Determinants of employment - the macroeconomic view
Christian Dreger, Heinz P. Galler, Ulrich (eds) Walwai
Schriften des IWH,
No. 22,
2005
Abstract
The weak performance of the German labour market over the past years has led to a significant unemployment problem. Currently, on average 4.5 mio. people are without a job contract, and a large part of them are long-term unemployed. A longer period of unemployment reduces their employability and aggravates the problem of social exclusion.
The factors driving the evolution of employment have been recently discussed on the workshop Determinanten der Beschäftigung – die makroökonomische Sicht organized jointly by the IAB, Nuremberg, and the IWH, Halle. The present volume contains the papers and proceedings to the policy oriented workshop held in November 2004, 15-16th. The main focus of the contributions is twofold. First, macroeconomic conditions to stimulate output and employment are considered. Second, the impacts of the increasing tax wedge between labour costs and the take home pay are emphasized. In particular, the role of the contributions to the social security system is investigated.
In his introductory address, Ulrich Walwei (IAB) links the unemployment experience to the modest path of economic growth in Germany. In addition, the low employment intensity of GDP growth and the temporary standstill of the convergence process of the East German economy have contributed to the weak labour market performance. In his analysis, Gebhard Flaig (ifo Institute, München) stresses the importance of relative factor price developments. A higher rate of wage growth leads to a decrease of the employment intensity of production, and correspondingly to an increase of the threshold of employment. Christian Dreger (IWH) discusses the relevance of labour market institutions like employment protection legislation and the structure of the wage bargaining process on the labour market outcome. Compared to the current setting, policies should try to introduce more flexibility in labour markets to improve the employment record. The impact of interest rate shocks on production is examined by the paper of Boris Hofmann (Deutsche Bundesbank, Frankfurt). According to the empirical evidence, monetary policy cannot explain the modest economic performance in Germany. György Barabas and Roland Döhrn (RWI Essen) have simulated the effects of a world trade shock on output and employment. The relationships have been fairly stable over the past years, even in light of the increasing globalization. Income and employment effects of the German tax reform in 2000 are discussed by Peter Haan and Viktor Steiner (DIW Berlin). On the base of a microsimulation model, household gains are determined. Also, a positive relationship between wages and labour supply can be established. Michael Feil und Gerd Zika (IAB) have examined the employment effects of a reduction of the contribution rates to the social security system. To obtain robust results, the analysis is done under alternative financing scenarios and with different macroeconometric models. The impacts of allowances of social security contributions on the incentives to work are discussed by Wolfgang Meister and Wolfgang Ochel (ifo München). According to their study, willingness to work is expected to increase especially at the lower end of the income distribution. The implied loss of contributions could be financed by higher taxes.
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The Impact of Institutions on the Employment Performance in European Labour Markets
Herbert S. Buscher, Christian Dreger, Raúl Ramos, Jordi Surinach
Discussion Paper No. 1732,
2005
Abstract
The paper investigates the role of institutions for labor market performance across European countries. As participation rates have been rather stable over the past, the unemployment problem is mainly caused by shortages in labor demand. Labor demand is expressed by its structural parameters, such as the elasticities of employment to output and factor prices. Institutional variables include employment protection legislation, the structure of wage bargaining, measures describing the tax and transfer system and active labor market policies. As cointegration between employment, output and factor prices is detected, labor demand equations are fitted in levels by efficient estimation techniques. Then, labor demand elasticities are explained by institutions using panel fixed effects regressions. The results suggest that higher flexibility and incentives of households to work appear to be appropriate strategies to improve the employment record. The employment response to economic conditions is stronger in a more deregulated environment, and the absorption of shocks can be relieved.
