bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Der (beinahe) weiße Fleck in der Legitimitätsforschung
Authors: Bakker Erik de
Published: May 2016

Innerhalb der soziologischen Legimitätsforschung werden Akzeptanzprozesse und vor allem zynische Formen des (Nicht-)Akzeptierens zu wenig berücksichtigt. In diesem Artikel wird eine theoretische Perspektive vorgestellt, mit der die soziologische Forschung nach Legitimität wesentlich vertieft und verbessert werden kann. Dabei wird auf das Phänomen der Akzeptanz und bestimmte Formen von Zynismus eingegangen. Politisches Unbehagen sollte man nicht nur an öffentlichen Konflikten messen, sondern auch an den verborgenen Praktiken und den damit verbundenen Einstellungen, die auf stillschweigenden Zynismus gegenüber den Behörden hinweisen. Um diesen weißen Fleck in der Legimitätsforschung zu beseitigen werden ein Handlungsmodell in Bezug auf zynische Handlungsorientierungen sowie eine Typologie der Akzeptanz und der Nicht-Akzeptanz präsentiert. Im zweiten Teil dieses Artikels wird versucht, die Fruchtbarkeit des vorgestellten theoretischen Rahmens empirisch anhand der problematischen Machtbeziehungen innerhalb des niederländischen Agrarsektors veranschaulichen. Die Fallstudie bezieht sich auf die gesetzlichen Regelungen im Bereich der Saisonarbeit, insbesondere auf die problematische Akzeptanz die es hier in den Neunzigerjahren im Spargelanbau gab.
Zur gesamtwirtschaftlichen Problematik des Zusammenwirkens von Nominalzinsbesteuerung und Inflation
Authors: Glaß Stefan
Published: May 2016

In Germany, nominal interest earnings are taxed. Combined with persistent inflation, this leads to real interest rates which are often extremely low and sometimes even negative. This, in turn, creates strong incentives for tax evasion. When the government attempts to alter the legal rules of the taxation of interest in order to reduce the amount of tax evasion, many citizens strive to prevent their interest earnings from being taxed by transferring large sums of capital to other countries. Moreover, the excessive actual taxation of real interest earnings causes a misallocation of saving, which hampers economic growth.
Vergleichsmietensystem und Kündigungsrecht: Reform der Regulierungen des Wohnungsmarktes?
Authors: Kofner Stefan
Published: May 2016

The interest in the German system of comparable rents was revived recently by the proposals of the experts’ commission on housing policy. A political discussion about simplifying the complex rules of the German tenancy laws has begun. The German system of rent controls hampers the adjustment of the housing market in the case of unexpected demand shocks. It favors long-term tenancy to an unjustifiable degree. The rules should be reformed in a way that allows for more price flexibility in existing contracts. If the outcome of spontaneous contracting were efficient, binding rental tables could be given up completely. If the outcome were unsatisfactory, new methods for simulating the market mechanism by the means of rental tables would have to be developed.
Umbau der Sozialen Sicherungsysteme im Zeichen der Globalisierung?
Authors: Hüther Michael
Published: May 2016

In recent times global competition is more and more regarded as a threat to national political systems, especially to the systems of social security. In this view, the ongoing globalization of markets and enterprises leads to a downward trend in social standards and creates a need for substantial welfare reform. In fact global competition only calls for a reform that is caused by the shortcomings of the national systems regarding the incentive structure, the financial burden sharing, the principle of equivalence. What is needed is a reform that reinforces the link between individual freedom and responsibility.
Das Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) Südafrikas – eine humanvermögenstheoretische Analyse
Authors: Engelhard Peter , Geue Heiko , Schädel Cornelia
Published: May 2016

From the Apartheid régime, South Africa inherited a very disproportional distribution of income and wealth, leading to a persistent material discrimination of the majority of its citizens. This may only be overcome by large scale measures of economic and social reform. Those are outlined by the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). The RDP is an ambitious plan on investment in human assets, promising the creation of new employment and the reshaping of distributive patterns. However, its implementation can only be financed if economic growth is sufficiently strong. Additionally, a policy pursuing investment in human assets can only be effective if certain conditions concerning its utilization in the market economy are met. This paper aims at a comprehensive theoretical analysis of current measures derived from the RDP. These are analysed by means of the process-theory of human assets.
Einige Anmerkungen zu den Determinanten Wirtschaftlicher Stabilität
Authors: Grüner Hans Peter
Published: May 2016

The term Stabilitätskultur (culture of stability) has gained popularity in the recent debate on the future institutions for fiscal and monetary policy in Europe. Those who use it argue that - besides institutions - social norms and traditional behavior are crucial for a country's economic performance. This paper provides a survey of theoretical explanations for the fact that non-institutional factors determine economic stability. Economic instability is interpreted as the result of inefficient conflict-resolution. I discuss both, institutional and non-institutional explanations of instability and the possibilities to improve an economy’s stability performance.
Langfristige Wirkungen öffentlicher Investitionen –Theoretische und empirische Aspekte –
Authors: Kitterer Wolfgang
Published: May 2016

Macroeconomic theory suggests that public capital investment makes a significant contribution to economic growth. Applying an error correction model to data series for Germany shows, however, that increases in public infrastructure capital reduce private sector costs only in a negligible way. Moreover, it is demonstrated that conditional demand functions can only provide for very restricted predictions of how additional public investment outlays affect the demand for labor and private capital.

