Capital for work: The JobFloater starts in November 2002
Herbert Buscher
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 13,
2002
Abstract
A critical review of some of the recommendations made by the Hartz commission, in particular the JobFloater module The author argues that this concept will not contribute to a visible improvement of the labor market situation unless further reforms are launched.
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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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Economic Development 2002 and 2003: Investments – The Achilles Heel of the Economy
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 10,
2002
Abstract
The Article analyses and forecasts the economic developments for the World and German in 2002 and 2003. During the winter 2001/2002 the World Economy was able to pull out of its trough. Nonetheless, the upswing did not reach investments and was mainly driven by consumption and exports in the USA and the remaining major economies, respectively. In the course of this and next year Investors will gradually regain their trust in the economy. The same will be the case for consumers in Germany and Europe. As a result a modest recovery on a wide front will develop. In the course of next year this recovery will start to weaken. In Germany, Wage Policy has retracted from its former moderate stance. Hence, although due to the improving economic conditions and the resulting slowed employment cuts by the end of 2002 as well as employment increases in 2003, the upswing on the labour market will not reach the dynamics of the 1999/2000 recovery. Fiscal Policy, caused by the need to consolidate the public budget, will be restrictive. Despite the low inflation risks, by the end of this year the ECB will have raised its major interest rate by 1/2 percentage point. Nonetheless, as interest rates in real terms will remain at relatively low levels a restrictive impact from the Monetary Policy in Germany and the Euro Area will is not expected. The most important Data for the World Economy and Germany are being stated in detailed tables.
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New labor market results: More transparency of labor market policy measures
Hans-Ulrich Brautzsch, Gabriele Hardt, Birgit Schultz
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 10,
2002
Abstract
The article describes the modified labour-market statement as produced by The Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) on the example of East Germany. There are included different new measures of labour-market policy which allow to reflect the extent of underemployment (including job creation measures) more completely and transparentely as before.
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Current Trends - High number of commuters takes pressure off East German labor market
Hans-Ulrich Brautzsch
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 10,
2002
Abstract
The article describes the increasing gap between persons engaged according to national concept and persons engaged according to domestic concept in East Germany and its impact on the labor market.
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A revised theory of contestable markets : applied on the German telecommunication sector
Christian Growitsch, Thomas Wein
External Publications,
No. 275,
2002
Abstract
Despite the scepticism raised by the German Monopoly Commission our analysis shows that the revised theory of contestable markets can be applied to the telecommunications market better than expected. The original contestable market theory implied three assumptions necessary to be satisfied to establish potential competition: Free market entry, market exit is possible without any costs, and the price adjustment lag exceeds the entry lag. Our analysis shows that if the incumbent reduces its prices slowly (high adjustment lag) and the market entry can be performed quickly (low entry lag), a new competitor will be able to earn back sunk costs. Therefore it is not necessary that all three conditions are satisfied for potential competition to exist. We applied the ‘revised’ contestable market theory to the German telecommunication market and have been able to clearly identify the value added stages in which regulation is required. Under the present conditions local loops - which can be determined as natural monopolies - are not contestable due to sunk costs, high entry lags expected and a probable short price adjustment lag. Local loops can be identified as monopolistic bottlenecks therefore. Regional and local connection networks should also be regulated because a high entry lag and a low price adjustment lag have to be expected as well as current competition does not exist today. The national connection network shows current competition between several network providers; hence regulation can be abolished in this field. Assumed that network access is regulated, services can be supplied by several competing firms.
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Wage indemnity rule is no sufficient criterion for positive work incentives in low-wage sector
Hilmar Schneider, Wolfram Kempe
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 4,
2002
Abstract
Mit einem mikroökonomischen Arbeitsangebotsmodell wird gezeigt, dass das Lohnabstandsangebot zwischen Sozialhilfe und Erwerbseinkommen zwar ein notwendiges Kriterium ist, um einen positiven Anreiz zur Erwerbsaufnahme potentieller Niedriglohnbezieher auszuüben, jedoch kein hinreichendes. Der Abstand Ende 2001 wird für einige Branchen ermittelt. Der Umstand, dass dieser Abstand in einigen Fällen sogar negativ ist, wirkt um so schwerwiegender, als das erzielbare Erwerbseinkommen relativ deutlich über dem Lohnersatzeinkommen in Form der Sozialhilfe liegen müsste. Eine Beschäftigung lohnt sich in finanzieller Hinsicht am ehesten für alleinlebende Sozialhilfeempfänger, während für Familien mit mehreren Kindern nicht einmal das notwendige Kriterium des positiven Lohnabstandes immer erfüllt ist.
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Situation on East German labor market worsens further
Hans-Ulrich Brautzsch
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 3,
2002
Abstract
The article describes the actual situation on the east german labour market. It is pointed out, that in the year 2002 caused by the stagnation of economic growth the disequilibrium on the east german labour market will be increased.
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