Das Ausbildungsprofil von Hochschulen und der regionale Bedarf an Absolventen
Gunnar Pippel
Peer Pasternack (ed.), Regional gekoppelte Hochschulen. Die Potenziale von Forschung und Lehre für demografisch herausgeforderte Regionen. Institut für Hochschulforschung (HoF): Wittenberg,
2013
Abstract
Eine wichtige Funktion von Hochschulen liegt in der Ausbildung von Arbeitskräften. Hierbei stellt sich die Frage, inwiefern sich die fachliche Ausrichtung von Hochschulen an den regionalen Beschäftigungsprofilen orientiert. Gibt es hier eine gute Übereinstimmung, dann können die Arbeitgeber in einer Region die hochqualifizierten Arbeitskräfte vor Ort rekrutieren.
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Effects of Incorrect Specification on the Finite Sample Properties of Full and Limited Information Estimators in DSGE Models
Sebastian Giesen, Rolf Scheufele
Abstract
In this paper we analyze the small sample properties of full information and limited information estimators in a potentially misspecified DSGE model. Therefore, we conduct a simulation study based on a standard New Keynesian model including price and wage rigidities. We then study the effects of omitted variable problems on the structural parameters estimates of the model. We find that FIML performs superior when the model is correctly specified. In cases where some of the model characteristics are omitted, the performance of FIML is highly unreliable, whereas GMM estimates remain approximately unbiased and significance tests are mostly reliable.
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Financial Factors in Macroeconometric Models
Sebastian Giesen
Volkswirtschaft, Ökonomie, Shaker Verlag GmbH, Aachen,
2013
Abstract
The important role of credit has long been identified as a key factor for economic development (see e.g. Wicksell (1898), Keynes (1931), Fisher (1933) and Minsky (1957, 1964)). Even before the financial crisis most researchers and policy makers agreed that financial frictions play an important role for business cycles and that financial turmoils can result in severe economic downturns (see e.g. Mishkin (1978), Bernanke (1981, 1983), Diamond (1984), Calomiris (1993) and Bernanke and Gertler (1995)). However, in practice researchers and policy makers mostly used simplified models for forecasting and simulation purposes. They often neglected the impact of financial frictions and emphasized other non financial market frictions when analyzing business cycle fluctuations (prominent exceptions include Kiyotaki and Moore (1997), Bernanke, Gertler, and Gilchrist (1999) and Christiano, Motto, and Rostagno (2010)). This has been due to the fact that most economic downturns did not seem to be closely related to financial market failures (see Eichenbaum (2011)). The outbreak of the subprime crises ― which caused panic in financial markets and led to the default of Lehman Brothers in September 2008 ― then led to a reconsideration of such macroeconomic frameworks (see Caballero (2010) and Trichet (2011)). To address the economic debate from a new perspective, it is therefore necessary to integrate the relevant frictions which help to explain what we have experienced during recent years.
In this thesis, I analyze different ways to incorporate relevant frictions and financial variables in macroeconometric models. I discuss the potential consequences for standard statistical inference and macroeconomic policy. I cover three different aspects in this work. Each aspect presents an idea in a self-contained unit. The following paragraphs present more detail on the main topics covered.
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The manufacturing sector in East German regions 20 years after German Unification – how sustainable is its economic structure?
Gerhard Heimpold
XII Meždunarodnaja naučnaja konferencija po problemam razvitija èkonimiki i obščestva. Red. Jasin, È. G., Nacionalnyj issledovatel’skij universitet /Vysšaja škola èkonomiki. Pri učasti vsemirnogo banka i meždunarodnogo valjutnogo fonda, Izd,
2012
Abstract
Nach einer massiven Deindustrialisierung in den frühen 1990er Jahren hat das ostdeutsche Verarbeitende Gewerbe wieder an Fahrt gewonnen. Vor diesem Hintergrund analysiert der Beitrag die dahinter stehenden intra-industriellen Branchen- und Funktionalstrukturen. Es zeigt sich, dass technologieintensive Zweige und hochwertige Dienstleistungsfunktionen unterrepräsentiert sind. Letzteres ist auch eine Folge des weitergehenden Fehlens von Headquarters in Ostdeutschland.
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Natural-resource or Market-seeking FDI in Russia? An Empirical Study of Locational Factors Affecting the Regional Distribution of FDI Entries
K. Gonchar, Philipp Marek
HSE Working Papers, Series: Economics, WP BRP 26/EC/2013,
2013
Abstract
This paper analyzes the spatial distribution of foreign direct investment (FDI) across regions in Russia. Our analysis employs data on Russian firms with a foreign investor during the 2000-2009 period and links regional statistics in the conditional logit model. The main findings are threefold. First, we conclude that market-related factors and the availability of natural resources are important factors in attracting FDI. Second, existing agglomeration economies encourage foreign investors. Third, the findings imply that service-oriented FDI co-locates with extraction industries in resource-endowed regions.
