IWH Economic Outlook 2003: Waiting for the Upswing in Germany - Waiting for Godot?
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 1,
2003
Abstract
The outlook forecasts the economic developments in the world, the Euro Area and Germany in 2003. A general tendency is given for 2004. The world economy and the US-economy are recovering in 2003 and so are providing positive impulses for the Euro Area. For Germany this impetus from abroad will most likely remain the sole driving force for the revival of economic activity in 2003. Still this external stimulus will not be able to develop its full strength, as the newly restrictive fiscal policy will lower disposable income. At the earliest the economic upturn will gain strength in the summer months. This results in an initially increased burden on the labour market and only in 2004 will a decline in unemployment be observable, albeit at a slow pace. In economic terms, the recent interest rate cut by the ECB should only be able to show modest effects. Fiscal Policy in 2003 will be distinctly restrictive.
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Possible effects of demographic change - An overview
Gunter Steinmann, Olaf Fuchs, Sven Tagge
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 15,
2002
Abstract
One of the more important influences shaping the future economic conditions of the highly industrialized countries is the decline and aging of their population. The article is a comprehensive survey of the impact of this development on key economic variables and the institutions of the welfare state. While the overall consequence of the aging process on productivity growth is more likely to be negative, there are also some offsetting forces like the increase in the capital intensity. The institutions of the welfare state, which are based on intergenerational transfers, will have to be reformed, in order to bring them in line with the demographic process. The prediction of a decrease in the rate of unemployment as a consequence of a declining labor force is according to our analysis not justified.
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Job-AQTIV Law - A critical assessment of the new active labor market policy instruments
Herbert Buscher, Tobias Hagen
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 11,
2002
Abstract
Seit dem 1. Januar 2002 ist das Job-AQTIV Gesetz in Deutschland in Kraft. Das Gesetz hat nicht nur die Absicht, gemeldete Stellen möglichst schnell und passgenau zu besetzen, sondern Personen, die zum Teil Arbeitslosigkeits- und Maßnahme-Karrieren hinter sich haben, intensiv zu betreuen, deren Suchaktivitäten zu überwachen und sie – bei Bedarf – in die für sie effektivsten Maßnahmen zu vermitteln. Diese Zielsetzung erklärt, wofür das Akronym AQTIV steht: Aktivieren, Qualifizieren, Trainieren, Investieren und Vermitteln. Aus einigen Neuregelungen durch das Job- AQTIV Gesetz ergeben sich neue Herausforderungen für die praktische Arbeitsmarktpolitik, aber auch die Evaluationsforschung. Natürlich ist es noch nicht möglich, die Auswirkungen des Job- AQTIV Gesetzes empirisch zu überprüfen. Gleichwohl sollen einige Erfahrungen aus der Evaluation Aktiver Arbeitsmarktpolitik (AAMP) sowie theoretische Überlegungen dazu genutzt werden, auf mögliche kritische Punkte hinzuweisen um Fehlentwicklungen zu vermeiden und Bedarf an Evaluationsforschung aufzuzeigen.1 Im Folgenden werden wichtige Neuerungen aufgrund des Job-AQTIV Gesetzes dargestellt und deren Bedeutung eingeschätzt.
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Labor market reform - The Hartz recommendations are not enough
Herbert Buscher
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 11,
2002
Abstract
Zwei Millionen Arbeitslose weniger in drei Jahren – wer wünscht sich das nicht? Und das Ziel scheint so nahe zu liegen, setzt man nur die Vorschläge der Hartz-Kommission rasch in die Praxis um. Grundsätzlich sind Vorschläge, die zu einer besseren Vermittlung von Arbeitslosen in den ersten Arbeitsmarkt führen, zu begrüßen. Mit ihren Vorschlägen zur Reform der Arbeitsvermittlung hat die Kommission einen ersten, wichtigen Schritt hin zu einer Neuordnung des Arbeitsmarktes unternommen....
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International economic development still impedes growth in Central and Eastern Europe
Axel Brüggemann
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 3,
2002
Abstract
The world wide economic slow down has increasingly affected the transition economies. Lower demand in Western Europe for exports from Central and Eastern Europe has depressed industrial production and growth in the region. Strong domestic demand has managed to offset some of the negative external influences. In total the countries in Central and eastern Europe will grow with 3,1 % in 2002 and with 4,1% in 2003. The higher growth in 2003 results from the combination of a continuing strong domestic demand and amore favourabel external environment, as the world economy starts to recover in the second half of 2002. Inflation will continue to slow, while unemployment decreases only marginally. Higher growth will also lead to higher current account deficits.
