1 MAY 2012

HIGHLIGHTS

OECD Forum 2012 to be held 22-23 May 2012. Get your invitation!

Languages in a Global World: Learning for Better Cultural Understanding: Blog post | Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

OECD PUBLISHING NEWS

OECD Subscription Prices for 2012: Price list

New OECD Key Titles Catalogue, 2012: Catalogue

OECD iLibrary: Brochure

OECD publications will be on exhibit at the following events in the coming months:

• Inforum, 22-24 May 2012, Prague, Czech Republic
• Deutsche Bibliothekartag, 22-25 May 2012, Hamburg, Germany
• Jornadas AMBAC, 22-25 May 2012, Villahermosa, Mexico
• American Library Association, 22-25 June 2012, Anaheim, California, USA
• Special Libraries Association, 15-18 July 2012, Chicago, Illinois, USA
• National Association for Business Economics, 13-16 October 2012, New York, New York, USA
  

AGRICULTURE/FOOD/FISHERIES

The Economic Value of Rebuilding Fisheries: Working Paper

Reducing support to fuel use in the fisheries sector has the potential to generate both environmental and economic benefits, says Fuel Tax Concessions in the Fisheries Sector: Working Paper

Forthcoming
-OECD/FAO Agricultural Outlook 2012
-Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2012: OECD Countries
-OECD Review of Fisheries 2011: Policies and Summary Statistics: Book listing

BUSINESS & MARKETS

Credit crunch squeezing entrepreneurs and small businesses more than big firms, saysFinancing SMEs and Entrepreneurs 2012: An OECD Scoreboard: Press release | Book announcement | Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Protecting the International Financial System: Ministers Renew the FATF Mandate: Press release

Zambia pushes ahead with investment policy reforms, finds OECD Investment Policy Reviews: Zambia 2012. Print version now available: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Governments look to improve financial literacy says Current Status of National Strategies for Financial Education: Working paper

OECD Finance and Enterprise Affairs News, April 2012: Newsletter

Forthcoming
-OECD Guidelines on Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises
-Competitiveness and Private Sector Development: Ukraine 2011: Sector Competitiveness Strategy: Book listing
-Stocktaking of Business Integrity and Anti-Bribery Legislation, Policies and Practices in Twenty African Countries: Book listing
-OECD Pensions Outlook 2012: Book listing

DEVELOPMENT

Managing Risks in Fragile and Transitional Contexts: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary (PDF available now. Print version to come soon!)

International Support to Post-Conflict Transition: Rethinking Policy, Changing Practice. Print version now available: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Special Review of Slovenia's Development Co-operation: Announcement | Report (PDF - 935 kb)

DACnews, April 2012 features articles on aid figures for 2011, the DAC policy statement for Rio +20, the private sector and development co-operation, monitoring aid effectiveness in health, post-conflict transition, and why peace. Newsletter

Forthcoming
-OECD Insights - From Aid to Development: The Global Fight against Poverty (formerly titled OECD Insights: Development and Aid): Book listing
-Stocktaking of Business Integrity and Anti-Bribery Legislation, Policies and Practices in Twenty African Countries: Book listing
-African Economic Outlook 2012
-Can We Still Achieve the Millennium Development Goals? Book listing
-Towards Better Humanitarian Donorship: Twelve Lessons from DAC Peer Reviews: Book listing

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

Further reforms needed to sustain Korean growth and social cohesion, says OECD Economic Surveys: Korea 2012: Press release | Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary (PDF now availaable. Print version to come soon!)

OECD Journal: General Papers, Volume 2010 Issue 4 includes a series of papers on climate change in Africa: Subscribe to the OECD Journal | Issue on the OECD iLibrary

OECD Economics Department Working Papers
-951: Reducing Poverty in Chile:   Cash Transfers and Better Jobs
-952: Income Inequality in the European Union

Forthcoming
-OECD Economic Outlook, Volume 2012, Issue 1
-OECD Economic Surveys: Netherlands 2012

ECONOMIC STATISTICS

Measuring the Evolution of Korea’s Material Living Standards 1980-2010: Working Paper

What Makes for a Better Life?  The Determinants of Subjective Well-Being in OECD Countries – Evidence from the Gallup World Poll: Working paper

EDUCATION

Languages in a Global World: Learning for Better Cultural Understanding: Blog post | Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Public and Private Schools: How Management and Funding Relate to their Socio-economic Profile: Blog post | Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary PDF available now. Print version coming soon!

