Also in this issue
Current trends - Ireland - Model for future EU acceding countries?
in: Wirtschaft im Wandel, No. 7, 2001
read publicationIWH Construction Industry Survey April 2001: Spring upswing starts from lower level
in: Wirtschaft im Wandel, No. 7, 2001
read publicationDiscussion of IWH theses on EU regional structural policy – Report on a Brussels Round Table on Regional Policy in Europe
in: Wirtschaft im Wandel, No. 7, 2001
Abstract
Mit der EU-Osterweiterung wird eine Reform der EU-Regionalpolitik erforderlich sein. Für Deutschland und vor allem für die neuen Länder hat dies erhebliche Bedeutung, weil Ostdeutschland derzeit als sogenannte Ziel-1-Region die höchste Förderpriorität genießt. Das IWH hat Thesen zur Regionalpolitik in Europa vorgelegt, die bei der Auftaktveranstaltung eines Brüsseler „Round Table on Regional Policy in Europe“ präsentiert und diskutiert wurden.
Productivity gap of East German industry: A summarizing evaluation
in: Wirtschaft im Wandel, No. 7, 2001
Abstract
Ten years after German unification labor productivity in the New Laender reaches only 70 per cent of West German levels. Further, in the second half of the 1990ies, convergence did not continue. Because productivity can be regarded as a key for wages, for competitiveness of firms and for future transfer payments, the reasons for low productivity in East Germany are of major importance. In this article, it is argued that the existing productivity gap reflects mainly structural differences between East and West Germany, that is the high share of small firms and the predominance of sectors with low value added per worker. Additionally, difficulties on product markets leading to insufficient selling prices are responsible for the comparative low productivity of East German firms. Differences in capital intensity or in human capital, however, do explain only a small part of the productivity gap.
Overall economic production in East Germany grows slightly despite international cyclical weakness
in: Wirtschaft im Wandel, No. 7, 2001
Abstract
The article deals with the economic development in East Germany up to the year 2002. It is shown the strong influence of the capacity adjustments in construction and state sectors on the economic growth. Moreover the article analyzes in detail the chances and problems of the sectors “manufacturing“ and “construction“ with productivity and unit labor costs playing the central part in restoring their competetiveness.