The slowdown in 2001 has increased the risk potential for financial crises in Central and Eastern Europe. The forecast is build upon the assumption that no such crisis will occur, if a crisis does errupt the forecast will have to be revised downwards. The regular anlysis carried out by the IWH regarding the development of the risk potential, indicate particular high risks for Poland and to a somewhat lesser extent also for Hungary. As the unfavourable external economic conditions will persist for the coming months, a further increase in the risk potential can be expected.
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Fiscal costs of employment creating schemes - a case study
Birgit Schultz
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 1,
2002
Abstract
The evaluation on job creation programs shows a longer unemployment duration of treatment than the non-treatment. In a case study we calculate the additional public cost of the treatment and the subsequent demand of treatment compared with the outcome in a non-treated situation. Additionally we are looking on the break even.
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Wage and income subsidies for recipients of public and unemployment assistance
Wolfram Kempe, Hilmar Schneider
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 16,
2001
Abstract
In dieser Arbeit, die auf einem Kapitel eines Gutachtens für das Bundesministerium der Finanzen zu den Anreizwirkungen der Sozialhilfe beruht, werden drei Kombilohnstrategien mit einer engen Zielgruppenbindung hinsichtlich ihrer Effekte bezüglich Erwerbsbereitschaft und fiskalischen Folgen für Ost- und Westdeutschland untersucht. Die Arbeitsangebotsentscheidung wird dabei unter Berücksichtigung des Haushaltskontextes im Rahmen eines mikroökonometrischen Conditional-Logit-Modells erfasst. Die Bereitschaft zur Aufnahme einer Erwerbsarbeit steigt tatsächlich, unterscheidet sich je nach Reformkonzept, Region, Geschlecht und Haushaltskontext aber beträchtlich. Die enge Zielgruppenbeschränkung auf Sozialtransferbezieher hat zur Folge, dass bei Erwerbsaufnahme trotz Subvention ein Teil der Transferzahlungen durch eigenes Einkommen ersetzt wird und die gesamtfiskalische Belastung des Staates damit zurückgeht.
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Germany: Cyclical Improvement not Until the End of the Year
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 12,
2001
Abstract
During the second quarter of 2001 German overall production stagnated. Weak global development muddied the economic prospects of firms and prevented them from rising their output and their investment activities. In 2001 gross national product will only increase by 1%; the number of unemployed will be higher than expected. Nevertheless, we advise against an increase in public expenditure that aims at stimulating the economy. Anyhow, growing public deficits, caused by cyclical movements, should be accepted. In order to increase employment labour market reforms become more urgent.
In East Germany, currently even a decline in gross national product cannot be excluded. After the first period of restructuring, which has been accompanied by structural problems, cyclical movements become more important. In addition, economic stagnation burdens labour markets. Nonetheless trying to stimulate the East German economy by government spending programmes does not seem to be a viable strategy. From the cyclical point of view they are not very efficient and concerning structural problems they are no solution.
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Measures to improve the employment prospect of welfare recipients – the view of the participients
Cornelia Lang
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 12,
2001
Abstract
The results of measures to improve the employment prospects of welfare recipients are rather discouraging with respect to their core intention; many participants transit after the measure again into unemployment. Still (nevertheless) the majority of former participants surveyed by the IWH report a subjective evaluation, because the measure helped them to readjust to the daily routine of work. For many participants the ending of isolation and their regain of (improvement) of their selfesteem and self-confidence was important.
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Municipal labor market policy - Marshalling yard or escape from public assistance dependency?
Hilmar Schneider
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 11,
2001
Abstract
Due to an increasing fiscal burden by welfare payments, municipalities tend
more and more to initiate employment and training programs under their own
responsibility besides the Federal Labor Agency. However, critics object
that this might predominantly be viewed as an attempt to shift fiscal
burdens to the Federal Labor Agency rather than a policy option towards
labor market integration of low-wage workers. In order to investigate this
issue, the IWH carried out a country-wide survey within twelve
municipalities and rural districts. The sample comprises 200 employable
welfare recipients, among them participants of labor market programs as well
as a reference group of non-participants. The results of the IWH welfare
survey are at best suggesting a moderate success of program participation
with regard to labor market integration. Nevertheless, the programs appear
to be profitable for municipalities, since they succeed in bringing
participants out of welfare dependency. In many cases, however, welfare is
replaced by unemployment support, which means that only the fiscal
responsibility changes. A shortcoming of the results has to be seen in the
fact that municipalities tend to assign especially those people for program
participation, who are already better fitting into requirements of the labor
market. This seriously impairs the comparability of participants and
non-participants. In view of the remarkable amount of expenditures it seems
therefore advisable to put more attention on the effectiveness of the
programs than has been done in the past. This could be achieved by a
stronger orientation towards an experimental design of assignment for
program participation.
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