ZEW Discussion Papers

Setting up a new firm is a complex process, which comprises many tasks. These different tasks require different qualifications. It can be expected that the required qualifications are provided by different…

There are different mechanisms through which product and process innovations can stimulate or destroy employment. This paper investigates whether a common pattern in the link between innovation and employment…

Ownership structures widely differ across the EU. While large blockholdings dominate in the banking sector in Continental Europe, ownership is widely dispersed in the United Kingdom. These differences have…

The paper empirically analyses the role of Creative Industries in affecting an economy’s innovation performance. We distinguish three such roles: First, Creative Industries are a major source of innovative ideas…

Political representatives repeatedly argue that globalization might lead to a destructive competition which would result in a "race to the bottom" of corporate tax rates and an insufficient financial endowment…

There is no significant doubt among economists that competition policy has established itself in most industrialised countries as an integral part of public policy that contributes substantially to the…

A key challenge in the work of a competition authority is the investigation of various business conducts with respect to their effects on market competition. In case of horizontal mergers, the authority…

Adverse weather conditions that hamper outdoor construction work have been the prime justification for promoting all-season employment in the construction sector in many European countries. The aim is to reduce…

The European Cohesion Policy aims at promoting economic and social cohesion by reducing the gap between the development levels of the various regions. The ultimate goal is to reach a convergence of regional GDP…