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AbstractJob polarization instead of pure upgrading is emerging in European industries. This article focuses on polarization of the employment structure and contributes empirical evidence to explain patterns of occupational change in relation to four major groups: managers, clerks, craft workers and manual workers. Building on the structural approach, the author aims to analyse employment dynamics at the sectoral level and shed light on job polarization trends in Europe. Job polarization clearly emerges, mainly in service sectors, and in some European countries it is leading to a rejection of the hypothesis of skill upgrading sustained by the skill‐biased technical change paradigm.

This paper contributes to the empirical literature on the relationship between environmental regulation and firm behavior. In particular, we ask whether and how strongly investment decisions of firms respond to stringency in environmental regulation. Environmental stringency is measured as (i) an industry's total current expenditure on environmental protection, and (ii) a country's revenue from environmental taxes. Focusing on European industry level data between 1995 and 2005, we estimate the differential impact of environmental stringency on four types of investment: gross investment in tangible goods, in new buildings, in machinery, and in `productive' investment (investment in tangible goods minus investment in abatement technologies). Both environmental variables enter positively, and their quadratic terms exhibit significantly negative parameter estimates. This, in turn, indicates a positive but diminishing impact of environmental regulation on investment.

Industrial processes are currently responsible for almost 26% of European primary energy consumptions (275 Mtoe/yr). Furthermore, most of the energy sources that drive the industrial sector are fossil fuel based. Every industrial process is characterised by a multitude of waste heat streams at different temperature levels whose recovery would undoubtedly contribute to the enhancement of the sustainability of the industrial sites and their products. Waste heat recovery systems can offer significant energy savings and substantial greenhouse gas emission reductions. For the latter to materialise technological improvements and innovations aimed at improving the energy efficiency of heat recovery equipment and reducing installation costs should take place. This paper outlines the opportunities and the potential for industrial heat recovery in the European Union by identifying and quantifying primary energy consumption in the major industrial sectors and their related waste streams and temperature levels. Through a systematic analysis considering waste heat and Carnot's potential estimation, detailed results are given for all industrial sectors, temperature ranges and EU countries. The 'big picture' is rather promising with regards to the estimated total waste heat potential.

This book explores whether foreign direct investment (FDI) can contribute to the competitiveness of industries in Central Europe and to narrowing the gap between these transition economies and countries within the European Union. The Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia have attracted substantial FDI since the beginning of their transition to a market economy. Using exhaustive empirical data, the authors demonstrate that foreign investment enterprises in Central Europe have higher allocative efficiency, promote macro- and microeconomic restructuring and foster the restructuring of the manufacturing sector in accordance with the host countries' comparative advantages. The case of Austria is used to demonstrate the possible benefits of FDI. On the other hand, high foreign penetration leads to the concentration of production and exports and makes the economy more vulnerable to external shocks. In addition, there may be unwelcome pressures on economic policy in order to maintain the country's position as a frequented investment target. However, the analysis in this book suggests that, on the whole, economies in transition can become more competitive more rapidly and more profoundly with the help of foreign direct investment. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of international economics, European studies, economies of transition and international business