Human capital in transformation – The example of the new Länder
Ralf Müller
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 126,
2000
Abstract
The human capital of a nation is highly correlated to its productivity. Thus, differences in human capital may be seen as one factor determining the productivity gap between East and West Germany. However, a disadvantage of East Germany with regard to hu-man capital only shows up as long as it concerns skills that are built up on the job, i.e., by learning by doing; even more, this disadvantage has been decreasing in the 1990's. In contrast, as long as it concerns skills that have been acquired through formal education, East Germany has a high level of human capital in comparison to West Germany. In general, the problem of East Germany’s human capital proves to be rather demand-sided. It may be due to East Germany’s low skill-intensive industry structure.
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East German economy 2000 and 2001: Further growth in overall production despite new slump in construction industry
Hans-Ulrich Brautzsch, Brigitte Loose, Udo Ludwig
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 12,
2000
Abstract
For the first time the main economic indicators for East Germany are presented in terms of the New European System of National Accounts (ESA)up to 1999. Insights are given into the sectoral composition of gross domestic product and employment. The article presents forecasts for 2000 und 2001 for the sectors “manufacturing“, “construction“ and “services“.
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Environmental policy under product differentiation and asymmetric costs - Does leapfrogging occur and is it worth it?
Jacqueline Rothfels
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 124,
2000
Abstract
This paper studies the influence of environmental policies on environmental quality, domestic firms, and welfare. Point of departure is Porter’s hypothesis that unilateral environmental regulation may enhance the competitiveness of domestic firms. This hypothesis has recently received considerable support in theoretical analyses, especially if imperfectly competitive markets with strategic behavior on behalf of the agents are taken into account. Our work contributes to this literature by explicitely investigating the implications of asymmetric cost structures between a domestic and a foreign firm sector. We use a partial-equilibrium model of vertical product differentiation, where the consumption of a product causes environmental harm. Allowing for differentiated products, the domestic industry can either assume the market leader position or lag behind in terms of the environmental quality of the produced product. Assuming as a benchmark case that the domestic industry lags behind, we investigate the possibility of the government to induce leapfrogging of the domestic firm, i.e. a higher quality produced by the domestic firm after regulation than that of the competitor prior to regulation. It is shown that in the case of a cost advantage for the domestic firm in the production process the imposition of a binding minimum quality standard can serve as a tool to induce leapfrogging. In case of a cost disadvantage the same result can be achieved through an adequate subsidization of quality dependend production costs. Thus, careful regulation enables the domestic firm in both scenarios to better its competitive position against foreign competitors and to earn larger profits. Additionally, environmental quality and welfare can be enhanced.
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Business cycle 2000 and 2001: Change of buoyant forces stabilizes strong production dynamic in Germany
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 10,
2000
Abstract
Der Aufsatz analysiert und prognostiziert die konjunkturelle Entwicklung in Deutschland und im Euroraum in ausführlicher Form für das laufende Jahr 2000 und das Folgejahr 2001. Begünstigt von der Aufhellung des weltwirtschaftlichen Umfeldes sowie vom Kursrückgang des Euro gegenüber dem US-Dollar expandiert die Ausfuhr aus Deutschland kräftiger als noch vor einigen Monaten erwartet. Der exportgeleitete Aufschwung beflügelt die Investitionstätigkeit. Der entscheidende Schub für die Konsumausgaben der privaten Haushalte kommt im Jahr 2001 von der dritten Stufe des Steuerentlastungsgesetzes, die in Verbindung mit der Unternehmenssteuerreform vorgezogen werden soll. Die wichtigsten Daten der Volkswirtschaftlichen Gesamtrechnung für Deutschland sind in einer detaillierten Anhangstabelle enthalten.
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Capital equipment of East German work stations: Do not overstate gaps
Joachim Ragnitz
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 9,
2000
Abstract
New jobs depend heavily on productive investment. As nearly 800 bio DM were invested in the East German enterprise sector since 1990, most existing jobs can be regarded potentially competitive now. However, capital intensity is still much lower than in West Germany and reaches a level of only 75 per cent. In manufacturing, however, capital intensity is only slightly lower than in the old Laender.
There are mainly two reasons for the low capital intensity in the aggregate: The dominance of small firms producing regularly with a small capital stock per employee, and lower wages in East Germany compared with West Germany: Although capital prices are distorted by high subsidies, factor price relations favour labor to capital. This leads to the conclusion that low capital intensity reflects an optimum; convergence is therefore not necessarily to occur.
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Industry sketch: East German metal production industry
Siegfried Beer
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 5,
2000
Abstract
Die Privatisierung und Umstrukturierung der metallerzeugenden und metallverarbeitenden Industrie gehörte zu den schwierigsten Aufgaben bei der Überführung der DDR-Industrie von der Planwirtschaft in die Marktwirtschaft. Die wirtschaftliche Erholung begann daher im Vergleich zu vielen anderen Industriezweigen relativ spät. Der Abschluss zahlreicher Modernisierungsmaßnahmen und das verbesserte konjunkturelle Umfeld führten dazu, dass es seit 1997 zu deutlichen Produktionssteigerungen gekommen ist. Dabei ragten die Gießereien noch heraus.
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Does the East German industry structure affect productivity development adversely?
Ralf Müller, Anita Wölfl
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 3,
2000
Abstract
Innovationen werden gemeinhin als wichtiges Instrument für Produktivitätssteigerungen angesehen. Auch wenn zuletzt scheinbar der Schrumpfungsprozess der ostdeutschen Spitzentechnologie gestoppt ist, so ist die Industrie der neuen Länder weiterhin vorwiegend durch nicht FuE-intensive Branchen geprägt. Sind damit anhaltende Produktivitätsnachteile für die Zukunft vorausprogrammiert?
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EU integration and development - Prospects of CEECs - The productivity-gap and technological structural change
Johannes Stephan
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 112,
2000
Abstract
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Relationship Lending within a Bank-Based System: Evidence from European Small Business Data
Hans Degryse, Patrick Van Cayseele
Journal of Financial Intermediation,
No. 1,
2000
Abstract
We investigate relationship lending using detailed contract information from nearly 18,000 bank loans to small Belgian firms operating within the continental European bank-based system. Specifically, we investigate the impact of different measures of relationship strength on price and nonprice terms of the loan contract. We test for the possibility of rent shifting by banks. The evidence shows two opposing effects. On the one hand, the loan rate increases with the duration of a bank–firm relationship. On the other hand, the scope of a relationship, defined as the purchase of other information-sensitive products from a bank, decreases the loan's interest rate substantially. Relationship duration and scope thus have opposite effects on loan rates, with the latter being more important. We also find that the collateral requirement is decreasing in the duration of the relationship and increasing in its scope.
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Economic growth factors in selected transformation countries
Johannes Stephan
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 16,
1999
Abstract
Der Artikel beschäftigt sich mit den Quellen des Wirtschaftswachstums ausgewählter Transformationsländer im Rahmen einer Wachstumskomponentenanalyse. In Erweiterung einer vorhergehenden Analyse (WiWa 13/98) wird nunmehr der Einfluss der Kapazitätsauslastung auf die Entwicklung der “Totalen Faktorproduktivität“ explizit berücksichtigt. Die Analyse zeigt, dass in Polen und Ungarn der Faktor einer verbesserten Kapazitätsauslastung ab 1997 von Produktivitätsverbesserungen abgelöst wurde, während in Tschechien und der Slowakei die Wachstumsraten der Totalen Faktorproduktivität über den gesamten Untersuchungszeitraum eher gering ausfielen.
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