The Google driverless car hits the road

The first prototype autonomous car designed entirely by Google begins its road tests.

Poverty in Haiti: Situation, Causes and exit policies

Introduction Haiti is nearly a century known as the poorest country in the Americas. Having gained independence in difficult conditions in the early nineteenth century, the Haitian population lived until the late 60s and in a predominantly agricultural economy based on small peasant exploitation of low productivity. The urban economy has remained stunted and trade-related, low volume, value and relative share of gross domestic product. the modernization of testing began in the early 70s has not given the desired results, industrialization having remained relatively low, slowed in part by an agriculture that has been unable to meet urban demand. Internal migration contributed the other hand, in this context feeding a bloated urban informal sector and very little capitalized. The extensive type of growth experienced by the country has not allowed a significant increase in average incomes and poverty rates remained very high. The permanence of this situation requires that analysts will pay close attention. The following report aims to: Take stock realistically on the measurement and Depth of poverty and its evolution after 1985 to analyze the root causes of mass poverty and the reasons for its maintenance and its reproduction over the last twenty years. Shed light on the methods of acquisition or the determinants of income, as well as the behavior and determinants of consumption of poor households, compared with those of non-poor households. To offer some original tracks that can help guide the necessary reorientation of behavior, actions and interventions by policy makers, private and international in the field of corporate governance and the fight against poverty in particular.

economic crisis and work to suffering

Relocation, site closures, staff reductions ... Restructuring is common in times of crisis. With what impact on the health of employees who suffer? "The work stress phenomenon appeared in the 1970s, during which we saw take place great changes in work environments. We thought less difficult with the development of machines and computers, but it has seen new psychological stress, says psychiatrist Patrick Légeron, founder of Stimulus firm and co-author of the report on psychosocial risks given to labor minister March 2008. in the decades that followed, the work stress evolution was not parallel to that crisis. We can not say that the stress problem is entirely related crises and the economic environment. "However, it mentions a study (1) that highlights a parallel between deepening economic crisis and rising number of suicides in Greece and several European countries:" There is a simultaneity, but can we speak of causality ? The issue is complex and would require further research, "cautions the psychiatrist.
The survivor syndrome
If the increase in suicides in Europe can not be correlated with certainty to the worsening economic situation, a 2009 report by the European Expert Group HIRES (2) nevertheless endeavors to study the consequences of plans dismissal on the health of employees. The authors distinguish two populations: the employees who lose their jobs and those who remain in the company, dubbed "survivors" or "survivors". But if the health effects of job loss is the subject of an abundant literature, few studies have been devoted to these "survivors". The choice of the term is not trivial. It refers to the survivor syndrome, which refers to the original post-traumatic stress experienced by survivors of extreme situations (natural disasters, accidents, wars ...), affected by various psychological disorders: anxiety, flashbacks, sleep disorders , difficulty concentrating ... If the comparison has its limits, it remains that the dismissal of a colleague is often experienced as a shock. The survivor of a redundancy plan may experience feelings of guilt ( "Why did this happen to others and not to me?"), Uncertainty about the future ( "Will I be next on the list? "), plus the need to adapt to a new environment or even an intensification of work:" the survivors have to endure considerable stress levels because they are subject to new requirements, new tasks requiring different routine, and increased job insecurity, reads the report of the HIRES. The mere fear of losing his job can cause distress that is no less real than that experienced during an actual dismissal. "

the wealth

At the country level, the concept of wealth means all goods and services produced by businesses and governments. At individual level, it is synonymous with abundance of cash income and property. But it has not always been so.

Who questioned today about what wealth?
An influential part of economic science has gradually imposed its definition: when leaning against the GDP, "wealth" would all goods and services produced by businesses and governments.
Yet this apparent evidence is the result of conventions that have been established by men of another age and needs of another time.