-
Report
The data for SOEP v31 have been finalized and sent out via encrypted download-link to the users who applied for them. Please order the current data set if you haven't done so.
Unfortunately we still need a little time to prepare the data files of the Cross-National Equivalent File (CNEF) and of SOEPlong, and the PanelWhiz version of the SOEP for distribution. Thank you for your patience.
23.11.2015
-
Press Release
Photovoltaics and wind power can replace nuclear power – DIW Berlin’s energy experts maintain that a nuclear power renaissance is neither sensible nor necessary – financing for the decommissioning of nuclear power plants and the search for a final storage should be secured through public funds
Europe’s climate protection goals will not be endangered if existing nuclear power ...
18.11.2015
-
Report
DIW Berlin and Universität Potsdam have carried out the research project “RESOURCES – Climate policies in the strategic markets of coal, oil, natural gas” since 2012 (until end 2015). The project is part of the funding program “Economics of Climate Change” of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research which aims at fostering the discipline of climate economics ...
16.11.2015| Franziska Holz
-
Report
by Georg F. Camehl, Juliane F. Stahl, Pia S. Schober and C. Katharina Spieß
Following the major expansion of day care provision in Germany in recent years, the quality of these programs has increasingly also been the subject of public debate. When evaluating the quality of German day care centers, experts have frequently concluded that there is considerable room for improvement. Apart from consider¬ing ...
13.11.2015
-
Interview
Mr. Müller, what is the current state of the work-life balance in Germany?
Since the introduction of Elterngeld, the situation has improved. Especially the expansion of subsidized day-care for small children has contributed to this development. On the other hand, there’s still a relatively widespread dissatisfaction with the work-life balance. Mothers would like to participate more in the ...
13.11.2015
-
Report
To improve our SOEP user services, we are again conducting a user survey up to December 18. We are very interested in both the fresh viewpoints of new SOEP users and the insights of our longtime users.
A focus of our work this year is on making it easier to understand how to use secondary data. Your feedback and suggestions are very important to us: Only you may see possibilities for improvement that ...
13.11.2015
-
Press Release
DIW economists simulate various scenarios based on different assumptions – in every projected scenario, investment pays off in the longer term – successful integration will increase per capita income of Germany’s current population
The recent influx of refugees has created enormous challenges for politicians and society at large - but according to a simulation conducted by economists ...
12.11.2015
-
Press Release
Russian economy suffering due to weaker local currency – depreciation of the ruble primarily due to the drop in oil prices, not to sanctions
Since 2014, the ruble has fallen by more than 50 percent against the U.S. dollar—and this devaluation is putting the Russian economy under pressure. A study conducted by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) has concluded that the ...
29.10.2015
-
Interview
Mr. Kholodilin, how has the value of the ruble changed over the past few years?
The exchange rate of Russian ruble has dropped considerably. In 2013, one euro was worth roughly 40 rubles; now, one euro is worth around 70 rubles. This devaluation is much stronger than it was during the Great Recession of 2008–2009.
This interview with Konstantin Kholodilin is published in DIW ...
28.10.2015
-
Press Release
Persistent lack of investment among municipalities – social expenditures diminishing financial leeway – structurally weak regions threatening to fall further behind – DIW experts recommend temporarily making use of solidarity contributions to relieve municipalities of social expenditures
Investment in public infrastructure is critical for ensuring competitiveness and creating growth ...
22.10.2015
-
Press Release
Unlike the investment of core municipal budgets, public companies’ investment in energy and water supply is not decreasing – DIW experts find no connection among regional financial power, shifting demographics, and investment Countless municipalities in Germany are investing too little, which is primarily having a negative impact on infrastructure. However, for the municipal energy and ...
22.10.2015
-
Interview
Mr. Fratzscher, you’ve been making a case for more investment in Germany for quite some time now. Has there been any improvement in this area?
No, the situation in Germany has essentially shown no improvement. In both private and public investment, we continue to see major weaknesses. The net investment of many municipalities and many states are negative. [...]
This interview with Prof. Marcel ...
21.10.2015
-
Press Release
The German economy is experiencing a moderate upturn. Gross domestic product will increase by 1.8 percent in 2015 and in 2016 respectively. Growth will be driven by private consumption. In view of the world economy’s modest growth, exports are only expected to rise slightly, especially as the stimulating effect of the euro’s depreciation gradually starts to fade. There will be a more rapid ...
08.10.2015
-
Report
Gert G. Wagner has been elected Speaker of Section B “Economics, Social Sciences, Spatial Research“ of the Leibniz Association. He will be a member of the Executive Board for the next two years.
The member institutes of the Leibniz Association form five sections that reflect its scientific profile and expertise. The main tasks of the Sections are to drive the sharing of scientific experience ...
07.10.2015
-
Personnel news
Ingrid Tucci will be leaving the SOEP on November 1. She applied to the 2015 researchers’ competition of the French National Center for Scientific Research in the area of sociology and her achievements and research were evaluated as the best. Starting in November, she will be working at the CNRS Institute of Labour Economics and Industrial Sociology (LEST - Laboratoire d'Economie et de Sociologie ...
07.10.2015
-
Press Release
Very few research-intensive sectors and larger enterprises—research concentrated in public-sector and publicly funded research institutes and universitiesOver the past two decades, research and development (R&D) activities in eastern Germany have increased substantially, albeit to a lesser extent than in western Germany. Furthermore, R&D in eastern Germany was primarily conducted by public-sector ...
07.10.2015
-
Interview
Mr. Eickelpasch, after reunification, we saw a substantial increase in research and development, or R&D, activities in eastern Germany. How big is the gap between the east and the west of the country today?
If we look at the number of R&D employees as a share of the total workforce in Germany, or what is known as R&D labor intensity, and R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP, it becomes ...
07.10.2015
-
Report
Uwe Sunde, longtime SOEP user and recently elected as deputy chairman of the SOEP Survey Committee, has been awarded the renowned Gossen Prize of the "Verein für Socialpolitik" at its annual conference. The Gossen Prize is awarded every year to honor a German-speaking economist working in central Europe, whose work has gained international renown. The aim of the award is to promote the internationalization ...
06.10.2015
-
Report
Jürgen Schupp was appointed in September 2015 to the advisory board to the administration of the project “Zivilgesellschaft in Zahlen” (Placing Civil Society on the Economic Map, ZiviZ) of the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, a non-profit organization promoting science and education in Germany. His term is for two years.
06.10.2015
-
Report
Carsten Schröder (FU Berlin), Deputy Head of the Research Infrastructure SOEP, has been elected to the International Board of Directors of the LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg. He follows Gert G. Wagner, who took the position of the late Joachim R. Frick on the Board three years ago. The Chairman of the Board is renowned British economist Sir Tony Atkinson (Oxford University), ...
06.10.2015