Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre (bis 2010)
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Publication Varieties of service economies in Europe(2012) DiMeglio, Gisela; Pyka, Andreas; Rubalcaba, LuisThis paper identifies the varieties and dynamics of service economies in Europe, analysing the role of knowledge base and innovative efforts and their evolution across time and countries. Results based on aggregated macroeconomic data indicate that there is no convergence trend towards a single service economy model. Moreover, different service economies models can be associated with institutional and welfare state diversity. When analysing a comprehensive set of indicators at a disaggregated level a more detailed pattern of service economies emerges. The structural composition of countries plays a prominent role, while heterogeneity is driven by uneven knowledge bases and innovative efforts.Publication Matching und Zeitarbeit : Theoretische Analysen zu den Auswirkungen der Leiharbeit auf den Arbeitsmarkt(2012) Pfleger, Stefan; Beißinger, ThomasSince 1990 temporary agency work has increased rapidly in most western countries. Despite that fact, the academic research about this trend is still at the beginning. This dissertation contributes to the theoretical field of research by investigating the effects of the existence of temporary work agencies on the labor market. Using different kinds of matching-models, the analysis focuses on the identification of the growth-determinants of temporary agency work and the various kinds of effects that temporary agency work can have on the performance of the labor market. Chapter 2 gives an overview about the phenomenon ?temporary agency work?, its legal framework in Germany and the motives of firms and individuals, which use the services of temporary work agencies. In addition, some data of the structure and development of temporary agency work in Germany is presented. An introduction into (standard) matching-models of the labor market is given in chapters 3 to 5. Afterwards, the traditional matching-framework is used to analyze the intermediation-function of temporary work agencies. In Chapter 6 to 8 a modification of the traditional matching-framework is made by explicitly incorporating temporary agency work as an additional labor market segment. By doing so, it is possible to analyze the interaction with other kinds of labor market institutions, such as employment protection. The model presented in Chapter 6 investigates whether the deregulation of temporary agency work has contributed to its rapid growth. Furthermore it is discussed under which circumstances the expansion of the temporary work sector leads to the growding-out of regular jobs. Afterwards, an empirical analysis examines the effects of the deregulation process on the growth of temporary agency work in Germany. Chapter 7 shows that there are also factors outside the temporary work sector that can explain its growing importance. The model developed in this chapter is used to analyze the effects of firing-costs on the temporary work sector. Furthermore it is asked which effects the existence of the temporary work sector has on labor market performance when the regular sector becomes more rigid. The model developed in chapter 8 analyzes the wage-effects of temporary work. Initially, the analysis focuses on the effects of a change of the wage-differential between regular and temporary agency work. Finaly it is shown what effects the growth of the agency work sector can have on the wages of temporary and regular workers.Publication Interest rate policy and supply-side adjustment dynamics(2010) Schmid, Kai Daniel; Kienzler, DanielIn contrast to the present consensus view of stabilization policy, theoretical and empirical research strongly support the consideration of supply-side adjustment to pronounced variations of factor-utilization in order to trace a more realistic pattern of macroeconomic adjustment dynamics within simulation studies. Against this background, our paper seeks to illuminate the relevance of endogenous supply-side adjustment for monetary policy research. We modify a basic New Keynesian model by explicitly considering demand-side stimulus on the evolution of productive capacity and analyze stability, impulse response, and welfare issues if the central bank follows a simple monetary policy rule. Thereby, we control for the robustness of our policy implications by various states of output gap mismeasurement the central bank might be confronted with. We find that, in contrast to a basic New Keynesian Model, output gap stabilization plays a more prominent role when potential output is endogenous.Publication Does downward nominal wage rigidity dampen wage increases?