East Germany
The Nasty Gap 30 years after unification: Why East Germany is still 20% poorer than the West Dossier In a nutshell The East German economic convergence process is hardly…
See page
Productivity
Productivity: More with Less by Better Available resources are scarce. To sustain our society's income and living standards in a world with ecological and demographic change, we…
See page
Financial Stability
Financial Systems: The Anatomy of the Market Economy How the financial system is constructed, how it works, how to keep it fit and what good a bit of chocolate can do. Dossier In…
See page
MULTIMSPROD/MULTIMSPROD AUT
MULTIMSPROD/MULTIMSPROD AUT MULTIMSPROD = Enhancing the Micro Foundation of the Research Output of National Productivity Board (NPBs). Using CompNet and Expanding its Micro Data…
See page
Privacy
Data Protection Policy We take the protection of your personal data very seriously and treat your personal data with confidentiality and in compliance with the provisions of law…
See page
Imprint
Imprint and Disclaimer Imprint Institution and Address Halle Institute for Economic Research – Member of the Leibniz Association Kleine Märkerstraße 8 D-06108 Halle (Saale),…
See page
Logo and Colours
IWH Logo and IWH Colours 1. Logo 1.1 Combined Word Picture Mark 1.2 Reduced Versions 1.2.1 Signet 1.2.2 Horizontal Versions 1.2.3 Negative Versions 2. IWH Colours 1. Logo 1.1…
See page
DPE Course Programme Archive
DPE Course Programme Archive 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2023 Microeconomics several lecturers winter term 2023/2024 (IWH) Econometrics several…
See page
28.02.2023 • 5/2023
Presseeinladung zur Konferenz: „Steigende Energiepreise – Wie kann der Umbau der deutschen Wirtschaft gelingen?“ am 9. März 2023 am IWH
Die Folgen von Krieg und Klimakrise fordern Deutschlands Unternehmen heraus. Wie der Wandel inmitten einer Energiekrise erfolgreich gestaltet werden kann, diskutiert eine Konferenz am Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH) mit Gästen aus Wissenschaft, Politik und Industrie. Es sprechen unter anderem die Wirtschaftsweise Veronika Grimm und Sachsen-Anhalts Vize-Ministerpräsident Armin Willingmann.
Read
The East-West German Gap in Revenue Productivity: Just a Tale of Output Prices?
Matthias Mertens, Steffen Müller
Journal of Comparative Economics,
No. 3,
2022
Abstract
East German manufacturers’ revenue productivity is substantially below West German levels, even three decades after German unification. Using firm-product-level data with product quantities and prices, we analyze the role of product specialization and show that the prominent “extended work bench hypothesis” cannot explain these sustained productivity differences. Eastern firms specialize in simpler product varieties generating less consumer value and being manufactured with less or cheaper inputs. Yet, such specialization cannot explain the productivity gap because Eastern firms are physically less productive for given product prices. Hence, there is a genuine price-adjusted physical productivity disadvantage of Eastern compared to Western firms.
Read article
