Aktuelle Trends: Druck auf Photovoltaik-Industrie nimmt zu
Matthias Brachert, Christoph Hornych, Jutta Günther
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 1,
2009
Abstract
Die deutsche Photovoltaik-Industrie ist seit der Einführung des Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetzes (EEG) im Jahr 2000 durch starkes Wachstum gekennzeichnet. Die im EEG enthaltene Festlegung garantierter Einspeisevergütungen führte zu enormen Nachfragesteigerungen, die den Ausbau der Produktionskapazität an Solaranlagen stets überstiegen. Die resultierende Knappheit von Solaranlagen schuf einen attraktiven Markt für Unternehmen − Markteintritte, Beschäftigungswachstum und umfangreiche Investitionen in den Ausbau der Produktionskapazitäten wurden ermöglicht. Dieser Trend setzt sich bis heute fort und führt zur positiven aktuellen Einschätzung der Geschäftssituation der Photovoltaik-Industrie − hier am Beispiel der Installateure.
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Is There a Way for Old Industrial Districts to Become Attractive for Cultural Industry? The Case of Media Businesses in Halle (Saale), Germany
Martin T. W. Rosenfeld, Christoph Hornych
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 15,
2008
Abstract
manufacturing have collapsed are trying to stimulate entrepreneurial activities of businesses in the cultural industry. The question is whether this strategy could be successful. This article examines the strategy of supporting the sector of Media Industry (´MI´) by policy makers in the region of Halle in East Germany, where a strong de-industrialization has taken place after the German reunification. Stimulated by the policy makers’ support measures, there actually was a remarkable development of MI. However, the number of MI firms and their employees did not further increase in recent years, after having reached a certain level. This illustrates the limits of political measures for turning a city’s path of industrial development voluntarily.
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In which Ways do Universities React to New Technologies? The Case of Photovoltaics
Peter Franz
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 12,
2008
Abstract
Universities can be conceived as actors in regional innovative systems with the functions to make available new knowledge for a region, to contribute to the human capital formation by teaching, and to the extension of the knowledge by research. These functions are in particular important concerning the adaptation of new technologies, e.g. photovoltaics. 89 German universities – amongst them 65 universities of applied sciences – meanwhile offer 171 full-time study courses with a degree oriented to photovoltaics. Each federal state has at least one university location offering such degrees. A certain spatial concentration of courses can be shown for Saxony, for the Ruhr Area and for the Rhine Main Region. Almost 90% of the degrees are offered by faculties of engineering. 43% of the universities with degrees in photovoltaics have successfully applied for research grants from the photovoltaics research programs of the federal government. These numbers show a spatial concentration of research in the South whereas the photovoltaics industry is concentrated in the East of Germany. This distribution indicates that the research opportunities tied to the photovoltaics industry are not in the Eastern part of Germany. Further research will have to pay more attention to the role of research institutes.
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Foreign Subsidiaries in the East German Innovation System – Evidence from manufacturing industries
Jutta Günther, Johannes Stephan, Björn Jindra
Applied Economics Quarterly Supplement,
No. 59,
2008
Abstract
This paper analyses the extent of technological capability of foreign subsidiaries located in East Germany, and looks at the determinants of foreign subsidiaries’ technological sourcing behaviour. The theory of international production underlines the importance of strategic and regional level variables. However, existing empirical approaches omit by and large regional level factors. We employ survey evidence from the “FDI micro database” of the IWH, that was only recently made available, to conduct our analyses. We find that foreign subsidiaries are above average technologically active in comparison to the whole East German manufacturing. This can be partially explained by the industrial structure of foreign direct investment. However, only a limited share of foreign subsidiaries with R&D and/or innovation activity source technological knowledge from the East German innovation system. If a subsidiary follows a competence augmenting strategy or does local trade, it is more likely to source technological knowledge locally. The endowment of a region with human capital and a scientific infrastructure has a positive effect too. The findings suggest that foreign subsidiaries in East Germany are only partially linked with the regional innovation system. Policy implications are discussed.
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Economic Effects of the Halle Institute for Economic Research
Ulrich Blum
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 10,
2008
Abstract
The most important approach to assess the scholarly performance of an institute is to evaluate its academic output. Economic research institutes such as the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) furthermore are targeted at providing policy advice to public authorities. This adds an additional criterion, the ability to impact policy discussions in Germany and beyond.
A rarely discussed issue is the effect of an institute on the local economy. The IWH is located in a region of East Germany that is still catching up economically. Transformation problems are still very visible. In such an economic environment, the expenditures of an institute play an important role in stabilizing local demand. The analysis shows, by using input-output-methods, that the most important factor for the local economy is the demand stemming from wages earned by the employees of the institute. Especially the local area, where most of the staff lives, heavily benefits from this effect. Expenditures of about 4.6 million Euros which include the salaries of the staff of about 70 persons generates sufficient demand in the area to guarantee employment for another 35 persons. In addition, as crowding out of activities by additional demand is presently not an issue in East Germany, the taxes generated account for a considerable part of the budget.