Empirical estimations of productivity effects of public infrastructure usually do not account for the way government activity is financed. Neglecting tax or debt financing, may, however, entail a misspecification of the econometric equations and a misinterpretation of the empirical results. Using a simple neoclassical growth model it is shown that the productivity of public capital investment does not per se justify deficit financing. In economic terms, additional public investment spending is only reasonable if, at the margin, public capital investment is more productive than private capital investment.
Finanzsysteme in Europa: Harmonisieren? Anglifizieren?
Authors: Neuberger Doris
Published: May 2016

Within the international competition of financial systems, Europe faces the question of whether to harmonize regulations towards a bank-oriented or a market-oriented financial system. Except the United Kingdom, all European countries have bank-based financial systems, however with large differences. In order to derive policy recommendations, we review the theoretical literature on welfare effects of financial systems. Neither the theory nor the empirical evidence indicates that one system is superior to the other in all respects. Hence, competition between financial systems should be recommended. However, global competition may induce an anglification of European bank-oriented systems towards the market-oriented system, which may not always be advantageous.
Neuere Entwicklungen in der Konvergenzdiskussion – Die EU-Kohäsionspolitik aus theoretischer Perspektive
Authors: Lohrmann Astrid-Marina
Published: May 2016

Convergence is a fundamental objective of the European Union, which should be achieved by structural, regional and so-called cohesion funds. It is defined as a process of countries to grow more alike. In the neoclassical view, convergence is attained automatically by factor mobility or, alternatively, by free trade. The theory of factor proportions predicts the equalization of factor prices. Also the catching-up hypothesis points out the path of convergence between unequal trade partners through imitation and diffusion of technology, which leads to an increase of productivity. But the New Growth Theory depicts another scenario: Advanced nations will have a continous advantage, because learning-by-doing and accumulation of human capital will lead to advantages of technology and of higher productivity. Additionally, regional economics support the assumption of agglomeration advantages. Convergence policy now tries to influence the development process by a transfer of payments in order to avoid negative backwash effects in underdeveloped regions. But the success of such policies is doubtful. If the reasons for growth deficits are not identified, convergence policy may only cause additional economic distortions.
Rigider Arbeitsmarkt oder ungleiche Einkommensverteilung – Ein unlösbares Dilemma?
Authors: Berthold Norbert , Fehn Rainer , Thode Eric
Published: May 2016

The paper shows that a more flexible labor market is unequivocally necessary for a lasting and substantial reduction of unemployment. It furthermore points out that a more flexible labor market is even beneficial from a long-run distributional point of view. Hence, the key to liberalizing the labor market lies in overcoming widespread short-run distributional concerns. Increasing the short-run elasticity of labor demand with respect to the real wage by fostering venture capital markets appears to be a crucial stepping stone.
Die WTO auf dem Prüfstand: Zur Notwendigkeit einer Millennium-Runde
Authors: Hindley Brian , Hauser Heinz , Hiemenz Ulrich
Published: May 2016

This economic policy forum addresses the subject “New Challenges for the WTO: Do we need a Millennium Round?”. Brian Hindley has serious doubts whether the Millennium-Round should be revived. While the EU suggests that an agreement on competition policy should be essential for new multilateral trade negotiations, the Departement of Justice which administers competition policy in the US is less enthusiastic about the idea. The same applies to rules on investment. The author discusses both aspects of the EU’s extended agenda proposals and comes to the conclusion, that what is left is a rag bag. A bag that contains some useful issues, some dubious ones, some downright bad ones, but without enough content to fuel a credible multilateral trade negotiation. His conclusion is, that perhaps the case for multilateral agreements on competition policy and investment can be strengthened and if the Commission can do that, it should. The case for a Millennium Round based on the extended agenda is weak.

In the opinion of Heinz Hauser, a new Millennium Round has a high potential to fail. The author discusses his hypothesis in three steps. First, he draws attention to the question, which conclusions can be seen from Seattle. Second, he analyses the political environment for a hypothetically new round. He wants to substantiate that the expected results of a new round would be more harmful than beneficial for a liberal world trade arrangement. In a third step Hauser makes clear that the compliance with the committments form the Uruguay Round is still unsatisfactory.