(2010) Beißinger, Thomas; Stüber, HeikoFocusing on the compression of wage cuts, many empirical studies find a high degree of downward nominal wage rigidity (DNWR). However, the resulting macroeconomic effects seem to be surprisingly weak. This contradiction can be explained within an intertemporal framework in which DNWR not only prevents nominal wage cuts but also induces firms to compress wage increases. We analyze whether a compression of wage increases occurs when DNWR is binding by applying Unconditional Quantile Regression and Seemingly Unrelated Regression to a data set comprising more than 169 million wage changes. We find evidence for a compression of wage increases and only very small effects of DNWR on average real wage growth. The results indicate that DNWR does not provide a strong argument against low inflation targets.Publication Real wages and the business cycle in Germany(2010) Beißinger, Thomas; Marczak, MartynaThis paper establishes stylized facts about the cyclicality of real consumer wages and real producer wages in Germany. As detrending methods we apply the deterministic trend model, the Beveridge-Nelson decomposition, the Hodrick-Prescott filter, the Baxter-King filter and the structural time series model. The detrended data are analyzed both in the time domain and in the frequency domain. The great advantage of an analysis in the frequency domain is that it allows to assess the relative importance of particular frequencies for the behavior of real wages. In the time domain we find that both real wages display a procyclical pattern and lag behind the business cycle. In the frequency domain the consumer real wage lags behind the business cycle and shows an anticyclical behavior for shorter time periods, whereas for longer time spans a procyclical behavior can be observed. However, for the producer real wage the results in the frequency domain remain inconclusive.Publication Die Verbreitung neuer Technologien am Beispiel von Biokraftstoffen in Deutschland(2010) Benignus, Isabell; Ahlheim, MichaelBy now, Biofuels became an inherent part of the German strategy to fulfil the climate targets of the Kyoto protocol as well as the reduction of the high dependency of power supply from foreign countries. However, Biofuels will only be able to deploy a material effect if their market share increases significantly over the next few years. In Germany, the market share of biofuels is still below ten percent. From a global view the market share is even smaller. The diffusion of biofuels is a problem of the diffusion of new technologies, which covers both the demand side and the production technologies of the supply side. The intention of the work is the analysis of the diffusion of biofuels from a political-economical point of view. The substantial theoretical results of the economic diffusion research are clarified using a neoclassical model and illustrated using the example of the German biofuels market. The work shall contribute to the ongoing discussion on the promotion of biofuels. Accordingly, the focus of the work is application-oriented. The three focal points of the work are: 1. Identification of relevant diffusion constraints of biofuels and analysis of their effects by means of a neoclassical diffusion model. 2. Analysis of the eligibility for support of biofuels. A special focus lies on the question of suitability of different promotion instruments. 3. Empirical examination of the diffusion effect of selected national promotion instruments on the German biodiesel market. A special focus lies on the most important instrument for the promotion of biodiesel: (partial) the energy tax exemption for biodiesel in Germany.Publication Asset prices, inflation and monetary control : re-inventing money as a policy tool(2010) Spahn, PeterLow inflation on goods markets provides no reliable precondition for asset-market stability; it might even promote the emergence of bubbles because interest rates and risk premia appear to be low. A further factor driving asset demand is easy availability of credit, which in turn roots in the banking system operating in a regime of endogenous central-bank money. A comparison of Bundesbank and ECB policies suggests that credit growth can be controlled more efficiently if rising interest rates are accompanied by some liquidity squeeze that supports the spillover of a monetary restriction to capital markets. The announcement effect of a central bank Charter including the goal of financial-market stability helps to deter private agents from excessive asset trading.Publication Geographic concentration and spatial inequality : two decades of EPO patenting at the level of European micro regions(2010) Christ, Julian P.This paper contributes with empirical findings to the research on structural inequality and geographic concentration of European inventorship activity at the level of European micro regions. We analyze the spatial structure and dynamics of 43 technology fields (ISI-SPRU-OST concordance) and 6 high-technology fields based on data on EPO patent applications and EPO inventors for the reference period 