On the Economic Architecture of the Workplace: Repercussions of Social Comparisons among Heterogeneous Workers
Oded Stark, Walter Hyll
Journal of Labor Economics,
No. 2,
2011
Abstract
We analyze the impact on a firm’s profits and optimal wage rates, and on the distribution of workers’ earnings, when workers compare their earnings with those of co-workers. We consider a low-productivity worker who receives lower wage earnings than a high-productivity worker. When the low-productivity worker derives (dis)utility not only from his own effort but also from comparing his earnings with those of the high-productivity worker, his response to the sensing of relative deprivation is to increase the optimal level of effort. Consequently, the firm’s profits are higher, its wage rates remain unchanged, and the distribution of earnings is compressed.
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Stochastic Income Statement Planning as a Basis for Risk Assessment in the Context of Emissions Trading
Henry Dannenberg, Wilfried Ehrenfeld
Greenhouse Gas Measurement and Management,
No. 1,
2011
Abstract
The introduction of the European emissions trading system means that those enterprises taking part have a new planning risk factor to consider – emissions allowance prices. In this article, we analyse how risk emerging from emissions trading can be considered in the stochastic income statement planning of corporations. Therefore, we explore which planned figures are affected by emissions trading. Moreover, we show an approach that models these positions in a planned profit and loss account, taking into account uncertainties and dependencies. Consequently, this model provides a basis for risk assessment and investment decisions in the uncertain environment of emissions trading.
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Conference Report : Analyses and Policies for East Germany – Research Results from the IWH
B. Damm, Jutta Günther
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 2,
2011
Abstract
On November 18th, 2010, the conference “Analyses and Policies for East Germany“ took place for the 4th time. IWH’s objective as the host of the conference was to present and discuss current research and, based on that, to provide some political consulting. The meeting dealt with possible paths of economic development of East Germany after the global financial crisis and how political objectives will influence the region. After presenting a general overview of the current situation, speakers also covered specific topics. Among these issues were: the co-operation between private companies and academic science in the field of photovoltaics, the demographic situation as well as potentials due to immigration to the region, the long-term results of the new administrative order of East German cities, and the necessity to overcome the current high-debt situation of the East German Länder.
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Metropolitan Area „Central Germany“: How Strong are the Commuting Flows between the Cities?
Albrecht Kauffmann
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 2,
2011
Abstract
The metropolitan area „Central Germany“ is an institutional agreement on co-operation between the bigger cities of the German Länder Saxonia, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. It is one of now eleven “European Metropolitan Areas” acknowledged by the Conference of German Ministers for Spatial Planning. In the face of the multitude of cities and the large distances between the cities at the fringe and the geographical centre of the metropolitan area “Central Germany” should be regarded as a very special case. Another peculiarity is that the hinterland of the metropolitan area has not yet been delineated. The paper analyses the networking interrelations between the eleven cities on the basis of commuting flows. Additionally, proposals for the delimitation of this metropolitan area as a polycentric functional urban area are suggested for the first time. The investigation yields that network connectivity between the cities that have shaped the former metropolitan area “Halle/Leipzig-Saxonian Triangle”, as well as the Thuringian cities is much more intensive than the commuting flows between these subareas that are well connected from history. As a functional area, the metropolitan area “Central Germany” would have a very large hinterland, but its population density would be rather small, and it would interact only with the nearest regional centres. One can conclude that the preconditions for successful cooperation are better for adjacent cities which collaboration has already a long tradition.
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Political Institutionalisation and Economic Specialisation in Polycentric Metropolitan Regions – The Case of the East German ‚Saxony Triangle‘
Peter Franz, Christoph Hornych
Urban Studies,
2010
Abstract
The rising focus of politicians as well as scientists in the EU on the large urban agglomerations as centres of economic growth is accompanied by political efforts to identify and to demarcate such agglomerations under the label ‘metropolitan regions’. This study develops a theoretical framework broaching the issue of cooperation between municipalities from the perspective of regional economics as well as political science. The framework is applied to the empirical case of the polycentric metropolitan region of the ‘Saxony triangle’ in east Germany. The results show that various intervening factors prevent intense co-operation between the actors in the region. Policy implications and conclusions for future research are discussed.
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Analyzing Innovation Drivers in the German Laser Industry: the Role of Positioning in the Social and Geographical Space
Muhamed Kudic, Peter Bönisch, Iciar Dominguez Lacasa
Abstract
Empirical and theoretical contributions provide strong evidence that firm-level performance outcomes in terms of innovativeness can either be determined by the firm’s position in the social space (network effects) or by the firm’s position in the geographical space (co-location effects). Even though we can observe quite recently first attempts in bringing together these traditionally distinct research streams (Whittington et al. 2009), research on interdependent network and geographical co-location effects is still rare. Consequently, we seek to answer the following research question: considering that the effects of social and geographic proximity on firm’s innovativeness can be interdependent, what are the distinct and combined effects of firm’s network and geographic position on firm-level innovation output? We analyze the innovative performance of German laser source manufacturers between 1995 and 2007. We use an official database on publicly funded R&D collaboration projects in order to construct yearly networks and analyze firm’s network positions. Based on information on population entries and exits we calculate various types of geographical proximity measures between private sector and public research organizations (PRO). We use patent grants as dependent variable in order to measure firm-level innovation output. Empirical results provide evidence for distinct effect of network degree centrality. Distinct effect of firm’s geographical co-location to laser-related public research organization promotes patenting activity. Results on combined network and co-location effects confirms partially the existence of in-terdependent proximity effects, even though a closer look at these effects reveals some ambiguous but quite interesting findings.