The paper by Ulrich Hiemenz argues that a better integration of developing countries into the multilateral trading system is a key challenge at the beginning of the new millennium. He emphasises that a new round of multilateral trade negotiations launched under the auspices of the WTO would provide a window of opportunity for all participating countries to improve their living standards through better market access, greater domestic efficiency and higher productivity. Developing countries could even benefit more from further trade liberalisation than industrialised countries, provided they implement the domestic policy reforms necessary to capture these benefits.
Indexed Bonds and European Monetary Union
Authors: Harff Christoph
Published: May 2016

Indexierte Staatsanleihen können als Instrument zur Steigerung der geld- und fiskalpolitischen Glaubwürdigkeit dienen. Doch nur wenige Staaten machen von diesem Instrument Gebrauch. Die vorliegende Arbeit zeigt zunächst die potentiellen Vorteile indexierter Staatsanleihen auf. Anschließend wird der Markt für indexierte Staatsanleihen analysiert, um dessen geringe Popularität zu erklären. Es zeigt sich, dass eine asymmetrische Verteilung der potentiellen Vor- und Nachteile indexierter Staatsanleihen deren Ausbreitung verhindert. Asymmetrien treten insbesondere innerhalb der Europäischen Währungsunion auf. Daher werden Ansätze zur Etablierung eines liquiden Marktes für indexierte Staatsanleihen in Europa entwickelt.
New Migration needs a NEMP (a New European Migration Policy) and not (only) a German Einwanderungsgesetz
Authors: Straubhaar Thomas
Published: May 2016

In almost all European countries there is a wide and growing gap between the goals of national immigration policy and its actual outcomes. The main reason for the failure of national migration policies is the loss of effective competence to control today’s migration flows on a national level. Once national governments had closed the front door of legal immigration more or less strictly, most of the entries to fortress Europe occurred through the side door (asylum seekers, refugees, family reunion) or through the back door (illegal immigrants). As a result, there is an increasing need for a common European migration policy. This paper outlines the framework of a NEMP - a New European Migration Policy. NEMP is a first step from national ad hoc regulations towards a more conceptual European migration strategy. The basic idea of NEMP is that it is not the entry or the movement of people from abroad that generates migration problems. Rather, it is “stay” and “work” that may become a controversial issue. Consequently, NEMP advocates a shift of the policy focus from the control of moves to the control of residence and especially control of the illegal activities of illegal foreign workers.
Liberalisierungsversprechen und Regulierungsversagen - Das kalifornische Strommarktdebakel
Authors: Kumkar Lars
Published: May 2016

This paper discusses the California electricity market debacle and asks which lessons could be drawn from the Californian experience. It analyzes the market developments and depicts the reasons for the market meltdown. It is shown that the present situation in California may be only the calm before the next storm. Essential questions concerning regulatory policy are unsettled, and the Californian policymakers at present do not seem to be able to resolve the problems largely stemming from their own past decisions. The revealed regulatory failure demonstrates that design and analysis of adequate competition and regulation policy must explicitly consider incentive constraints in the political-regulatory area.
Kennzeichnungspflicht für genetisch veränderte Lebensmittel: Eine ökonomische Analyse
Authors: Haucap Justus , Schmidt Helmmar
Published: May 2016

In July 2001, the European Commission has published its proposal on new labeling requirements for genetically modified food. In order to reduce informational deficits on consumers’ side, the Commission proposes to decidedly strengthen the current labeling requirements. Our paper utilises an economics of information framework to analyse this proposal. We conclude that, while there may be a risk of market failure associated with genetically modified food, the Commission favours an inefficient, overly drastic form of market intervention, which does not only lead to increased production costs and a loss of allocative efficiency, but also has adverse distributive effects from the bottom to the top.
Chancen und Risiken einer Dollarisierung in Argentinien
Authors: Setzer Ralph
Published: May 2016

The collapse of the Argentinean Currency Board revived the debate about the optimal exchange rate regime for Argentina. Given its large exposure to nervous international investors, Argentina is a strong candidate for dollarization, which could provide lower inflation and higher financial integration with the United States. However, Argentina’s poor qualifications for a fixed exchange rate under the traditional optimum currency area criteria and the absence of adequate labor market and fiscal policy structures indicate that dollarization would suffer from the same problems as the Currency Board system. Thus, dollarization, in advance of other fundamental reforms seems a risky strategy.
Die Fehlbewertung junger Aktiengesellschaften beim Gang an die Börse – Ursachen und wirtschaftspolitische Konsequenzen
Authors: Ploog Christine , Stolpe Michael
Published: May 2016

This paper discusses policy options to reduce underpricing in initial public offerings (IPOs). It surveys recent theoretical insights into the causes and welfare implications of underpricing and reviews evidence on the signalling hypothesis, the winner’s curse model, the role of underwriters in assessing issuing firms’ future profitability and the genesis of speculative bubbles in IPO markets. The paper concludes that governments should curtail the abuse of market power in underwriting by prohibiting the allocation of shares to insiders and by reducing the incentives for investment banks to exploit underpriced share issues in order to cross-subsidise unrelated lines of business. Moreover, governments should seek to stabilize the IPO market by committing themselves to regular equal-sized issues of shares in government assets as part of a long-term privatisation programme.
Zum Problem der Generationengerechtigkeit in den Sozialversicherungen
Authors: Werding Martin , Barbier Hans D. , Börsch-Supan Axel
Published: May 2016

In his paper Martin Werding proposes “Public pension entitlements according to the number of children: arguments for an unpopular idea”. Proposals to curtail public pension entitlements for those who have no children, thus shifting the burden involved in pension reform that is necessitated by demographic ageing mainly to this sub-group of insured individuals, are provoking heated debates. Nonetheless, the idea is defended here arguing that unfunded public pensions are essentially based on aggregate human capital investment in which the childless are less engaged than those who have children. There is a role of childless individuals in co-financing child-related benefits and public education, which can give rise to pension entitlements for these people as well, but the current system in Germany is far away from balancing the relevant financial burdens and claims on the return to expenditure on children across the population. There are thus good reasons to reflect the current asymmetries within an alternative benefit formula for the German public pension scheme.