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Organization of EU Structural Policy in the Years 2007-20013 in Northwestern Germany, ed. by the German National Academy for Spatial Research and Planning
Martin T. W. Rosenfeld
Raumforschung und Raumordnung,
No. 2,
2013
Abstract
In jüngster Zeit wird wieder einmal kontrovers über die Frage diskutiert, wie effizient und effektiv die strukturpolitischen Programme der EU bislang waren. Wichtige neue Impulse für diese Diskussion liefert der jetzt von einer Arbeitsgruppe der Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Bremen, Hamburg, Niedersachsen und Schleswig-Holstein der Akademie für Raumforschung und Landesplanung vorgelegte Sammelband zur EU-Strukturpolitik in der noch laufenden Förderperiode (2007-2013) in den vier genannten nordwestdeutschen Ländern. Die theoretisch fundierten empirischen Untersuchungen zur Ausgestaltung der EU-Strukturpolitik im Nordwesten liefern wichtige Anregungen für die Politikgestaltung und dürften damit auch weit über Nordwestdeutschland hinaus ausstrahlen.
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Vierteljährliche Konjunkturberichterstattung für das Land Sachsen-Anhalt – Die gesamtwirtschaftliche Lage im 4. Quartal 2012 -
Brigitte Loose, Hans-Ulrich Brautzsch, Franziska Exß
Einzelveröffentlichungen,
No. 4,
2012
Abstract
In Sachsen-Anhalt ist die gesamtwirtschaftliche Produktion im vierten Quartal 2012 um 0,5% zurückgegangen, nachdem sie im dritten Quartal bereits um 0,3% geschrumpft war. Wie auch in Deutschland war die Wirtschaft im vergangenen Jahr zunehmend durch die Eurokrise belastet worden. Die Produktion im Verarbeitenden Gewerbe hat zum einen aufgrund der gesunkenen Exporte in wichtige Abnehmerländer des Euroraums nachgegeben. Zum anderen haben die Investitionsgüterhersteller und damit auch ihre Zulieferer die geringere Investitionsneigung der Unternehmen im Inland zu spüren bekommen. Gleichzeitig war die Bauproduktion rückläufig, die zum Teil witterungsbedingt, aber auch einem schwächelnden gewerblichen und öffentlichen Bau geschuldet war. Rück-gänge im Verlauf musste aber auch der Dienstleistungsbereich hinnehmen, deren konjunkturreagibelsten Sparten besonders kräftig nachgaben. So gingen angesichts der schwachen Industriekonjunktur die Wertschöpfung der Unternehmensdienstleister – hier vor allem die der Arbeitnehmerüberlassungen – sowie die der Verkehrsunternehmen besonders deutlich zurück. Dämpfende Impulse kamen wegen der demografischen Entwicklung nach wie vor von den öffentlichen Verwaltungen. Zugleich trug der Handel nur wenig zum Wachstum des Bruttoinlandsproduktes bei.
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Related Variety, Unrelated Variety and Regional Functions: A spatial panel approach
Matthias Brachert, Alexander Kubis, Mirko Titze
Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography,
2013
Abstract
The paper presents estimates for the impact of related variety, unrelated variety and the functions a region performs in the production process on regional employment growth in Germany. We argue that regions benefit from the existence of related activities that facilitate economic development. Thereby the sole reliance of the related and unrelated variety concept on standard industrial classifications (SIC) remains debatable. We offer estimations for establishing that conceptual progress can be made when the focus of analysis goes beyond solely considering industries. We develop an industry-function based approach of related and unrelated variety and test our hypothesis by the help of spatial panel approach. Our findings suggest that related variety as same as unrelated variety facilitate regional employment growth in Germany. However, the drivers behind these effects do differ. While the positive effect of related variety is driven by high degrees of relatedness in the regional “R&D” and “White-Collar”-functions, the effects of unrelated variety are spurred by “Blue Collar”-functions in this period.
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How to Create a New Holiday Destination? An Evaluation of Local Public Investment for Supporting Tourism Industry
Albrecht Kauffmann, Martin T. W. Rosenfeld
Quantitative Methods in Tourism Economics,
2013
Abstract
Since the 1990s tourism has been one major area in Saxony where new local public infrastructure has been created. The question is whether this newly-built tourism infrastructure has been able to change the path of economic development in those municipalities where the investment has occurred. Is it possible to activate the tourism industry with the help of public investment at locations that are completely new to the tourism industry? The econometric estimations and a survey of businesses in the field of tourism make it clear that the new tourist infrastructure really did have a positive effect on local employment – but not everywhere and not in every case. Tourist infrastructure will only have a major positive impact on economic development if a municipality already has a “track record” of being a tourist destination and is well-equipped with the relevant complementary factors for tourist activities and the “primary features” of tourist destinations – History matters!
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The Investment Strategies of Sovereign Wealth Funds
Shai B. Bernstein, Josh Lerner, Antoinette Schoar
Journal of Economic Perspectives,
No. 2,
2013
Abstract
Sovereign wealth funds have emerged as major investors in corporate and real resources worldwide. After an overview of their magnitude, we consider the institutional arrangements under which many of the sovereign wealth funds operate. We focus on a specific set of agency problems that is of first-order importance for these funds: that is, the direct involvement of political leaders in the management process. We show that sovereign wealth funds with greater involvement of political leaders in fund management are associated with investment strategies that seem to favor short-term economic policy goals in their respective countries at the expense of longer-term maximization of returns. Sovereign wealth funds face several other issues, like how best to cope with demands for transparency, which can allow others to copy their investment strategies, and how to address the problems that arise with sheer size, like the difficulties of scaling up investment strategies that only work with a smaller value of assets under investment. In the conclusion, we discuss how various approaches cultivated by effective institutional investors worldwide -- from investing in the best people to pioneering new asset classes to compartmentalizing investment activities -- may provide clues as to how sovereign wealth funds might address these issues.
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