How to Make a City Attractive for Knowledge-Intensive Firms? – The Formation and Stagnation of Media Industry in the Old Industrial Region of Halle (Germany)
Christoph Hornych, Martin T. W. Rosenfeld
The Regeneration of Image in Old Industrial Regions: Agents of Change and Changing Agents. Mönchengladbacher Schriften zur wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Praxis, Bd. 22,
2009
Abstract
In many regions with development problems, which had – in the past – been the domain of traditional industries, policymakers are trying today to stimulate entrepreneurial activities in knowledge-intensive and creative industries. The question is whether this strategy could really be successful. This paper reports on a case-study for the region of Halle an der Saale, which is located in the state of Saxony-Anhalt (East Germany), where the strategy of policymakers has recently been the attempt to support firms from Media Industry (“MI”).
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Industry Concentration and Regional Innovative Performance – Empirical Evidence for Eastern Germany
Christoph Hornych, Michael Schwartz
Post-Communist Economies,
2009
Abstract
Regarding technological innovativeness, the transformed economy of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) clearly lags behind the western part of the country. To face this weakness a broad mixture of policy measures was carried out in recent years. Particular attention is drawn to the development of industry concentrations and economic ‘clusters’. However, little is known about the effectiveness of these policy measures regarding how industry concentrations in fact promote innovative performance in Eastern Germany. The present study tries to fill this gap by analysing the relationship between industry concentration in Eastern Germany and regional innovative performance. Our empirical analysis is based upon the number of patent applications of 22 manufacturing industries in 22 Eastern German planning regions. The estimated regression models indicate an inverted-U relationship between the degree of industry concentration and innovative performance. An exceedingly high degree of industry concentration in one region hampers regional innovative output. We discuss policy implications of our findings and give recommendations for future refinement of ‘cluster’-supporting policy schemes in Eastern Germany.
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IWH-Industrieumfrage im November 2009: Deutliche Stimmungsaufhellung
Cornelia Lang
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 12,
2009
Abstract
Im Verarbeitenden Gewerbe Ostdeutschlands hat sich das Geschäftsklima spürbar erwärmt, wie die Ergebnisse der IWH-Industrieumfrage vom November unter rund 300 Unternehmen zeigen. Die Unternehmen bewerten sowohl ihre Geschäftslage als auch ihre Geschäftsaussichten besser als noch im September: Der Saldo aus positiven und negativen Bewertungen ist in beiden Fällen seitdem deutlich angestiegen, und zwar um zehn Punkte bei der Lagebewertung und um zwölf Saldenpunkte bei den Erwartungen für die nächsten sechs Monate.
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Urban Growth in Germany – The Impact of Localization and Urbanization Economies
Christoph Hornych, Michael Schwartz, Annette Illy, Martin T. W. Rosenfeld
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 19,
2009
Abstract
This study examines the impact of localization and urbanization economies as well as the impact of city size on urban growth in German cities from 2003 to 2007. Although, from a theoretical perspective, agglomeration economies are supposed to have positive impacts on regional growth, prior empirical studies do not show consistent results. Especially little is known about agglomeration economies in Germany, where interregional support policy and the characteristics of the federal system are further determinants of urban growth. The results of the econometric analysis show a U-shaped relationship between specialization and urban growth, which particularly holds for manufacturing industries. We do not find evidence for the impact of Jacobs-externalities; however, city size shows a positive (but decreasing) effect on urban growth.
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Deutsche Einheit – ein wirtschaftlicher Gewinn
Ulrich Blum
MUT – Zeitschrift für Kultur,
2009
Abstract
20 years after the fall of the wall the interest in the evaluation of the economic development of Germany after unification has increased. The article shows that from a Western German perspective, unification generated large gains because in an expending fail of economic development highly qualified personal from East Germany could be attracted and triggered growth in the West. This also generated a modernization of industry. The perspective on the Eastern side is more mixed. After a first transitory face, an ultra-modern industry has emerged, but gaps in the headquarter functions still exist. They can only be closed within a context of a new technology cycle. From the perspective of unified Germany, the high transfers of 1.3 trillion Euros in the last 20 years, dominantly used for stabilizing social security systems in the East, could mostly be faced out of unification-related additional economic performance in West Germany.
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02.12.2009 • 72/2009
Internationale Klimapolitik: Einhaltung des 2°C-Ziels setzt internationale Kooperation von Industrie- und Entwicklungsländern voraus
Zur Reduzierung der weltweiten Treibhausgasemissionen, die die globale Erwärmung verantworten, ist die internationale Kooperation zwingend notwendig. Künftig sind verstärkt Entwicklungsländer in internationale Klimaabkommen einzubeziehen, da insbesondere in ökonomisch sich rasch entwickelnden Schwellenländern Emissionen derzeit stark anwachsen. Um die Beteiligung an Abkommen zur drastischen Minderung des CO2-Ausstoßes zu gewährleisten, sind Anreizsysteme unerlässlich. Eine Studie des Instituts für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH), die am kommenden Mittwoch veröffentlicht wird, geht vor dem Hintergrund der vom 7. bis 18. Dezember 2009 in Kopenhagen stattfindenden Klimakonferenz ökonomischen Steuerungsinstrumenten nach, die es bedarf, um CO2-Emissionen zu mindern und damit einen Anstieg der globalen Erwärmung um mehr als 2°C zu vermeiden.