In his article Hans D. Barbier comments the debate on the consolidation of pension funds’ finances. It is wrong to claim that the old-age pensions are safe. One of the risk factors is the demographic development: this shows the problem of a fictional inter-generation compact. But there are grave arguments against an economic punishment of childlessness, e. g. against the simplified formula to shorten the retirement pensions of people without children by half.

In his article Axel Börsch-Supan discusses the impossibility of defining a practical concept of “justice between generations”. He argues that the concept - understood as an equal treatment of generations - is ill-definded and lacks practical applicability because it is impossible to unravel the historical starting point of each generations life course in a world characterized by non-stationarity and sudden events such as wars, economic crises, baby booms and baby busts.
Europas Kampf gegen die Arbeitslosigkeit – was bewirken die Strukturfonds?
Authors: Berthold Norbert , Neumann Michael
Published: May 2016

The European Union is characterised by large and persistent disparities across regions concerning income distribution and unemployment rates. European Structural Funds (ESF) have been raised to narrow income differences and foster employment in lagging regions. The paper describes the ESF and argues that they are counteracted by national policies using the theoretical framework of New Economic Geography. The agglomeration of economic activities in some regions can cause unemployment in other regions of the same country since the national wage structure is compressed. National transfers to peripheral regions with high unemployment prevent unemployed people from moving into the core. Assistance from the ESF to peripheral regions enable countries to continue inefficient national wage and transfer policies. In this respect, the ESF must not aim at fighting unemployment but should be restricted to lessen income disparities.
Heterogene Standortqualitäten und Signalstrategien: Ansiedlungsprämien, Werbung und kommunale Leuchtturmpolitk
Authors: Steinrücken Torsten , Jaenichen Sebastian
Published: May 2016

This article analyses and compares three in reality observable instruments designed to promote regional development: opening bonuses, advertisement and light-house-policy. We undertake the hopeful attempt to figure a marketplace of industrial locations where location-seeking mobile factors and location-offering jurisdictions exchange goods providing reciprocal advantage. Observing that location- seekers are unable to attain full information about the locations quality we show the importance of signalling. An undemanding model answers the fascinating question how tax-reductions for new direct investments, ads and the so called “light-house-policy” known as a specialty of East-German regional marketing can mitigate the risk associated with decisions of industrial location.
Äquivalente Steuerfinanzierung kommunaler Leistungen
Authors: Lemmer Astrid
Published: May 2016

In this paper a local tax to finance local public goods is discussed. The intention is to tax citizens upon their willingness to pay for public goods. The idea to base the tax on a private good that indicates the value of public goods is considered. Land is a private good that satisfies the condition of being immobile in a community. First, the land market needs to be looked at to ensure that land prices are market prices. Once this is demonstrated it is examined how a tax based on land prices can be considered to be a tax that fulfils the benefit principle. Although there are various other influences on the price of land, it is shown that a tax on land values - or to be more precise: on land prices - is not only a neutral tax, but gives incentives for political decision makers to efficiently provide local public goods and assures that those who receive the benefits pay for it.
Braucht die EU einen flexibleren Stabilitätspakt?
Authors: Hefeker Carsten , Heinemann Friedrich , Zimmermann Klaus F.
Published: May 2016

In his contribution Carsten Hefeker points out that most of the official arguments concerning the necessity of the Stability and Growth Pact are not convincing. Nevertheless, a mechanism that credibly avoids excessive debts and deficits is needed in most member states. It would be more useful, however, if such rules would focus on overall debt rather than on deficits. In addition, he advocates to create an external control for such fiscal rules, independent from the Commission and ECOFIN. He concludes that the Pact does not need to become more flexible, but more credible.

Friedrich Heinemann states that much of the recent reform debate on the Stability Pact is based on a fundamental misconception: The Pact has not been established as a guiding tool for welfare - maximising politicians, but in order to limit detrimental incentives from fiscal short-sightedness. “Stupid” elements like the three-per-cent deficit ceiling have a clear and beneficial strategic function as boundary within the national budgetary process. Furthermore, simple rules are superior to smart ones in increasing the political costs of high deficits in terms of public awareness. The critique on the pact′s missing flexibility is correct mainly regarding its lose logical link to long-run sustainability. Increasing flexibility in a cyclical sense, however, is not a reform priority. Already today the Pact leaves sufficient leeway for responsible politicians. Instead, the reform focus must be on depoliticising the pact in the sense of limiting Council power in the deficit procedure. More flexibility must not come without depoliticising. He recommends that any reform should only be carried into effect with a significant time lag in order to limit the reputation damage which would be the consequence of any quick institutional response to the Pact′s recent crisis.