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Ein Jahr nach der EU-Osterweiterung - Erste Erfahrungen, Probleme, Aussichten
Herbert S. Buscher, Heiko Stüber
Zukunftsforum Politik Nr. 67,
2005
Abstract
The paper investigates possible employment effects of the EU-enlargement one year later. Special emphasis is put on the border regions to Poland and the Czeck Republic. Besides of legal restrictions the paper analyzes the possibilities of foreigners to work in Germany and to what extent these special regulations have been used. First preliminary results indicate that there are no large employment effects across both sides of the border. The paper concludes with a discussion of intended measures to protect German employees against competition from abroad.
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Der Umweltschutzsektor und seine Bedeutung für den Arbeitsmarkt
Jens Horbach
Schriften des IWH,
No. 10,
2002
Abstract
Angesichts einer anhaltend hohen Arbeitslosigkeit in Deutschland besitzt der Umweltschutzsektor wegen seiner überdurchschnittlich hohen Wachstumsraten schon seit geraumer Zeit einen hohen beschäftigungspolitischen Stellenwert. Bei der empirischen Erfassung dieses Bereichs bestehen allerdings bis heute erhebliche methodische Probleme, die im Rahmen dieses Bandes erörtert und für die - soweit möglich - Lösungsmöglichkeiten aufgezeigt werden. Das Buch basiert auf den Forschungsergebnissen der Arbeitsgruppe Umwelt und Beschäftigung des Instituts für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH) und Beiträgen externer Autoren. Die Ergebnisse wurden in einem Workshop im Juni 2001 in Halle vorgestellt und diskutiert.
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Employment in the East German environmental sector - an analysis based on the IAB Company Panel
Walter Komar
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 13,
2001
Abstract
The estimations of environmental employment in this paper are based on an analysis of IAB-Firm-Panel. In 1999 182 000 man were working in production of environmental goods and services. Recording to self-assessment of firms intermediate term environmental employment will increase in environmental services sector, particulary in the field of climate protection.
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Employment and environmental protection in East Germany – Current state and prospects – An analysis based on the IAB company panel
Walter Komar
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 148,
2001
Abstract
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Employment in Germany´s environmental sector. An empirical analysis based on the IAB company panel
Jens Horbach, Uwe Blien, Michael von Hauff
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 132,
2001
Abstract
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Environment and land revitalization through employment promotion projects
Walter Komar
Forschungsreihe,
No. 3,
1997
Abstract
In den neuen Ländern wurden auch Arbeitsbeschaffungsmaßnahmen nach § 249h des Arbeitsförderungsgesetzes für die Umweltsanierung genutzt. Auf der Basis einer Befra-gung von Projektträgern im Bereich der Bundesanstalt für Vereinigungsbedingte Sonderaufgaben wurden die Arbeitsmarkt-, Infrastruktur- und Umwelteffekte dieser ABM analysiert. Wichtige Umwelteffekte waren: die Beseitigung von Umwelt- und Altlastenschäden sowie die Vermeidung von Neuflächenverbrauch und Bodenversieglungen. Hochrechnungen zeigen bedeutsame Investitions- und Beschäftigungseffekte, die auf Gewerbeansiedlungen auf den sanierten Standorten zurückzuführen sind.
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Employment promotion, environment and land revitalization under BvS supervision
Walter Komar
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 1,
1997
Abstract
In den neuen Ländern wurden auch Arbeitsbeschaffungsmaßnahmen nach § 249h des Arbeitsförderungsgesetzes für die Erfüllung von Umweltschutzaufgaben genutzt. Auf der Basis einer Befragung von Projektträgern im Bereich der Bundesanstalt für Vereini-gungsbedingte Sonderaufgaben wurden die Arbeitsmarkt-, Infrastruktur- und Umweltef-fekte dieser ABM analysiert. Hochrechnungen zeigen bedeutsame Investitions- und Beschäftigungseffekte, die durch Gewerbeansiedlungen auf sanierten Industriestandor-ten erzielt wurden.
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Aktualisierte Berechnung der umweltschutzinduzierten Beschäftigung in Deutschland
Walter Komar, Jens Horbach
External Publications,
1996
Abstract
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