Warum exportiert der Osten so wenig? Eine empirische Analyse der Exportaktivitäten deutscher Bundesländer
Götz Zeddies
AStA - Wirtschafts- und Sozialstatistisches Archiv,
No. 4,
2009
Abstract
In the aftermath of re-unification, East German exports declined around 70% due to the breakdown of COMECON trade. Although since the mid-1990s export growth rates of the New Federal States were higher than those of their West German counterparts, export performance of East German States measured by the share of exports in GDP is still comparatively poor. Whereas for a long time the low export performance of East German producers was ascribed to competitive disadvantages, in the meantime structural deficits on the micro and/or macro level are often considered as the main reason. Using bilateral trade data of German Federal States, the present paper shows on the basis of an orthodox gravity model of trade that East German exports are explicitly lower than predicted by the model. But if the gravity model is augmented by additional variables representing structural differences between Federal States, the latter explain almost entirely the lower export performance of Eastern Germany. Thus, especially the smaller firm sizes and the lower shares of manufacturing industries in gross value added are identified as important explanatory factors of the comparatively weak export performance of the New German States.
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A Panel Data Analysis on China's Intra-Industry Trade in the Capital Goods Sector
Yiping Zhu
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 18,
2009
Abstract
This paper adopts the Hausman-Taylor 2SLS error components approach in estimating the determinants of China's Intra-Industry Trade (IIT) in the capital goods sector with its 26 partner countries. It disaggregates IIT into horizontal IIT (HIIT) and vertical IIT (VIIT). Capital goods final products and intermediates are separately estimated in order to reveal the differentiated trade patterns. It finds that economic similarity is very significantly negatively correlated with the intermediates IIT, but to a less extent correlated with the final products IIT. Factor endowment is of no significance in determining IIT in the intermediates, although it is significantly positively correlated with the final products IIT. Economic size is significantly negatively correlated with both final products and intermediates IIT. Distance is not yet dead in impacting the level of final products IIT, but of less importance in influencing the intermediates IIT. China is exchanging intermediates in a less intraindustry manner with ASEAN nations. However, because VIIT is dominating TIIT, no significant differences exist between the estimation results of TIIT and VIIT.
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The Spatial Clustering of the Photo-voltaic Industry in Berlin-Brandenburg
Steffen Ebert, Matthias Brachert, Iciar Dominguez Lacasa
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 11,
2009
Abstract
Recent empirical studies show a process of selective clustering in the photo-voltaic industry in East Germany. Especially locations like Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Freiberg/Dresden, Erfurt/Arnstadt and Berlin-Brandenburg were able to attract concentrations of economic activity in this industry. Regarding competition between the different locations for production and employment, emerging agglomeration economies can be seen as one major source increasing inter-regional competitiveness.
The aim of this article is to provide insights into the process of spatial clustering of photo-voltaic industry in Berlin-Brandenburg. With the help of a multi-dimensional cluster-concept developed by Bathelt, we analyse the region’s strengths and weaknesses regarding its generation of agglomeration economies.
The analysis shows that there are indeed first signs of agglomeration economies developing in the region. Despite a low level of horizontal cooperation, companies do profit from co-localisation by continuous observation of the local competitors. Along the value adding production chain, vertical co-operation is increasing, leading to positive effects by specialised suppliers and gains in transportation cost.
But the focal point in further industry development is the augmentation of the regional stock of knowledge. Regarding the increasing pressure on the companies’ innovativeness as a result of changes in market conditions in the photo-voltaic sector, only innovative and efficiently producing companies will be able to survive the industries’ consolidation period. Therefore, it is necessary to further support the increasing interconnectedness between university research, non-university research and local companies in order to profit from the high technological potential of the companies in the region.
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25.11.2009 • 70/2009
Photovoltaik-Industrie in Berlin-Brandenburg: Unternehmensvernetzung weiter ausbauen!
Der Clusterungsprozess in der Photovoltaik-Industrie hat in den vergangenen Jahren in der Region Berlin-Brandenburg zu ersten positiven Effekte für regional ansässige Unternehmen geführt. Steffen Ebert, Matthias Brachert und Iciar Dominguez Lacasa vom Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH) zeigen in einer aktuellen Untersuchung der Clusterungsprozesse in der Region Berlin-Brandenburg, dass vor allem die regionale Wissensbasis durch Vernetzungen und Kooperationen universitärer und außeruniversitärer Forschungs¬institute mit den lokalen Unternehmen weiter ausgebaut werden müssen.
Iciar Dominguez Lacasa
Steffen Ebert