In his paper Klaus F. Zimmermann argues that the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) has been subject to criticism ever since its inception. He points out that it overlooks business cycle developments within the framework of the consolidation process; it adopts a too short-term view of the stabilisation target which is also hardly under control of policy-makers; and it deals with policy imperfections in a sub-optimal way. Therefore, a reform of the SGP is urgent. The author suggests that the rules must be handled more flexibly. In his opinion, a mediumterm budgetary target and a focus on public expenditures to tackle the pro-cyclical bias is needed. To restore credibility, the task of supervision should be transferred to an independent European institution.
Der Rückgang konjunktureller Schwankungen in Deutschland: Bessere Geldpolitik oder nur Glück gehabt?
Authors: Buch Claudia M. , Döpke Jörg , Pierdzioch Christian
Published: May 2016

It is often argued that the globalisation of the world economy might have contributed to an increased instability of real economic activity, in particular for small open economies. At the same time, there is evidence that the volatility of real economic activity might in fact have been dampened. This contribution addresses the question whether the volatility of GDP in Germany has changed and, if so, which factors could be responsible for this. We argue that a more successful monetary policy has - to some extent - contributed to this development. However, the lion’s share of the volatility decline is likely to come from other factors like smaller exogenous shocks, technological progress, and the effect of globalisation.
Konstitutionenökonomische Bewertung eines Systemwechsels im deutschen Rentenversicherungssystem
Authors: Streibel Vera
Published: May 2016

Many Economists have pointed out that capital-funded pension systems are superior to pay-as-you-go-financed systems of old-age insurance; different proposals for reforming the German pay-as-you-go pension system have been presented. Although the necessity of a fundamental reform is almost common sense, consequent changes are regularly rejected by referring to lacks of economic justice. This paper analyses, what kind of reform serves justice from a constitutional economics point of view. Criteria are developed, which individuals behind a veil of ignorance would agree on and which therefore should be met by any reform proposal. Using these criteria, three prominent proposals for reforming the German public pension system are analysed.
Die Liberalisierung der Telekommunikationsbranche in Deutschland: Bisherige Erfolge und weiterer Handlungsbedarf
Authors: Dewenter Ralf , Haucap Justus
Published: May 2016

The liberalization of the German telecommunications sector is widely regarded as a success story, for which the rigorous regulation of essential facilities together with a liberal licensing policy have been responsible. While many telecommunications markets are now highly competitive, this is not the case for local telephone markets and some wholesale services. The lack of competition in these markets is partly also due to inadequate regulation. Since geographical cost differences are not reflected in regulated prices, market entry is not attractive in many regions. Furthermore, recent policy measures such as regulated local preselection and call-by-call services as well as the envisaged local resale obligations reduce the business prospects for investors into alternative local infrastructure. While local competition will seemingly increase, the monopolistic situation of infrastructure markets will be cemented. Accordingly, reduced investment incentives will lead to efficiency losses and also harm consumers’ long term interests.
Zur Verzahnung von Familienpolitik und Bildungspolitik: eine wirtschaftspolitische Einordnung
Authors: Hüther Michael , Klös Hans-Peter , Seyda Susanne
Published: May 2016

This article addresses the relationship between two policies that are to ensure wealth and economic growth: family policy and educational policy. Current demographic changes in Germany are widely expected to have a negative impact on economic growth. One way to tackle this problem is to devise a family policy that takes into account current demographic developments and encourages young people to set up a family of their own. A second major determinant of future wealth is the formation of human capital. This article analyzes measures relating to both family policy and human capital formation. Particular attention is devoted to links and synergetic effects between the two policy variables.
Gewaltenteilung als Voraussetzung für politischen Wettbewerb? Zur Disaggregation des natürlichen Monopols “Staat”
Authors: Märkt Jörg
Published: May 2016

Without variety, there is no competition. In the field of political competition the constituency must have options between different political agents as well. The state is often regarded as a natural monopoly which is contradictory to competition. Industrial economics have developed criteria for the identification of natural monopolies and give information about opportunities to disaggregate them. This paper transfers those results to the examination of the state. In analyzing the disaggregation of the natural monopoly of the state, the separation of powers is of vital importance: It induces not only the division of powers to different actors, but also reduces the entry barriers to the political competition process. Therefore, it enhances the political choice for individuals and reduces their risk of being exploited by politicians.
Die Stabilität von Finanzmärkten:Wie kann die Wirtschaftspolitik Vertrauen schaffen?
Authors: Theurl Theresia , Krahnen Jan Pieter , Gehrig Thomas P.
Published: May 2016

From Theresia Theurl’s point of view financial markets exhibit certain features that turn them inherently unstable. Therefore, economic policy measures were necessary and advisable, but they should not take the shape of isolated and selected interventions. Rather, these measures of financial market supervision and regulation had to be integrated into a comprehensive concept of micro- and macroeconomic policy in order to allow the creation of stabilizing trust.

In his contribution, Jan Pieter Krahnen maintains, that the systemic risk of banks and financial institutions has changed and risen in recent years. According to his view, this is due to a more widespread use of credit derivatives. Although they may cause a more efficient distribution of credit risk in the banking sector, at the same time they could mean a higher vulnerability of the banking sector to system-wide contagion effects of credit risk. As such, financial market supervision as well as the Basel II rules on Capital Standards should take into account not only the credit risk exposure of individual financial institutions, but also correlation measures of their share prices.

