Documents Rinne, Ulf 23 results

"This paper assesses the importance of digitalization in Germany and other developed countries with a particular attention to the potential or actual impact it may have on the labor market. Referring to available empirical evidence, we document the already developing transformation of occupations and forms of employment and the role of the platform economy, including the phenomenon of solo self-employment. We then derive current and future challenges for social protection and suggest some ideas to update social insurance in the face of these new challenges.#2

"A Single European Labor Market, particularly involving the free movement of workers within Europe, has been a goal of the European community since the 1950s. Whereas it may entail opportunities and drawbacks alike, the benefits – such as greater economic welfare for most citizens – are supposed to outweigh the losses. However, over fifty years after the aim was first established, a Single European Labor Market has not yet been achieved. This paper gives an overview of current European macroeconomic trends, with a particular focus on the Great Recession, and also explores the drivers of and obstacles to labor mobility. Complementarily, it analyzes the results of a unique opinion survey among labor market experts, as well as formulates policy recommendations to enhance mobility. The development of a Single European Labor Market is also discussed in relation to the German model."

"At the height of the economic crisis in mid-2009, the number of Germany's short-time workers peaked at 1.5 million. Unemployment would otherwise have increased by approximately twice as much as it did. But while short-time work certainly helped to cushion the labour market impact of the crisis in Germany, the authors caution that the country's specific circumstances preclude simple generalizations regarding its global effectiveness. Moreover, they argue, subsequent amendments to the regulatory framework made the scheme vulnerable to abuse, as reflected in the significant numbers of short-term workers in industries unaffected by the crisis and the emergence of a pattern of “long-term” short-time work."

"France and Germany are two polar cases in the European debate about rising youth unemployment. Similar to what can be observed in Southern European countries, a "lost generation" may arise in France. In stark contrast, youth unemployment has been on continuous decline in Germany for many years, hardly affected by the Great Recession. This paper analyzes the diametrically opposed developments in the two countries to derive policy lessons. As the fundamental differences in youth unemployment are primarily resulting from structural differences in labor policy and in the (vocational) education system, any short-term oriented policies can only have temporary effects. Ultimately, the youth unemployment disease in France and in other European countries has to be cured with structural reforms."

"Germany's recovery from an unemployment disease and its resilience to the Great Recession is remarkable. Its success story makes it a showcase for labor policy and labor market reforms. This paper assesses the potential of the German experience as a model for effective, evidence-based policymaking. Flexible management of working time (through overtime and short-time work, time accounts and labor hoarding), social cohesion and controlled unit labor costs, combined with a rigid, incentive-oriented labor policy supported by effective program evaluation, define the characteristics of a strong reference model. Austerity, sometimes seen as core to the German model, is not viewed as a key element."

"Numerous empirical studies find a substantial extent of discrimination in hiring decisions. Anonymous job applications have gained attention and popularity to identify and combat this form of discrimination. To test whether their intended effects result in practice, in several European countries such as Sweden, France and the Netherlands field experiments were recently conducted. Also in Germany, a large field experiment has examined the practicability and potentials of this approach. Against the background of the recent German findings as novel evidence, this paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of this new policy proposal."

"Short-time work was the "German answer" to the economic crisis. The number of short-time workers strongly increased in the recession and peaked at more than 1.5 million. Without the extensive use of short-time work, unemployment would have risen by approximately twice as much as it actually did. Short-time work has certainly contributed to the mild response of the German labor market to the crisis, but this is likely due to the country-specific context. Although the crisis has been overcome and employment is strongly expanding, modified regulations governing short-time work are still in place. This leads to undesired side effects."

"Das ökonomische Potenzial ethnischer und kultureller Vielfalt wird häufig verkannt. Die Ergebnisse neuerer Studien, die in diesem Beitrag zusammengefasst werden, zeigen jedoch, dass sich „weiche“ Faktoren wie etwa Einstellungen, Wahrnehmungen und Identitäten, hier insbesondere ethnische Identitäten, wesentlich auf ökonomische Ergebnisse auswirken können. Dies geht sowohl aus Analysen des Prozesses kultureller Integration in einer generationenübergreifenden Perspektive als auch aus Untersuchungen der Arbeitsplatzsuche und der Wiedereingliederung von Arbeitslosen in den Arbeitsmarkt hervor. Eine Volkswirtschaft kann sich durch eine geeignete Beachtung und Einbeziehung multi-ethnischer Faktoren ökonomisch besser stellen. Kulturelle und ethnische Assimilation von Zuwanderern ist deshalb keine alleinige oder dominante Strategie der ökonomisch erfolgreichen Einbindung in die Aufnahmegesellschaft. Neben einer besseren Aktivierung der Integrationspotenziale bei Personen mit Migrationshintergrund ist auch eine kulturelle oder ethnische Öffnung der Einheimischen sinnvoll. "