1977-2004. Based upon OECD RegPAT database (January 2009), we extract EPO patent applications (fractional counting) and inventor IDs (full counting), which are spatially linked to 819 European micro regions (OECD TL3), covering the EU-25, Switzerland and Norway. Besides standard descriptives, we compute Herfindahl-Hirschman indices, location quotients and weighted locational and spatial GINI coefficients. We confirm the hypotheses that (i) the technology fields under analysis differ in their overall size with respect to the stock of EPO patent applications and inventors; (ii) the share of regions with LQ > 1 has decreased compared to the share of regions with at least a single patent application; (iii) the sample of European regions is characterized by highly concentrated and unequally distributed technology fields; (iv) spatial inequality of EPO patenting and inventor location has decreased significantly within the last two decades for most technology fields. In this respect, our quantitative approach clearly depicts dispersion tendencies and decreasing inequality, although structural dynamics differ between technology fields.Publication Medium-run macrodynamics and the consensus view of stabilization policy(2010) Schmid, Kai DanielPolicy implications of the present consensus view of stabilization policy depend on specific assumptions with regard to the equilibrium level of production. Thereby, the interpretation of equilibrium output rests on a separation of supply-side and demandside adjustment to macroeconomic shocks promoting a dichotomy of short-term and long-term macrodynamics. In contrast to this, there are several channels that promote procyclical stimulus of aggregate demand and a changing factor utilization to the accumulation and efficiency of an economy?s productive capacity. Medium-run macrodynamics call for a rather endogenous explanation of production capacity and challenge the uniqueness of long-term equilibria.Publication Langfristige Neutralität der Geldpolitik?(2010) Schmid, Kai Daniel; Spahn, PeterMacroeconomic theory often strictly separates cyclical analysis from trend analysis. Whereas the former is identified as the short-run phenomenon of a varying capacity utilization, the latter is understood as the long-run problem of economic growth that predominantly focuses on the evolution of basic growth factors, such as the supply of labour and technical progress, and disregards problems of macroeconomic stability. In particular, the consequences of monetary policy actions are modeled nonneutral in the short run but neutral in the long run. Policy implications of the present consensus view of stabilization policy depend on specific assumptions with regard to the equilibrium level of production. Thereby, the interpretation of equilibrium output rests on a separation of supply-side and demand-side adjustment to macroeconomic shocks promoting a dichotomy of short-term and long-term macrodynamics. For the present consensus model of macroeconomic stabilization policy this dichotomy represents one of the basic conceptual features. As non-neutrality is limited to the short run - interest rate policy affects aggregate demand and enables the central bank to target inflation - the system does not face a trade-off between real and nominal variables in the long run. The possibility that monetary policy actions may induce real effects that exceed short-term dynamics has been rarely discussed in mainstream economic literature and consequently has gained little attention in the discussion of monetary policy?s stabilization strategies. However, such a strict separation between short-term (generally associated with demand-side) and long-term (supply-side) macrodynamics not only provokes concern from the stance of basic insights of the theories of economic growth. Rather one has to argue that significant changes of capacity utilization that last over several periods may induce procyclical supply-side adjustments. For this reason, several economists raise severe concerns with regard to the corresponding model-setups described above. In fact, the (over-)simplification of an extensively exogenous evolution of productive capacity on the one hand and the mechanisms of procyclical adjustment of production factors on the other hand reveal a strong macrotheoretical tension. There are several channels that promote procyclical stimulus of aggregate demand and a changing factor utilization to the accumulation and efficiency of an economy?s productive capacity. Changing investment dynamics not only lead to quantitative adjustments of the capital stock, but also stimulate multifactor productivity through technical progress. Moreover, unemployment may forward the emergence of long-term unemployment and reduce the effective supply of labor by mechanisms of labor market hysteresis. This clearly weakens the conventional agreement of a trend-cycle-dichotomy which still plays a central role within