For Thomas Gehrig, empirical anomalies demonstrate the relevance of awareness and trust in financial markets. This note would argue in favor of social policies that enhance public awareness in financial markets as a basis for trust. And so naturally, these policies need to be complemented by a strong financial order that aims at minimizing behavioral risks. He says, trust requires a regulatory framework that reduces manipulation by private as well as public interests. A competitive order complemented by strong regulatory oversight may go a long way towards generating liquid financial markets and the creation of trust. Trust by individuals, however, would be most strongly encouraged when individuals are entrusted in managing their own financial market activities including their own pension arrangements.
Politisches Risiko als Investitionsproblem und wirtschaftspolitische Implikationen
Authors: Steinrücken Torsten , Jaenichen Sebastian
Published: May 2016

In this model-based contribution it will be shown, that creating overcapacities can be a rational business strategy for restricting political risks. Companies can establish capacities at several locations in order to create threatening possibilities for the case of a location raising its tax price. By threatening to remove the production, companies can avoid to become the victim of some locations′ tendency to extortion. In this contribution the question will be attended how such excess investments are to be assessed from an economic point of view. Further it will be asked which political instruments can be used by locations to signal a long-lasting stability of economic conditions to potential investors in a credible way.
Budgetary surveillance and long-term sustainability – How to account for implicit liabilities in the context of the Stability and Growth Pact and the underlying statistics?
Authors: Burgtorf Ulrich
Published: May 2016

Strict fiscal rules do not necessarily hinder structural reforms, but consolidation efforts may also be required in the short term. The paper focuses on the treatment of implicit (pension) liabilities in the Stability and Growth Pact and the underlying accounting framework. The possible integration of implicit debt in the statistical system might (in theory) create positive incentives, but, in practice, is likely to worsen the outcome because of creative accounting or even manipulation. Attention is drawn to the need for reliable fiscal indicators to support longterm sustainability.
Resale als regulatorische Option zur Umgehung des Anschlussmonopols in Kommunikationsmärkten
Authors: Briglauer Wolfgang , Hartl Bernd , Lukanowicz Martin
Published: May 2016

The paper deals with the regulatory remedy of “Wholesale Line Rental” (WLR) also simply called „Resale“. As there is still a major lack of competition regarding voice telephony access, WLR could offer a wider field of strategic actions to alternative network operators so that they have the same scope of possibilities as incumbent operators. It is shown, that service competition does not necessarily cannibalise infrastructure competition, and, in contrary, a complementary relationship can be expected which means that service competition is often essential to enable sustainable infrastructure competition by walking along the ladder of investment. For this purpose a consistent price regulation that also considers the differences in the risks at the various stages of the value chain is inevitable. In this regard Retail-Minus is the preferred price setting method.
Vertikale Integration von Fluglinien und Flughäfen: Eine wettbewerbsökonomische Analyse
Authors: Kuchinke Björn A. , Sickmann Jörn
Published: May 2016

Over the course of the last few years privatization of commercial airports has been called for by economists internationally and it is already pushed by politicians. Furthermore, in some cases privatization is taking place in combination with vertical integration. Consequently, private airlines hold entire or partial stakes in an airport or, vice versa, an airport becomes a stakeholder in a private airline. This paper shows that privatization of commercial airports, alongside its many economic benefits, may result in economic problems or create risks if vertical integration is observed simultaneously. The risk of discriminatory access to airport infrastructure is specifically discussed. Furthermore, vertical integration is shown to create problems only in some areas of airports. The supposed problem of discriminatory access lies exclusively in the area of aeronautical facilities. Additionally, we establish that vertical integration of airlines and airports is considerably more problematic if the airport does not have a hub function. As far as competition policy is concerned prohibiting vertical integration of aeronautical facilities would be the first best solution. Alternatively, access to the facilities might be regulated with regard to price and other anti-competitive practices. This conclusion holds true especially for non-hub airports.
Institutionelle Reformen für eine rationale Flughafeninfrastrukturpolitik
Authors: Bickenbach Frank , Soltwedel Rüdiger , Wolf Hartmut
Published: May 2016

In Germany the legal planning and approval processes for airport expansion projects are heavily politicized, and legal disputes take years to resolve. Thus, doubts arise about the rationality, not only of specific approval decisions but also of the institutional setting within which these decisions are made. We analyze the deficiencies of the current institutional framework for planning and approving airport infrastructure projects in Germany and develop guidelines for an institutional reform.
Globalisation, Accumulation and Inequality – the Case of Germany
Authors: Kalckreuth Ulf von , Ziebarth Gerhard
Published: May 2016