Modernising Secondary School Buildings in Portugal: Free book on OECD iLibrary

Quality Matters in Early Childhood Education and Care: Czech Republic 2012: Free book on OECD iLibrary

Quality Matters in Early Childhood Education and Care: Korea 2012: Free book on OECD iLibrary

Quality Matters in Early Childhood Education and Care: United Kingdom 2012: Free bok on OECD iLibrary

Modernising Secondary School Buildings in Portugal: Free book on OECD iLibrary

PISA 2009 Technical Report. Print version now available: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Learning beyond Fifteen: Ten Years after PISA Print version now available: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Designing and Constructing an Exemplar Zero Carbon Primary School in the City of Exeter, United Kingdom: CELE Exchange article

Managing the University Campus: Exploring Models for the Future and Supporting Today’s Decisions: CELE Exchange article

How “Green” are Today’s 15-Year-Olds? PISA in Focus

educationtoday: OECD’s blog on global perspectives on education: Blog

Forthcoming
-Better Skills, Better Jobs, Better Lives
-School Leadership: The creation of a common school culture: Teaching and Learning: International Survey (TALIS 2008 Data thematic report)
-Innovation in School Education: TALIS Thematic Report
-Preparing Teachers and Developing School Leaders for the 21st Century: Lessons from around the World: Book listing
-Reviews of National Policies for Education: Higher Education in the Dominican Republic 2012: Book listing
-OECD Reviews of Evaluation and Assessment in Education: Teacher Evaluation in Chile 2012: Book listing
-OECD Reviews of Evaluation and Assessment in Education: Mexico 2012: Book listing
-Quality Matters in Early Childhood Education and Care: Canada 2012: Book listing
-Quality Matters in Early Childhood Education and Care: Japan 2012: Book listing
-OECD Reviews of Evaluation and Assessment in Education: Luxembourg 2012: Book listing
-Quality Matters in Early Childhood Education and Care: New Zealand 2012: Book listing
-Quality Matters in Early Childhood Education and Care: Norway 2012: Book listing
-Quality Matters in Early Childhood Education and Care: Portugal 2012: Book listing
-OECD Reviews of Evaluation and Assessment in Education: Slovak Republic 2012: Book listing
-Quality Matters in Early Childhood Education and Care: Sweden 2012: Book listing
-OECD Reviews of Vocational Education and Training: Skills beyond School Review of Switzerland: Book listing

EMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL AFFAIRS

Gender (in)equality. Men earn more than women, work less, and occupy more of the top jobs – but women live longer, are better educated and get to retire younger. How best to harness the talents of both sexes for better lives all round? Website Article

Forthcoming
-Job Tasks, Work Skills and the Labour Market
-Jobs for Immigrants, Vol. 3: Labour Market Integration in Austria, Norway and Switzerland: Book listing
-OECD Pensions Outlook 2012: Book listing
-International Migration Outlook 2012: Book listing

ENERGY

IEA urges governments to seize the opportunity to accelerate clean energy deployment in Tracking Clean Energy Progress: Press release | Report (PDF - 3.89 mb)

Slides on the impact of high prices on the global economy: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Hints today about tomorrow's gas: IEA Journal article

The third age of electric vehicles: IEA Journal article

Windpower: A business perspective: IEA Journal article

Forthcoming
-Medium-Term Oil and Gas Markets 2011
-Energy Policies of OECD Countries: United Kingdom 2011: Book listing
-Energy Policies of OECD Countries: Slovak Republic 2011
-Electricity Security and a Climate-constrained World

ENVIRONMENT

How “Green” are our children? Blog posting

Measuring the Environmental Performance of Metropolitan Areas with Geographic Information Sources: Working paper

Forthcoming
-OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Germany 2012: Book listing
-OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Slovenia 2012: Book listing

HEALTH

The high cost of diabetes: Press release

OECD Reviews of Health Care Quality: Korea 2012: Raising Standards. Print copies now available: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Forthcoming
--OECD Reviews of Health Systems: Russian Federation 2012: Book listing

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

Measuring the Impact of Innovations in Public IT Infrastructure on the Standard of Living in OECD Economies: OECD Digital Economy Paper

Information and Communication Technologies and Productivity Growth:  A Survey of the Literature: OECD Digital Economy Paper

Measuring the Broadband Bonus in Thirty OECD Countries: OECD Digital Economy Paper

NUCLEAR ENERGY

Nuclear Education and Training: From Concern to Capability: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

PUBLIC MANAGEMENT

A strong national urban strategy could drive resilient economic growth, says OECD Urban Policy Reviews, Korea 2012: Press release | Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

OECD Territorial Reviews: Chihuahua, Mexico 2012: Book on Online Bookshop Book on OECD iLibrary

Redefining Urban: A New Way of Measuring Metropolitan Areas: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary (PDF available now; print version to come soon!)

