ZEW Discussion Papers

The continuous generation of innovative products, processes and services is widely considered to be the primary key to firms’ competitiveness and growth. The major input in this innovation process is unique…

Many markets are characterized by a fundamental informational asymmetry: the seller of a product knows better its quality than the buyer. Also in many markets, the seller cannot credibly communicate the quality…

It is well-known that R&D and innovation investments by the private sector suffer from market failure and thus the investment level in the economy is below the social desirable level. It is also a well-known…

In a number of industries, the success and sustainability of a new rm's business strategy is tied to its sequential decisions to enter multiple markets. In all these industries, rms face the key challenge to…

Since the deregulation of the U.S. airline industry in 1978, a substantial number of new carriers emerged; particularly those following a low cost strategy. Given those airlines’ rapid growth and market success…

Any solution to the problem of voluntary cooperation in international climate policy does not only have to overcome the notorious free rider incentives, but also has to comply with the notions of "equity" and…

Parental investments are crucial for the children’s skill development, especially in the early years of the life-cycle. In this paper, we examine how parental health, which may cause variation in investments to…

The not-invented-here (NIH) syndrome refers to internal resistance in a company against externally developed knowledge. Although previous research has shown that firms can benefit significantly from external…

The lack of skilled labour is a major threat to the innovative capacity of highly developed economies. Particularly in emerging technological fields, companies hunt for qualified workers. On the one hand, in…