We study the conditions under which in a small open economy the labour share in national income may retain a stable value and the significance of primary savings from labour income is maintained. We conclude that the growth of domestic product must not be lower than the real rate of return on capital weighted by the savings ratio of asset holders. For Germany, we estimate a hurdle rate of growth of about 1.5 % that must be surpassed in the long run just to prevent the labour share from falling indefinitely. The condition has not been met for a number of years, because of chronically sluggish growth and high structural unemployment. We present a dynamic model of economic integration to show that, to a large extent, this pattern is an effect of globalisation. Besides fostering innovation, reinforcing the education system should have priority.
“Innovationen brauchen Freiheit”
Authors: Pinkwart Andreas
Published: May 2016

North Rhine-Westphalia is to become Germany′s prime state of innovation. That′s not an extravagant wish, that′s vital: Today, innovation decides how a country stands its ground in the international competition between locations. Now, which policy does NRW need in order to become the best address for innovation in Germany? The North Rhine-Westphalian government acts on the conviction: The state has the duty to create a framework. The state should leave the innovation process itself, though, in the hands of the people in the universities, research institutions and companies. Because innovations need liberty.
Fünfzig Jahre nach Rom: Ist die EU ein Binnenmarkt?
Authors: Langhammer Rolf J.
Published: May 2016

Fifty years after the Rome Treaties, is there empirical evidence for arguing that the EU today is a fully integrated goods and services market in which the “law of one price” prevails at large? Based on a number of consumer price surveys for goods and services in major cities all over the world since the seventies and, comparing the EU to a benchmark, the US market, the paper is affirmative. Price dispersion between EU cities has declined with the Eurozone as the core EU region in the lead surrounded by two concentric circles. EU goods price dispersion has generally approximated the level in the US market. Yet, price dispersion has declined throughout the world underlining the relevance of global integration rather than only regional integration. Furthermore, there is ample evidence that gravity factors against the “law of one price”, such as distance costs and borders, are still effective.
Beitragssatzwirkungen einer schrittweisen Einführung einer
Authors: Langer Bernhard , Mamberer Florian , Pfaff Anita B. , Rindsfüßer Christian
Published: May 2016

Die Weiterentwicklung des jetzigen Krankenversicherungsschutzes einer Bürgerversicherung wird Zum einen aus Effizienzgründen gefordert. Des Weiteren soll die einseitige Belastung des Faktors Arbeit mit Krankenversicherungsbeiträgen durch eine Senkung der Beitragssätze - und damit auch der Lohnnebenkosten - abgeschwächt werden. Die durchgeführten Modellrechnungen stellen die Effekte eines Miteinbezugs verschiedener Bevölkerungsgruppen, welche bislang nicht in der Gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung (GKV) versichert sind, auf den Beitragssatz einer Bürgerversicherung dar. Dabei werden insbesondere die Beitragssatzwirkungen einer schrittweisen Umsetzung der Bürgerversicherung präsentiert. Dies erscheint vor allem vor dem Hintergrund interessant, dass eine sofortige und vollständige Einführung der Bürgerversicherung aus rechtlichen Gründen nur bedingt möglich erscheint.
Beschäftigung Älterer in Deutschland: Der unvollständige Paradigmenwechsel
Authors: Eichhorst Werner
Published: May 2016

Die Arbeitsmarktintegration älterer Erwerbspersonen ist in Deutschland nach wie vor unbefriedigend. Die vorliegende Analyse erklärt diesen Befund mit institutionellen Einflussgrößen wie Arbeitsmarktregulierung; Transferleistungen, aktiver Arbeitsmarktpolitik sowie Entlohnungsstrukturen und Weiterbildung. Es wird geprüft, inwieweit sich die institutionellen Rahmenbedingungen für die Beschäftigung Älterer im Zuge der jüngsten Reformen verbessert haben. Handlungsbedarf besteht weiterhin in den Transfersystemen, in der Regulierung des Arbeitsmarktes, der Arbeitsmarktpolitik und im Bereich der arbeitsmarktbezogenen Weiterbildung. Essentiell ist eine konsistente und „altersneutrale” Rahmensetzung, die den Akteuren auf dem Arbeitsmarkt eindeutige Signale setzt, damit sie sich entsprechend anpassen können.
Eine neue „governance of welfare”? Transkultureller Systemwandel am Beispiel der Seniorenversorgung in Deutschland, England und Québec
Authors: Bode Ingo
Published: May 2016

Der Beitrag argumentiert am Beispiel der wohlfahrtsstaatlich moderierten Seniorenversorgung, dass die Steuerung der sozialen Daseinsvorsorge länderübergreifend einer vom Mainstream der aktuellen „governance”-Debatte unzulänglich erfassten Wandlungsdynamik unterliegt. Kulturspezifische Traditionen der sowohl staatlich als auch zivilgesellschaftlich vermittelten Wohlfahrtsproduktion werden durch Vermarktlichungsprozesse überformt, wirken aber „launenhaft” auf markteinbettende Regulierungen hin. Diese Entwicklung transzendiert internationale Kulturdifferenzen: Es kommt überall Tendenzen einer permanenten Disorganisation sozialer Daseinsvorsorge. Das Ergebnis sind hybride „governance”-Regimes, die systematisch markttypische, aber vielfach auch kontingente Ungleichheiten produzieren. Versuche, den Wandel als Ausfluss eines konsistenten Steuerungsparadigmas zu deuten, müssen zwangsläufig scheitern.
Status quo vadis?
Authors: Trampusch Christine
Published: May 2016

