Research Award 2023: Up-and-Coming Economists Honoured
Dates and NewsThe Volksbank Kurpfalz Stiftung and ZEW Mannheim Present Award for Outstanding Research
For the eleventh time, the Volksbank Kurpfalz Stiftung and ZEW Mannheim presented the “Zukunft der Arbeitswelt” (“Future World of Work”) Research Award – an annual accolade for outstanding dissertations and master’s theses in economics from the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. The prizes for the best dissertation and the best master’s thesis went to Dr. Paul Berbée and Luka Längle, respectively.
“These honourees, as well as ZEW, deserve special commendation. It is great to have such a significant institute in our metropolitan region. It demonstrates what kind of excellent opportunities are possible when science is appropriately nurtured and supported. Through our foundation, we aim to live up to our responsibility and inspire societal progress. The research award, which we present in collaboration with ZEW, has accomplished this in a remarkable way for 11 years now,” explained Carsten Müller, board member of the Volksbank Kurpfalz Stiftung.
For Thomas Kohl, managing director of ZEW, “both of the prize-winning works precisely address the core themes of the ‘Zukunft der Arbeitswelt’ award. They each have enormous practical relevance and a strong empirical focus. At the same time, they are innovative, original and have high utility value. I hereby congratulate the two laureates on behalf of ZEW and wish them continued success in their professional careers.”
Wolfgang Bosbach, who spoke at the award ceremony during the Volksbank Kurpfalz’s New Year’s reception, also highlighted the great relevance of such research for the national economy in finding solutions for current challenges.
Migration: an opportunity, but also a challenge
“I am glad that this prize has drawn attention to the topic of labour migration in Germany, since this matter has strongly influenced the life trajectories of many members of our society. My time as a postdoc at ZEW was a great opportunity to really explore at depth what interests me,” said ZEW Junior Research Associate Paul Berbée when accepting the award for his dissertation, which is endowed with 3,000 euros. His work originated from his participation in the Junior Research Group “Integration of Migrants and Attitudes Towards the Welfare State (IMES)”, which is part of the ZEW “Labour Markets and Social Insurance” Research Unit.
The dissertation, titled “Migration and Regional Development” includes four studies. One significant aspect that Berbée examined was how Germany transformed into the world’s second most important country for immigration, beginning with the first wave of guest worker recruitment 70 years ago. He also investigated the short-term positive local employment effects caused by the 2015 influx of asylum seekers. All of the studies provide valuable information for policymakers and local authorities on how integration into labour markets can be more successful, for example for refugees from Ukraine, whose employment rate is currently comparatively low.
Luka Längle was delighted to win the prize for the best master’s thesis, which comes with 2,000 euros. In his thesis entitled “Unleashing the Value of Artificial Intelligence: A Case Study Analysis of Industrial Goods and Healthcare Firms”, Längle explored the possible opportunities provided to companies through artificial intelligence. However, he also pointed out that capable and well-trained specialists are necessary if AI applications are to contribute to corporate success. His thesis was completed at the Chair of General Management and Information Systems at the University of Mannheim.