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On the Determinants of the Cooperative Behavior of Firms in the German Photovoltaic Industry
Christoph Hornych, Matthias Brachert
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 20,
2010
Abstract
The article examines the determinants of the number of cooperation partners and the share of regional cooperations of firms in the German photovoltaic industry. Based on an overview about possible effects of the cooperation of firms with partners inside and outside their region, we derive hypotheses on the relationship between both firm-specific and region-specific variables and the cooperative behavior of firms. The hypotheses are tested with regression models using a data set of 178 firms of the German photovoltaic industry. The results show that in particular large firms and firms with a high absorptive capacity have significantly more co-operation partners. Furthermore, firms cooperate within their region especially when a large number of potential partners are located in the same region. Regarding foreign-owned firms, the results show that these firms tend to cooperate in particular with partners, inside the region where they are located.
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Klimarisikomanagement mit dem CO2-Navigator
Edeltraud Günther, C. Manthey, G. Weber, M. Nowack, Wilfried Ehrenfeld, Henry Dannenberg
HMD - Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik,
2010
Abstract
Die Software CO2-Navigator wendet den Realoptionsansatz und den Risikomanagementprozess auf den unternehmerischen Umgang mit dem Klimawandel an. Er richtet sich in erster Linie an emissionsintensive, kleine und mittlere Unternehmen ist jedoch auch in größeren Unternehmen, die beispielsweise eine eigene „Sustainability“-Abteilung unterhalten, anwendbar. Der Wertbeitrag des Softwaretools besteht darin, dass es die Aspekte Klimastrategie, quantitative Bewertung von Klimaschutzinvestitionen sowie Emissionsrechtemanagement vereint. Es kann im Unternehmen in Bereichen strategisches Management, regulatorisches Management, Energie- und Umweltmanagement, Technologiemanagement sowie Controlling Anwendung finden. Der spezielle Wertbeitrag dieses Artikels liegt in der Verknüpfung von Klimarisikomanagement und Realoptionsansatz sowie in der Darstellung des CO2-NAVIGATORs vor dem Hintergrund seiner Entwicklung im Sinne konstruktionsorientierter Forschung.
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04.06.2010 • 30/2010
Gemeinschaftsdiagnose: IWH-Forscher weiter im Kreis der führenden Konjunkturexperten
Das Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH) wird auch in den kommenden drei Jahren an dem gemeinsamen Konjunkturgutachten der Wirtschaftsforschungsinstitute für die Bundesregierung mitarbeiten. Am Donnerstag verkündete das Bundeswirtschaftsministerium die Entscheidung zugunsten der Bietergemeinschaft des IWH mit dem neuen Partner, der Kiel Economics Research & Forecasting GmbH & Co. KG. Ebenfalls beteiligt sind das ifo Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung e. V. an der Universität München gemeinsam mit der Konjunkturforschungsstelle an der ETH Zürich KOF, das Institut für Weltwirtschaft an der Universität Kiel gemeinsam mit dem Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung GmbH Mannheim und das Rheinisch-Westfälische Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung e. V. Essen mit dem Institut für Höhere Studien Wien.
Oliver Holtemöller
Im Fokus: Der lange Weg zur Energieeffizienz von Immobilien – Ergebnisse des ista-IWH-Energieeffizienzindex
Claus Michelsen
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 3,
2010
Abstract
Die Diskussion um eine effektive Politik zur Minderung des CO2-Ausstoßes konzentriert sich schon seit geraumer Zeit auf private Haushalte, deren Energiebedarf ungefähr 25,7% des gesamten Verbrauchs Deutschlands ausmacht. Davon entfallen rund 72% auf Raumwärme, was insbesondere eine Politik für mehr Energieeffizienz im Immobilienbestand nahelegt. Diese hat seit Ende des vergangenen Jahrhunderts auch eine politisch deutlich höhere Wertschätzung erfahren. Zahlreiche Initiativen und Fördermöglichkeiten waren seither darauf angelegt, neben den bestehenden baurechtlichen Regelungen für eine Verbesserung energetischer Standards von Immobilien zu sorgen. Tatsächlich sprechen verschiedene Kennzahlen für einen sinkenden Energieverbrauch privater Haushalte, insbesondere bei der Heizenergie. Der vorliegende Beitrag präsentiert in diesem Zusammenhang neue Erkenntnisse hinsichtlich regionaler
Entwicklungen des Heizenergiebedarfs von Mehrfamilienhäusern.
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