Few theories in the social sciences have gained more widespread acceptance than Max Weber’s The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism—despite a lack of conclusive empirical evidence. At the core of Weber’s theory lies a connection between Protestantism and attitudes toward work. Using micro-data from contemporary Germany, this paper investigates the impact of Protestantism on economic outcomes ...
Sector-specific surcharge collective labor agreements between the bargaining partner in the staffing industry allow for a reduction of wage gaps between agency workers and permanent staff in case of long-term job assignments to user companies. Stepwise surcharges up to 50% after a surcharge-free period between four and six weeks gradually close the wage gap for temporary agency workers in nine industries. ...