the context of models that are used for stabilization analysis. Moreover, the theoretical considerations are supported by empirical findings that provide strong clues for procyclical evolution of productive capacity. Against the background of asymmetric factor utilization due to nominal divergence and the resulting differences in real interest rates EMU-members reflect clear differences with regard to the utilization and accumulation of production factors. As alternating stimuli of aggregate demand and supply support the view that the long-term development of an economy cannot be understood without its short-term outcomes, stabilization policy that is supposed to be nonneutral in the short run will exhibit long-term effects with regard to output and employment. The impact of a changing factor utilization on the accumulation and efficiency of production factors motivates path dependency and the existence of multiple equilibria. As cyclical movements of aggregate demand play a decisive role for the evolution of an economy?s productive capacity stability and uniqueness of long-term equlibria as a system?s point of return become uncertain. In particular, output gaps close not only via the shift of aggregate demand but also due to the procyclical adjustment of potential output. Although there seem to be strong arguments in favor of procyclical adjustment of potential capacity to variations in aggregate demand, monetary policy may not frivolously exploit supply?s elasticity for expansionary stimulus. This is not only due to the fact that supply-side adjustment limits itself to certain ranges but also the evolution of inflation expectations may reduce the reflationary scope. On the other hand, the long-term costs of pronounced underutilization highlight the asymmetric quality of stabilization impulses that seem to be disregarded within ordinary loss functions.Publication Standard-setting and knowledge dynamics in innovation clusters(2009) Christ, Julian P.; Slowak, André P.Extensive research has been conducted on how firms and regions take advantage of spatially concentrated assets, and also why history matters to regional specialisation patterns. In brief, it seems that innovation clusters as a distinctive regional entity in international business and the geography of innovation are of increasing importance in STI policy, innovation systems and competitiveness studies. Recently, more and more research has contributed to an evolutionary perspective on collaboration in clusters. Nonetheless, the field of cluster or regional innovation systems remains a multidisciplinary field where the sate of the art is determined by the individual perspective (key concepts could, for example, be industrial districts, innovative clusters with reference to OECD, regional knowledge production, milieus & sticky knowledge, regional lock-ins & path dependencies, learning regions or sectoral innovation systems). According to our analysis, the research gap lies in both quantitative. comparative surveys and in-depth concepts of knowledge dynamics and cluster evolution. Therefore this paper emphasises the unchallenged in-depth characteristics of knowledge utilisation within a cluster's collaborative innovation activities. More precisely, it deals with knowledge dynamics in terms of matching different agents' knowledge stocks via knowledge flows, common technology specification (standard-setting), and knowledge spillovers. The means of open innovation and system boundaries for spatially concentrated agents in terms of knowledge opportunities and the capabilities of each agent await clarification. Therefore, our study conceptualises the interplay between firm- and cluster-level activities and externalities for knowledge accumulation but also for the specification of technology. It remains particularly unclear how, why and by whom knowledge is aligned and ascribed to a specific sectoral innovation system. Empirically, this study contributes with several descriptive calculations of indices, e.g. knowledge stocks, GINI coefficients, Herfindahl indices, and Revealed Patent Advantage (RPA). which clearly underline a high spatial concentration of both mechanical engineering and biotechnology within a European NUTS2 sample for the last two decades. Conceptually, our paper matches the geography of innovation literature, innovation system theory, and new ideas related to the economics of standards. Therefore. it sheds light on the interplay between knowledge flows and externalities of cluster-specific populations and the agents' use of such knowledge, which is concentrated in space. We find that knowledge creation and standard-setting are cross-fertilising each other: although the spatial concentration of assets and high-skilled labour provides new opportunities to the firm, each firm's knowledge stocks need to be contextualised. The context in terms of 'use case' and 'knowledge biography' makes technologies (as