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The Dynamics of Social Assistance Benefit Receipt in Germany: State Dependence before and after the 'Hartz Reforms'

In this article, we study state dependence in social assistance receipt in Germany using annual survey data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) for the years 1995-2011. We show that there is considerable observed state dependence, with an average persistence rate in benefits of 68% compared to an average entry rate of below 4%. To identify a possible structural component in state dependence, ...

Method Effects in Factorial Surveys: An Analysis of Respondents' Comments, Interviewers' Assessments, and Response Behavior

This paper describes the implementation of a factorial survey within the SOEP-Pretest of 2008 and investigates (1) respondents' comments about the vignettes, (2) interviewers' assessments of respondents comprehension and willingness to answer, and (3) response behavior regarding response time, use of the answering scale, and consistency of evaluations by different age groups and educational background. ...

Tax Policy and Firms' Financing and Investment Decision: Dissertation

Hauptaugenmerk dieser Arbeit liegt auf dem Einfluss der Besteuerung auf die Finanzierungsstruktur und Investitionen von Unternehmen. Die Relevanz dieser Thematik wurde als erstes von Modigliani und Miller (1958) herausgestellt. Sie haben gezeigt, dass Investitions- und Finanzierungsentscheidungen von Unternehmen nur bei vollkommenen Märkten voneinander unabhängig sind. Es ist daher von großem Interesse, ...

How far do criminals understand the criminal law? Evidence from French mandatory sentencing

This paper studies the deterrent effect of a medium increase in the severity of sentences and documents how the understanding of the newly enacted law evolves in the criminal population. The empirical strategy exploits mandatory sentencing act against repeat offenders passed by the French parliament in August 2007. The law specifically targets offenders who did the same act twice. Nevertheless, it...

Why Do Emitters Trade Carbon Permits? Firm-Level Evidence from the European Emission Trading Scheme

The creation of the EU's Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) has turned the right to emit CO2 into a positively priced intermediate good for the affected firms. Firms thus face the decision whether to source compliance with the EU ETS within their boundaries or to acquire it through the permit trade. However, a combination of internal abatement, free permit allocation and flexibility to shift the use ...

The EU ETS: Eight Years and Counting

This paper provides an introduction to the EU's Emissions Trading System. As such it provides a discussion of the historical and legal context in which the EU ETS developed and now operates, a presentation of the key performance indicators for the first eight years through the end of the second phase in 2012, and some concluding observations on the system's future. The paper is purposively descriptive ...

Staying with the Leaders: Europe's Path to a Successful Low-Carbon Economy

Achieving Sustainable Financial Stability

Conference organised by the Deutsche Bundesbank, the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin), the European School of Management and Technology (ESMT) and the Center for Financial Studies (CfS)While still struggling with the financial and sovereign debt crisis, the financial markets, the real economy and governments seem to be experiencing slightly less tension. The discussion can now...

PIAAC-L: Cooperative project for the new longitudinal study PIAAC-L in Germany

The Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), carried out on behalf of the OECD, examines the basic skills that are necessary for adults to participate successfully in society and working life. Findings from the 2011/2012 wave of the PIACC study were released in October 2013. Around 98% of the approximately 5,400 PIAAC survey respondents in Germany agreed to...

Understanding Chinese Consumption: The Impact of Hukou

The Chinese growth miracle was based on exports and investment in recent years. While strong output growth has been maintained even during the financial crisis, the imbalances within the country increased. To return to a more sustainable path of development, policies are directed to improve the role of private consumption. However, the institutional framework is an impediment to the transformation, ...