Viele soziologische und politikwissenschaftliche Studien haben für die Sozialpolitik das Vorhandensein einer gegenüber ihrer Umwelt relativ autonomen und stabilen Konstellation von Akteuren, Interessen und Machtverhältnissen identifiziert, die eine intermediäre Stellung zwischen Staat und Gesellschaft einnimmt (Social-Politik). Gegenwärtige Tendenzen der Pluralisierung und Liberalisierung werfen jedoch die Frage auf ob diese Beschreibung der Sozialpolitik noch plausibel ist. Der Beitrag stellt zur Diskussion, in der soziologischen und politikwissenschaftlichen Forschung die Erklärung dieses Wandels zu thematisieren und dabei eine gesellschaftstheoretische Perspektive zu verfolgen.
Die Altersversorgung von Abgeordneten in Deutschland: Entscheidungen in eigener Sache
Authors: Hoffmann Lisa , Hinrichs Karl
Published: May 2016

Die Generosität der Altersversorgung von Abgeordneten des Bundestages und der Länderparlamente, über die sie souverän entscheiden, stand in der Vergangenheit wiederholt im Blickpunkt öffentlicher Kritik. Unter Verweis auf die Einschränkungen, die den Beteiligten an anderen staatlichen Alterssicherungssystemen zugemutet wurden, haben die Parlamentarier ab etwa 1989jedoch auch an ihren jeweiligen Sondersystemen mehrfach Einschnitte vorgenommen. In diesem Beitrag wird nach den Gründen und dem Umfang der Einschränkungen bei der Altersversorgung von Abgeordneten gefragt. Es werden deshalb zunächst die historische Entwicklung dieses Sondersystems skizziert sowie die Anspruchsregelungen und -niveaus im Bund und in den 16 Bundesländern dargestellt und verglichen. Es schließen sich - ausgehend vom Prinzipal-Agenten-Ansatz - Überlegungen an, warum Abgeordnete freiwillig auf finanzielle Ansprüche vernichten. Vor diesem Hintergrund werden die entsprechenden Änderungen der Abgeordnetengesetze ab ca. 1989 analysiert. Es wird festgestellt, dass die beschlossenen Einschränkungen im Umfang eher geringer ausfielen als in der gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung. Dabei ist ein Spezifikum der Neuregelungen, dass sie regelmäßig erst für neu- b%w. wiedergewählte Parlamentarier wirksam werden und diejenigen Abgeordneten, die entsprechende Beschlüsse fassen, weitgehend von Verschlechterungen ausnehmen.
Parteien und Opportunitätsstrukturen: Die parteipolitischen Determinanten der Staats- und Sozialausgaben, 1980–2000
Authors: Emmenegger Patrick
Published: May 2016

Während die Parteidifferenzthese in den 1980er Jahren noch heftig umstritten war, setzte sich in den 1990er jähren ein Konsens durch, welcher eine Bestätigung der These nahe legte. In den letzten jähren begannen aber neue theoretische und empirische Herausforderungen, diesen Konsens in Frage zu stellen. Der vorliegende Artikel untersucht im Anschluss an diese Debatte den Beitrag der Parteidifferenzthese zur Erklärung der Entwicklung der Staatsausgaben im Zeitraum 1980 bis 2000. Die Parteidifferenzthese kann dabei in einer „bedingten” Form bestätigt werden. Regierungspartizipation von Links- und Mitteparteien führt zu höheren Staats- und Sozialausgaben, wenn sich die Regierungen bereits seit einigen jähren im Amt befinden. Die institutionellen Beschränkungen der Zentralmacht beeinflussen hingegen die Effektivität der Regierungen entgegen der weit verbreiteten Meinung nicht.
Mainstreamkonvergenz und Geschlechterdifferenz
Authors: Köppe Stephan
Published: May 2016

Die aktuellen Veränderungen der Rentensysteme wurden als konvergente Entwicklungen beschrieben, wobei nur der Wandel in den Bereichen Indexierung Regelaltersgrenze oder die Schaffung einer kapitalgedeckten Altersvorsorge untersucht wurde. Der Wandel erscheint aber in einem anderen Licht, wenn systematisch Geschlechterunterschiede in die Analyse einbezogen werden. In dem Aufsaß werden die Rentenreformen in Deutschland (2001) und Schweden (1998) mit einem Fokus auf deren Geschlechterregime verglichen, dabei werden vier Vergleichsdimensionen (Stratifizierung, Autonomer Haushalt, Anerkennung und Externalisierung von Erziehungsarbeit und Auszahlung und Erwerb der Leistungsberechtigung) verwendet. Der Vergleich zeigt, dass die Konvergenz- Hypothese nur auf die Regelungen zutrifft, die keinen Einfluss auf die Geschlechterregime haben. Die Geschlechterregime Deutschlands und Schwedens bleiben im Gegenteil überaus stabil, sodass von einer konvergenten Stabilität gesprochen werden kann. Starke Pfadabhängigkeiten prägen damit Veränderungen im Bereich der geschlechterrelevanten Rentenregelungen.