Professor Wolfgang Franz Turns 80
PersonnelZEW Congratulates Former President on his Birthday
Professor Wolfgang Franz, one of Germany’s most renowned labour market economists, celebrates his 80th birthday on 7 January. He served as the president of ZEW Mannheim from 1997 to 2013 and was a professor of economics at the University of Mannheim. He is widely known as a former member of the German Council of Economic Experts, where he also served as chairman. Under his leadership, ZEW has become a reputable economic research institute, particularly known for its empirically-based policy advice. ZEW’s board of directors and all employees extend their warmest congratulations to Wolfgang Franz on his birthday.
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“Wolfgang Franz has greatly contributed to the success of ZEW, making it highly esteemed in the academic world and a sought-after partner for evidence-based policy advice,” emphasises ZEW President Professor Achim Wambach. Thomas Kohl, managing director of ZEW, adds: “Under Wolfgang Franz’s scientific leadership, ZEW has evolved into a distinguished economic policy advisor. The institute has not only grown quantitatively, but has also ventured into new, innovative fields of research.”
He directed ZEW’s research agenda more towards the pan-European context. Additionally, he intensified scientific exchange with international research institutions. During his presidency, the Leibniz Association included in its federal and state funding programme due to the high scientific quality of its research. Wolfgang Franz initiated the Research Unit “Digital Economy”, headed by Professor Irene Bertschek, who contributes to the annual report of the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (EFI).
Strong voice of labour market economics
Through his work in the German Council of Economic Experts, of which he was a member from 1994 to 1999 and from 2003 to 2013, and which he chaired from 2009 to 2013, Wolfgang Franz not only had a significant impact on German economic policy but was also prominently featured in the media during the time of the Agenda 2010 series of reforms to the German welfare system (“Hartz reforms”). In recognition of his outstanding commitment, the Minister President of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann, awarded Wolfgang Franz the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Cross of Merit 1st Class), at his farewell from ZEW. In addition to teaching and the exchange between academia and society, however, the promotion and qualification of young researchers was always of particular importance to him.
Besides numerous publications in internationally renowned journals and volumes, his textbook “Arbeitsmarktökonomik” (Labour Market Economics) deserves special mention, as it has become a standard reference for generations of young economists. Wolfgang Franz has made significant contributions to empirical economic research, labour market issues, and macroeconomics in Germany. This includes the development of a macroeconometric non-equilibrium model for Germany, the analysis of unemployment and job vacancies, as well as research on the flexibility of wage structures, institutional rigidities in the labour market, and the future of the wage bargaining system.