Institutional and Financial Relations across Levels of Government Print version now available: Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Measuring the Environmental Performance of Metropolitan Areas with Geographic Information Sources: Working paper

Forthcoming:
-Lobbyists, Governments and Public Trust, Volume 2: Promoting Integrity through Self-regulation: Book listing
-Working Smarter in Revenue Administration: Book listing
-Promoting Growth in All Regions: Book listing
-Industrial Policy and Territorial Development: Book listing
-OECD Integrity Review of Brazil: Managing Risks for a Cleaner Public Service: Book listing -Stocktaking of Business Integrity and Anti-Bribery Legislation, Policies and Practices in Twenty African Countries: Book listing
-Compact City Policies: A Comparative Assessment: Book listing
-OECD Territorial Review: Chicago Tri-State Metropolitan Region: Book listing
-Evaluating Laws and Regulations:The Case of the Chilean Chamber of Deputies: Book listing

SCIENCE , TECHNOLOGY & INDUSTRY

Credit crunch squeezing entrepreneurs and small businesses more than big firms, says Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs 2012: An OECD Scoreboard: Press release | Book announcement | Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

The Export Performance of Countries within Global Value Chains shows how imports of intermediates increasingly determine the export competitiveness of countries in final products: Working paper

International Comparative Evidence on Global Value Chains: Working paper

Forhcoming:
-Industrial Policy and Territorial Development: Book listing

SMEs & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Credit crunch squeezing entrepreneurs and small businesses more than big firms, says Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs 2012: An OECD Scoreboard: Press release | Book announcement | Book on Online Bookshop | Book on OECD iLibrary

Forthcoming
-Enterpreneurship at a Glance 2012

TAXATION

Forthcoming:
-Taxing Wages 2012: Book listing
-Working Smarter in Revenue Administration: Book listing
-Model Tax Convention on Income and on Capital 2010: Full Electronic Version (eMTC)
On USB Flash Memory Key: Listing
-Model Tax Convention on Income and Capital 2010: Full Version Book listing

TRADE

The Export Performance of Countries within Global Value Chains shows how imports of intermediates increasingly determine the export competitiveness of countries in final products: Working paper

International Comparative Evidence on Global Value Chains: Working paper

Export credit Country Risk Classification and the Multilateral/Regional Financial Institutions Risk Classification as of 30 March 2012 are available: Webpage

Monthly Export Credit Interest Rate Update: Website

TRANSPORTATION

Global database of bus transport systems launched: Press release

April 2012 ITF Newsletter: Newsletter (PDF - 29 kb)

Road Safety Annual Report 2011: Report (PDF - 8.71 mb)

Building the "Internet of things": Policy Brief

Forthcoming
-Trends in the Transport Sector 2012: Book listing

FROM THE OECD INSIGHTS BLOG

Learn languages and...
expand your own being (among a few other things
Dave Barry stated in 1991 that: “Americans who travel abroad for the first time are often shocked to discover that, despite all the progress that has been made in the last 30 years, many foreign people still speak in foreign languages”. Beyond the satires about universal ethnocentrism lies an essential issue. What is at stake when we learn non-native languages and why should we bother to learn languages at all? Read more

War or Peace in Heglig, South Sudan
The excitement in Juba when South-Sudan declared its independence in 2011 has given way to anxiety now that the two Sudans seem close to falling into the “conflict trap” where countries with recent experience of conflict are more likely to fall back into conflict. On April 10, the South Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) took control of Heglig, an oil town on the border between Sudan and South-Sudan. It is unclear whether this is another incident in a long series, or the spark that will explode the powder keg. But it is urgent to assess whether anything can be done to prevent a slide back to violent conflict. Read more

Bad, boring or bonkers? Science and policy making
French movie distributors insist on translating titles from English into er, English. Wild Things, for instance, becomes Sex Crimes. It’s even weirder when the original uses a word of French origin in the title. Triage with Colin Farrell becomes, for French audiences, Eyes of War. However, the French are not alone, as I learned on reading this article by Quentin Cooper on the BBC website. Quentin wonders why the latest Aardman film The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists has been rebranded as The Pirates! Band of Misfits in the US. Scientific issues are regularly sensationalised, trivialised, or misunderstood by the media, with basically three types of story: breakthrough, silly or scary. But could science do more than provide the knowledge needed to understand natural processes? A symposium organised by the Global Science Forum (GSF) at the OECD today explores new science-based tools for anticipating and responding to global crises. Read more