represented in knowledge stocks) available for collaboration, but also clarifies relevance and ownership, in particular intellectual property concerns. Owing to this approach we propose a conceptualisation which contains both areas with inter- and intra-cluster focus. This proposal additionally concludes that spatial and technological proximity benefits standard-setting in high-tech and low-tech industries in very different ways. More precisely, the versatile tension between knowledge stocks, their evolution. and technical specification & implementation requires the conceptualisation and analysis of a non-linear process of standard-setting. Particularly, the use case of technologies is essential. Related to this approach, clusters strongly support the establishment of technology use cases in embryonic high-tech industries. Low-tech industries in contrast rather depend on approved knowledge stocks, whose dynamics provide better and fast accessible knowledge inputs within low-tech clusters.Publication Beschäftigungswirkungen der Internationalisierung : eine Studie aus- und einfließender Direktinvestitionen der Metall- und Elektroindustrie im Raum Stuttgart(1998) Holwegler, Bernhard; Trautwein, Hans-Michael-Publication Capital shortage unemployment in Germany and the UK(1998) Arestis, Philip; Biefang-Frisancho Mariscal, Iris; Hagemann, Harald-Publication Publication Dienstleistungen: Motor für Wachstum und Beschäftigung in Deutschland?(1999) Krämer, HagenDer Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit der Bedeutung, die die unternehmensbezogenen Dienstleistungen für die Wirtschaft und die Beschäftigung in Deutschland haben. Dienstleistungsunternehmen, die Vorleistungen für andere Unternehmen erstellen, zeichneten sich bereits in der Vergangenheit durch eine hohe Dynamik aus. Statistisch zugeordnet werden die unternehmensbezogenen Dienstleistungen dem Sektor Sonstige Dienstleistungsunternehmen, über den kaum disaggregierte Daten vorliegen. In dieser Arbeit wird das vorhandene Material aufbereitet und dargestellt. Außerdem werden die Entwicklungsperspektiven der Branchen der Sonstigen Dienstleistungen diskutiert. Entscheidende Gründe, die zum generellen Bedeutungsgewinn von Dienstleistungen beitragen werden, sind die erwarteten Veränderungen auf der Nachfrage- und der Angebotsseite. Dazu gehören unter anderem die Veränderungen der Produktions- und Vorleistungsstrukturen, die zunehmende Produktkomplexität, veränderte Kundenwünsche und der Trend zur Globalisierung. Hinzu kommen der technische Fortschritt im Bereich der Informationsund Kommunikationstechnologien und die weiteren Verbesserungen der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Rahmenbedingungen. Diese Faktoren lassen einen kräftigen Nachfrageschub zugunsten der unternehmensbezogenen Dienstleistungen erwarten und gestalten insbesondere die Perspektiven für unternehmensbezogenen Dienstleistungen in Deutschland weiterhin positiv.Publication Lohnbildung und Beschäftigung(1999) Kromphardt, JürgenBei der Wahl dieses Titels schimmert die ebenso alte wie weit verbreitete These durch, derzufolge das Beschäftigungsniveau und damit die Arbeitslosigkeit wesentlich von der Lohnhöhe bestimmt seien. Der Titel trägt aber der Tatsache Rechnung, daß in den kontinentaleuropäischen Volkswirtschaften das Nominallohnniveau überwiegend in kollektiven Tarifverhandlungen vereinbart wird; das Reallohnniveau ist allerdings das Ergebnis der Gütermarktprozesse. Diese Tatsache wird in der modernen Arbeitsmarktökonomie berücksichtigt. Dies zeigt sich z.B. daran, daß W. Franz, der führende deutsche Arbeitsmarktökonom, für das ?Ottobeurer Seminar? 1995 über ?Arbeitslosigkeit und die Möglichkeiten ihrer Überwindung? ein theoretisches Referenzmodell für die Arbeitsmarktanalyse vorgestellt hat, das von unvollständiger Konkurrenz auf den Güter- und Arbeitsmärkten ausgeht. Damit läßt W. Franz das alte neoklassische Grundmodell des Arbeitsmarktes hinter sich, das für vollständige Konkurrenz und für einen dominierenden (oder allein relevanten) Substitutionseffekt beim Arbeitsangebot den Arbeitsmarkt durch zwei sich kreuzende Kurven für Arbeitsangebot und -nachfrage wiedergibt, die dem Bild für den Markt eines einzelnen Gutes entsprechen und damit dem ?Totem der Mikros? gemäß Leijonhufvuds ?Life among the Econ? (1981, S. 353). Dieses Referenzmodell will ich Ihnen im 1. Abschnitt präsentieren (und dabei seine inkonsistente Interpretation durch W. Franz kritisieren) und im 2. Abschnitt durch Überlegungen zum Gewerkschaftsverhalten ergänzen. Der 3. und 4. Abschnitt befaßt sich mit Problemen und Ergebnissen empirischer Untersuchungen. Die Abschnitte 5 und 6 kritisieren zwei Autorengruppen, die diese Ergebnisse zur Kenntnis zu nehmen zu vermeiden trachten.Publication Lohnzurückhaltung, Beschäftigung und (zu) einfache empirische Zusammenhänge(1999) Franke, ReinerPublication Beschäftigungspolitik in Österreich(1999) Walterskirchen, EwaldPublication