Quality of Work: An Investigation for East and West Germany for the Years 1994 and 2009
Herbert S. Buscher, S. Noack, M. Pelz
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 12,
2011
Abstract
“Quality of work” – a mainly subjective judgement of employees about their work and the corresponding conditions gained momentum over the last decades. But contrary to quantitative aspects of work and worklife, the term “quality of work” is rather hard to measure and it consists of a mixture of many single indicators related to the worklife of employees. The spectrum of these single indicators range from health considerations up to a flexible management of the work time over a month or a year. The present work contributes to the discussion about the quality of work by introducing additional single indicators into the debate. These are commuting, carreer opportunities within a firm, individual satisfaction with the work income, and a correspondence between formal qualification and the present job. The investigation distinguishes between East and West Germany as well as between age cohorts and the qualification of the interviewed persons. The results are based on the GSOEP for the years 1994 and 2009. Looking at these two years we expect some insights into possible changes in the judgement with respect to the quality of work especially for East German employees shortly after the fall of the wall and nowadays. These insights should help to draw conclusions if East and West German employees are still different in their judgements or if a process of convergence in opions occurred.
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Labor Demand During the Crisis: What Happened in Germany?
Claudia M. Buch
IZA. Discussion Paper No. 6074,
2011
Abstract
In Germany, the employment response to the post-2007 crisis has been muted compared to other industrialized countries. Despite a large drop in output, employment has hardly changed. In this paper, we analyze the determinants of German firms’ labor demand during the crisis using a firm-level panel dataset. Our analysis proceeds in two steps. First, we estimate a dynamic labor demand function for the years 2000-2009 accounting for the degree of working time flexibility and the presence of works councils. Second, on the basis of these
estimates, we use the difference between predicted and actual employment as a measure of labor hoarding as the dependent variable in a cross-sectional regression for 2009. Apart from total labor hoarding, we also look at the determinants of subsidized labor hoarding through short-time work. The structural characteristics of firms using these channels of adjustment differ. Product market competition has a negative impact on total labor hoarding but a positive effect on the use of short-time work. Firm covered by collective agreements hoard less labor overall; firms without financial frictions use short-time work less intensively.
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Part-time Jobs Again Determine Working Time
Hans-Ulrich Brautzsch
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 6,
2011
Abstract
During the economic crisis in 2009 mainly the reducing of working hours prevented a strong reduction of employment. This was achieved by the expansion of short time and the reduction of overtime on the one hand and by the replacement of full-time jobs through part-time jobs on the other. Meanwhile the average working time per employee has achieved again the level before the crisis. The most important factor which influences further development of working time is the extension of part-time jobs.
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East German Labour Market
Hans-Ulrich Brautzsch
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 11,
2009
Abstract
In the course of 2009, due to the great decline of production activities, the situation in the East German labor market deteriorated. The number of employees decreased and the registered unemployment rose slowly in the first half of this year. In this situation, reducing working time by extending short-time work turned out to be a very useful instrument. Besides, labour market policy measures were expended. Furthermore, labour supply, like in recent years, decreased. In 2010, the situation on the East German labour market will worsen due to low production growth.
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Changing patterns of employment
Cornelia Lang
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 4,
2009
Abstract
In Germany, the typical pattern of employment is still an employee with open-ended full time contract (standard employment relationship). Nearly three out of four employed persons work in that type of employment. However, during the last years, a number of other employment models expanded in the labour market: part-time, temporary, short-term and marginal workers. Main reasons for that development are the effects of globalization, the structural change in modern economies (the increasing importance of the services sector), and changing preferences on the part of employees to achieve a better work-life-balance. The article deals with the rise of atypical employment relationships. We find that atypical work is a domain of female and young people. During the last years, atypical employment relationship in West and East Germany increased similarly due to globalization. Differences in employment patterns between East and West could be linked to employment behaviour and structural determinants.
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Mikroökonometrische Evaluation der ökonomischen Wirkungen betrieblicher Mitbestimmung - Möglichkeiten und Grenzen des Matching-Ansatzes
Birgit Schultz
Jahrbücher für Nationalökonomie und Statistik,
No. 5,
2006
Abstract
The evaluation of economic effects of workers participation is not simple from the methodical point of view because of specific characteristics of establishments with works councils. Especially recent studies show contradictory results. In this study problems are pointed out, discussed, and options for solution are presented on the example of workers participation in East German establishments of industry and construction by the IAB-Establishment Panel.
An optimal matching-algorithm which supplies good matching-results for small samples to assign 'statistical establishment-twins' is applied. But by reason of very short primarily spells it can only calculate short time effects. Therefore, the matching method is additionally used to construct longer observation periods. By this new application establishments with recently founded works councils are matched with so called 'proxy establishments' with existing works councils. As a result short observation periods are prolonged and information about long-term effects can be given.
The effects on productivity, profitability and qualification level of employees show neither in short-term nor in long-term a significant impact on workers' participation.
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Options and Limits of the Matching Approach – An Application to Workers Participation
Birgit Schultz
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 15,
2006
Abstract
The evaluation of economic effects of workers participation is not simple from the methodical point of view because of specific characteristics of establishments with works councils. Especially recent studies show contradictory results. In this study problems are pointed out, discussed, and options for solution are presented on the example of workers participation in East German establishments of industry and construction by the IABEstablishment Panel. An optimal matching-algorithm which supplies good matching-results for small samples to assign ‘statistical establishment-twins’ is applied. But by reason of very short primarily spells it can only calculate short time effects. Therefore, the matching method is additionally used to construct longer observation periods. By this new application establishments with recently founded works councils are matched with so called ‘proxy establishments’ with existing works councils. As a result short observation periods are prolonged and information about long-term effects can be given. The effects on productivity, profitability and qualification level of employees show neither in short-term nor in long-term a significant impact on workers’ participation.
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Vierteljährliche Entstehungsrechnung des Bruttoinlandsprodukts für Ostdeutschland: Sektorale Bruttowertschöpfung
Hans-Ulrich Brautzsch, Udo Ludwig
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 164,
2002
Abstract
Data regarding the development of macroeconomic production and employment are essential for the political decision process. Especially timely available information is a critical issue. Reliable short run data are not reported for East Germany yet. Because of data limitations for the past quarterly sectoral series of production and employment are derived from annual national accounts data using a set of indicators by branches. Indicators have been tested and cover working hours and sales, among others. For the period from 1992 to 2001 quarterly series for sectoral GDP are derived. A flash estimator for the overall macroeconomic performance is obtained through aggregation.
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