Research Projects

The effect of the demographic change on inequality and the role of the pension system: Evidence from social security data and a dynamic structural life-cycle model

The demographic change poses numerous challenges to societies in developed countries. In particular, the increasing longevity and the related ageing of societies affect the organization and the financing of the welfare state. Therefore, most governments have introduced or are about to design reforms of the welfare state, most important of the pension system. At the same time the increasing...

The effect of the low interest environment on household investment behavior

The objective of the project is to analyze the effects of long enduring low interest rates on household investment behavior, setting a special focus on the stock market participation of German and US households. In particular, we address four questions within the project. Did the low interest rate environment induced more households to enter the stock market? How do low interest rates affect the...

The Effects of Non-cognitive Skills on Post-Secondary Educational Choices

While most students in Germany who obtain a university entrance qualification enroll in higher education, the decision to do so still depends on their socio-economic background. This difference remains even when grades, cognitive skills and other observable factors are considered. In Germany, eligible school-leavers whose parents hold a university degree are 20 percentage points more likely to...

The European and German Natural Gas Market in the Short and Long Run: Report on the Finalization and Commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Project

In this report, the role of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project for the German and the European natural gas market was investigated in the short run and the long run. In the short run, no supply gap can be identified that would justify the speedy finalization of construction works on the Nord Stream 2 project. In the long run, there is no need for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline due to the German and...

The gender wage gap and the role of policy: Analyzing patterns over time, over the life cycle and across the wage distribution

The gender wage gap is a persistent and pervasive phenomenon observable in virtually all countries. It has strong implications for a society since it is one main driver of inequality in a country. Therefore, there exists an active public debate and an important academic literature that describes and quantifies the gender wage gap, analyses the reasons for this gap and discusses potential policy...

The Impact of Monetary Policy on Structural Reforms in the Euro Area

The aim of this project is to estimate the impact of monetary policy on structural reforms in the euro area. We first identify exogenous ECB policy changes through an event study that extracts the unexpected variation in euro area interest rates on policy announcement days. We estimate then the effect of monetary policy shocks on the number of reforms and investigate whether the effect is stronger...

The impact of R&D on the development of manufacturing industry in East Germany and the impact of technology open programmes for the promotion of industry research

The project analyses the effects of the German Federal Ministry of Economics' technology open programmes for small and medium-sized companies on the development of the East German manufacturing industry between 2000 and 2008 under consideration of corresponding measures by other federal ministries and the East German Länder. On this basis, the project aims to provide practical recommendations for...

The impact of the financial and economic crisis on the diversity of private households' financial portfolios

The past 10 years since the 2008 Lehman bankruptcy have clearly shown that global economic and financial crises present major challenges not only to banks and businesses but also to private households, requiring them a high level of shock absorption capacity. Resilience of households also depends on the stability of their investment portfolios. Diversification is an important requirement for...

The link between pension levels and old-age poverty: Simulation analyses

In this project, we analyze and illustrate the link between pension levels and poverty risk in old age in two steps. First, using stylized calculations, we show how changing pension levels affect the distance between retirement benefits  and basic means-tested social benefits (Grundsicherung im Alter). Second, we analyze the impact of changing pension levels on old-age poverty risk and...

The post 2020 framework for investments in renewable generation in Europe

To learn more about the project, please follow the link.

The Provision of External Expertise in the Field of Monetary and Financial Affairs (Monetary Expert Panel)

The Sectoral e-Business W@tch

"The Sectoral e-Business W@tch" (SeBW) studies the diffusion and impact of ICT and e-business on enterprises, industries and the economy in general. It highlights barriers for a wider or faster uptake of ICT and identifies public policy challenges arising from these developments. Current studies focus on the following sectors: the chemical industry, steel, furniture, retail, transport &...

The Spread of the Coronavirus in Germany: Socio-Economic Factors and Consequences (SOEP-CoV)

How is the corona pandemic affecting people in Germany and what economic and social impacts will it have in the years to come? SOEP-CoV, a joint project of SOEP and the University of Bielefeld, aims at answering these questions. On the one hand, the project is investigating how the corona crisis is changing everyday life in Germany and how people are dealing with the situation. On the other hand,...

The system of economic indicators to measure security and security provision in Germany (WISIND)

Project Homepage:  www.sicherheitsindikator.de/sicherheitsindikator/ Project Aim In politics and media, crime and security are constantly in focus. Fear of terrorism, comprehensive surveillance of public spaces, and monitoring of communication channels are only a few of the many relevant issues in this field. These issues also matter on a personal level, as they affect personal feelings of...

The “Discovery” of Youth’s Learning Potential Early in the Life Course

"Underachievement" is a well-established educational research field. However, both longitudinal and interdisciplinary studies on the interplay between individuals' learning potential and educational attainment are rare, as are analyses of life course consequences of underachievement. This psychological, sociological, and economic longitudinal study aims to contribute to our knowledge of social...

Training and Mobility Network for the Economic Analysis of Conflict - TAMNEAC

The overall objective of the Training and Mobility Network for the Economic Analysis of Conflict (TAMNEAC) is to train a young generation of professionals and researchers in tackling the challenges associated with mass violent conflict in developing countries. This training will range from rigorous research methods to knowledge-based policy responses and program implementation in conflict-affected...

Transformation and Innovation in Power Systems - TIPS

Homepage The German electricity system is currently undergoing a transformation. Market liberalisation, the necessity for power plant replacement, environmental regulation and new technologies (like renewable energy carriers and decentralised power generation) drive the process. The interdisciplinary TIPS project Transformation and Innovation in Power Systems - TIPS investigates possibilities to...

Transition to adulthood among the children of Turkish immigrants

The project analyzes the life courses of young people with a Turkish ethnic background. A unique feature of this study is the integrated analysis of quantitative and qualitative data using a mixed-method design. To this end, qualitative interviews will be carried out with 30 selected longtime respondents to the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP). It relates to the research work carried out in the context...

Wealth Accumulation in Germany: Current Trends and Drivers

The dynamic recent development of asset prices, especially of real estate since 2010, and the widening wealth gap have sparked renewed public debate on the topic of wealth accumulation. Yet the existing literature leaves important questions about wealth accumulation unanswered: How great is the disparity in capital gains between rural and urban real estate owners? What are the drivers of wealth...

Wealth mobility in the US and Germany

The recent rise in inequality in many societies is an important topic in current social science and is of increasing concern in public policy-making (OECD 2011, Stiglitz 2012, Ostry et al. 2014). High inequality may harm the economy because credit rationing prevents the poor from investing in education and weakens innovations . Most recent findings of the OECD (2014) also point to a negative...