US workers? relative wages, according to research by Michael Boehm. His study examines whether the decline in manufacturing and clerical jobs has been responsible for the laggin... Read more...

Wage growth and productivity growth: the myth and reality of 'decoupling'

Employees in the UK are not being denied their fair share of economic growth, according to research by Jo?o Paulo Pessoa and John Van Reenen. Their investigation of claims that wage growth has become `decoupled? from pro... Read more...

The status of teachers

Governments that are serious about attracting the best people to work in their state education systems must look not only at the salaries they offer but also at the social standing of teachers. That is the conclusion of ... Read more...

In brief... Blackout babies: the impact of power cuts on fertility

A rolling blackout in Colombia in the early 1990s led to a rise in unplanned births, according to research by Amar Shanghavi and colleagues. What?s more, young women who became mothers after the blackout had worse outcom... Read more...

Does school spending matter?

Increases in resources for schools are typically more effective in disadvantaged schools and for disadvantaged pupils. That is one of the many findings of a review by Steve Gibbons and Sandra McNally of the research evid... Read more...

In brief... Top of the class

Boys may be better off not going to the school with high-performing peers, according to research by Richard Murphy and Felix Weinhardt, which explores how much impact there is on later confidence and exam results from wh... Read more...

In brief... Eating disorders: the impact of self-image and peer pressure

We need government intervention to prevent a potential epidemic of eating disorders, according to a study by Joan Costa-i-Font and Mireia Jofre-Bonet. Their research confirms the widespread belief that the proliferation ... Read more...

Human resource management: how much do firms really need?

More complete systems of human resource management (HRM) could deliver really extensive gains in employee motivation, according to an analysis of representative data from British workplaces by Michael White and Alex Brys... Read more...