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Industry Specialization, Diversity and the Efficiency of Regional Innovation Systems
Michael Fritsch, Viktor Slavtchev
Determinants of Innovative Behaviour,
2008
Abstract
Innovation processes are characterized by a pronounced division of labor between actors. Two types of externality may arise from such interactions. On the one hand, a close location of actors affiliated to the same industry may stimulate innovation (MAR externalities). On the other hand, new ideas may be born by the exchange of heterogeneous and complementary knowledge between actors, which belong to different industries (Jacobs’ externalities). We test the impact of both MAR as well as Jacobs’ externalities on innovative performance at the regional level. The results suggest an inverted u-shaped relationship between regional specialization in certain industries and innovative performance. Further key determinants of the regional innovative performance are private sector R&D and university-industry collaboration.
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Specialization as Strategy for Business Incubators: An Assessment of the Central German Multimedia Center
Michael Schwartz, Christoph Hornych
Technovation,
No. 7,
2008
Abstract
The literature on business incubators (BIs) mainly discusses findings of incubators that do not restrict themselves to specific sectors (diversified incubators). There is a strong disregard of the possible benefits arising from the concept of a sector-specialized business incubator (SBI), although this concept has become more important in recent years. In Germany, about 19% of the incubators can be characterized as being specialized. Since 1999, nearly one-third of all new BIs in Germany opened with a sector-specific focus. This study attempts to approach this research question by examining the advantages and deficiencies of this concept and to address them with empirical observations from an SBI in the city of Halle (Germany), which has an explicit sector-focus on the media industry (MI). We identify key benefits arising from such an incubator concept: (1) high quality premises and equipment, (2) improvement of service and consultancy offerings and (3) image effects for the location. We also find deficiencies of an SBI especially regarding internal networking activities and promotion of linkages to universities. Furthermore a negative working climate impedes interaction. This study offers implications for firms, incubator managers and local policy-makers who are concerned with the instrument of an SBI.
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Technologie- und Gründerzentren im Lichte von Diversifizierung versus Spezialisierung
Michael Schwartz, Christoph Hornych
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 7,
2008
Abstract
In Germany, a growing tendency can be observed to focus business incubators (BIs) and technology centers and their respective support elements and processes as well as the selection criteria applied by the incubator management on firms from solely one sector or few but complementary sectors and their specific needs and requirements. These are called specialized business incubators (SBIs). Despite the increasing importance of specialization strategies of business incubators as local and regional policy instruments, there are no reliable empirical examinations of the specifics, and advantages in particular, of SBIs compared to more diversified BIs. On the basis of survey-data, that comprises responses from 161 actual firms incubated in 13 diversified BIs and 13 specialized BIs in Germany, this study investigates the mechanisms within the specific context of specialized BIs and their value-added contribution versus the more diversified incubation model. For the first time, this study provides large-scale empirical evidence concerning the effects of adopting a specialization strategy in the context of business incubation.
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Real Options of Private House Owners in the East German Housing Market – How Demolition Subsidies Affect Investment Prospects for Private House Owners
Dominik Weiß
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 6,
2008
Abstract
The subsidies of the German urban renewal program “Stadtumbau Ost” are claimed mainly by communal and cooperative housing companies. The instruments do not fit very well for private proprietors that hold a great part of the older housing stock in central locations, for example in Wilhelminian style districts. Interim evaluation reports concerning the implementation of the “Stadtumbau” program show good results for big housing blocks, but constantly high vacancy rates in the inner city quarters. It becomes obvious that the political targets have not been achieved completely so far and that market forces limit the extensive restoration of historic buildings.
The opportunities, economic incentives and the decisions of landlords and house owners will be analyzed with a real option approach. A detailed view considers the different available forms of subsidies, examining its power to affect real estate values and to initiate politically desired urban transformations. It can be shown that the current forms of subsidies fail to promote investment of private house owners because of rising value expectations. Downgrading the building zones to lower density might reduce unrealistic expectations that were identified as a hurdle to invest. As a consequence from this consideration, municipalities should implement alternative urban development concepts and adjust the subsidy policy.
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Foreign Subsidiaries in the East German Innovation System – Evidence from Manufacturing Industries
Jutta Günther, Björn Jindra, Johannes Stephan
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 4,
2008
Abstract
This paper analyses the extent of technological capability of foreign subsidiaries located in East Germany, and looks at the determinants of foreign subsidiaries’ technological sourcing behaviour. The theory of international production underlines the importance of strategic and regional level variables. However, existing empirical approaches omit by and large regional level factors. We employ survey evidence from the “FDI micro data- base” of the IWH, that was only recently made available, to conduct our analyses. We find that foreign subsidiaries are above average technologically active in comparison to the whole East German manufacturing. This can be partially explained by the industrial structure of foreign direct investment. However, only a limited share of foreign subsidiaries with R&D and/or innovation activity source technological knowledge from the East German innovation system. If a subsidiary follows a competence augmenting strategy or does local trade, it is more likely to source technological knowledge locally. The endowment of a region with human capital and a scientific infrastructure has a positive effect too. The findings suggest that foreign subsidiaries in East Germany are only partially linked with the regional innovation system. Policy implications are discussed.
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