The dramatic labor market situation clearly shows that economic revival is still urgently needed in Germany. However, large-scale structural reforms cannot take place overnight. For this reason, Professors Michael Hüther (Institute for Economic Policy at the University of Cologne), Thomas Straubhaar (HWWA- Institute for Economic Research in Hamburg) and Klaus F. Zimmermann (German Institute for Economic ...
The employment structures of East European EU countries and entry candidates are still markedly different from market economies with a per capita income as that in West European countries. This is the conclusion of an analysis published in the latest Weekly Report of DIW Berlin 51/2004. Using a data record for market economies at various levels of development, a standard unit for comparison („benchmarks“) ...
According to the latest weekly report of DIW Berlin 50/2004, against the background of an overall positive development in 2005 in Europe and also in Germany, German industrial output will continue to substantially increase, achieving a good 3% growth (adjusted to 3,7% per working day). In 2004, German industrial output increased more than originally expected; the 2003 level should exceed 2004 by 4% ...
The European Stability and Growth Pact as a major instrument of political-economic discipline is in need of reform. This is the key conclusion presented in the latest issue of the Quarterly Journal of Economic Research published by DIW Berlin. Under the title On the Future of the Stability and Growth Pact, renowned economists analyze the weaknesses of the pact based on present experiences, and expound ...
From January 1, 2005 on, Prof. Dr. Alfred Steinherr will act as interim Head of Department of Macro Analysis and Forecasting at DIW Berlin. Steinherr (60) will fulfill this function in addition to his position as Chief Economist at the European Investment Bank (EIB). Alfred Steinherr has served as Chief Economist at the EIB since 1995. Prof. Dr. Klaus F. Zimmermann, President of DIW Berlin, said: “We ...
The German medical-technology industry ranks first throughout Europe. On a world-wide basis, it is in 3rd place behind the USA and Japan according to the current weekly report of DIW Berlin 48/2004. The sales volume in the medical technology sector increased by 5.5 percent from 1995 to 2003 and is, as a result, significantly higher than the average of the manufacturing sector overall. World trade in ...
The European Commission gave a consortium of European research institutes the task of researching productivity in the European Union. DIW Berlin will be responsible for the development of measures of productivity for Germany as part of this consortium and will carry out analyses in the areas of productivity, technology, the labor market and investment.
The recent sharp increase in energy prices has been caused by a combination of different developments: upheaval on the world oil market, its impact on other energy markets, increases in energy prices motivated by environmental policy, and delays in liberalisation and regulation in the area of electricity and gas supplies. In its current Weekly Report (Wochenbericht 44/2004), the DIW Berlin analyses ...
The question of whether unemployment will remain a brief phase in one’s career or evolve into a long-term condition depends not only on the overall economic situation—as determined by such reforms as Hartz IV—but also on the personal and social characteristics of unemployed individuals themselves. A recently released DIW Berlin study entitled “The influence of personality characteristics and social ...