___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Z E W - N E W S L E T T E R E N G L I S H E D I T I O N Nr. 2011-11 vom 13.12.2011 (Beatrix Immig, newsletter-en at zew.de ) http://www.zew.eu _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Content 1. NEWS 2. CALL FOR PROJECT PROPOSALS/PAPERS 2.1. Call for Project Proposals 2012 - ZEW Research Programme "Strengthening Efficiency and Competitiveness in the European Knowledge Economies" (SEEK) 2.2. Call for Papers - Competition and Innovation Summer School (CISS) 2012 (21-26 May 2012, Turunç/Marmaris, Turkey) 3. STAFF 3.1. ZEW President 3.2. Awards 3.3. Visiting Researcher 4. PRESS RELEASES 5. RECENT PUBLICATIONS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE 5.1. ZEWnews English edition 5.2. Financial Market Report Switzerland 5.3. Financial Market Report CEE 5.4. Discussion Papers IN GERMAN LANGUAGE 5.5. ZEW Finanzmarktreport (ZEW Financial Market Report) 6. NEW RESEARCH PROJECTS 7. EVENTS 7.1. Scientific Events _____________________________________________________________________ 1. NEWS 23.11.2011 Participants from China and Vietnam Completed the Qualification Programme "Strengthening Macroeconomic Policies" (MPS+) at ZEW: In mid-November, 23 participants successfully completed the Qualification Programme "Strengthening Macroeconomic Policies" (MPS+) at ZEW in Mannheim. Commissioned by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, this programme has already been organised for the third time by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW). Read more: http://www.zew.de/news1853 21.11.2011 ZEW Studies on the Effects of Minimum Wages in the Roofing Sector and the Waste Industry in Germany: At the end of 2010, the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) commissioned studies on the effects of minimum wages on employment, protection of employees, and competition in all sectors with existing minimum wage regulations. The studies analysing the roofing sector and the waste industry were conducted by ZEW. Read more: http://www.zew.de/news1852 18.11.2011 International SEEK Workshop on "Entry, Pricing, and Consumer Search in Online Markets" at ZEW: Within the framework of the research programme "Strengthening Efficiency and Competitiveness in the European Knowledge Economies", the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), Mannheim, and the Johannes Kepler University, Linz, organised a workshop on "Entry, Pricing, and Consumer Search in Online Markets". The workshop's objective was to discuss recent scientific contributions to questions related to the economics of online markets as well as firms' strategies and consumers' search behaviour in online markets. Fourteen speakers from international universities presented their on-going theoretical and empirical research in the field of online markets. Read more: http://www.zew.de/news1849 15.11.2011 ZEW Researcher Earns Baden-Württemberg Certificate in University Didactics: Dr. Grit Muehler, researcher at the ZEW research department "Labour Markets, Human Resources and Social Policy", has earned the Baden-Wuerttemberg Certificate in University Didactics (Baden-Württemberg-Zertifikat für Hochschuldidaktik). She is the first ZEW researcher to have completed the two-year training programme organised by the Centre for University Didactics of the Universities of Baden-Wuerttemberg (Hochschuldidaktikzentrum der Universitaeten des Landes Baden-Wuerttemberg - HDZ). The certificates were awarded on 11 November 2011 during a festive ceremony at Stuttgart's House of the Economy (Haus der Wirtschaft). They were presented by Steffen Walter, Head of Ministry Division, on behalf of Science Minister Theresia Bauer. The didactics training programme aims at improving the quality of university teaching throughout Baden-Wuerttemberg. This year, 159 researchers from Baden-Wuerttemberg's universities and research institutes were awarded the certificate. Additional information on Dr. Grit Muehler: http://www.zew.de/en/aktuell/aktuell.php?action=article_show&LFDNR=1857 14.11.2011 ZEW President Wolfgang Franz on the Topic of "Temporary Employment": Germany's temporary employment sector has seen rapid growth in recent years, with the number of temporary employees rising from 340,000 in 2000 to 824,000 in 2010. While this growth has continued apace in 2011, the temporary work sector remains small in relation to the size of the overall workforce. Indeed, temporary workers represent just 3% of all German employees required to pay social insurance contributions. This puts Germany in fifth place internationally for the size of its temporary employment sector, behind the U.K. and the Netherlands. Read more: http://www.zew.de/news1842 09.11.2011 Q&A: Current Conditions on the German Real Estate Market - No Bubble in the Broad German Real Estate Market: ZEW's International Finance and Financial Management department regularly investigates questions concerning international real estate markets. Past topics of investigation include the dynamic interactions between real estate and capital markets, as well as real estate investment trusts (REITs) as an independent investment class. An interview with Prof. Dr. Felix Schindler, who is an expert on such issues, provides us with a survey of current conditions in the German real estate market. Read the complete interview: http://www.zew.de/news1839 News can also be found here: http://www.zew.de/news 2. CALL FOR PROJECT PROPOSALS/PAPERS 2.1. Call for Project Proposals 2012 - ZEW Research Programme "Strengthening Efficiency and Competitiveness in the European Knowledge Economies" (SEEK): Within the ZEW research programme "Strengthening Efficiency and Competitiveness in the European Knowledge Economies" (SEEK), the state government of Baden-Wuerttemberg is funding international cooperation between researchers of all economic disciplines. Therefore, the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) welcomes the submission of project proposals. The deadline for project proposals is January 30, 2012. Projects must be carried out in close cooperation between ZEW researchers and international project partners. For each project, the budget requested may be up to 200,000 euros for a duration of 12 to 18 months. Further information and the call for project proposals: http://seek.zew.eu 2.2. Call for Papers - Competition and Innovation Summer School (CISS) 2012 (21-26 May 2012, Turunç/Marmaris, Turkey): The Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) is pleased to announce the Competition and Innovation Summer School 2012, sponsored by ZEW, K.U. Leuven, Duesseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE), and the European Science Foundation (ESF). This workshop, located in Turunç/Marmaris, Turkey, offers young interested researchers within the fields of the economics of innovation and competition the possibility to intensively discuss their dissertation plans or drafts within a peer group of experienced and renowned scholars, as well as other PhD students and post-doc researchers in a great environment. Formal lectures will be held every morning, providing students with detailed knowledge on current topics of innovation, the economics of science and intellectual property rights, empirical competition analysis and contemporary issues in theories of industrial organisation. Students' presentations and workshops on research methodologies and tools - will take place in the afternoon. Applications are welcome from advanced PhD students and post-doc researchers. Please submit an extended abstract of the paper you intend to present, a letter of support from your PhD supervisor, and your CV to ciss2012 at econ.kuleuven.be. The deadline for submission is January 31, 2012. Further information and application: http://www.euro-ciss.eu 3. STAFF 3.1. ZEW President ZEW Supervisory Board Decides to Enter into Negotiations Concerning the Succession of the Current ZEW President: Gerhard Stratthaus MdL, chairman of the ZEW Supervisory Board, informs that the ZEW Supervisory Board has decided at a meeting on November 18, 2011, to enter into negotiations with Prof. Dr. Clemens Fuest (Oxford University) concerning the succession of ZEW President Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Franz. Wolfgang Franz leaves his post as ZEW President at the end of February 2013 and retires. 3.2. Awards ZEW Researcher Receives Constantin-von-Dieze Award: Dr. Susanne Steffes received the Constantin-von-Dietze Award from the University of Freiburg for her doctoral thesis "Employment Dynamics and Heterogeneous Labor Markets: An Analysis with Linked Employer-Employee and Company Data" which was completed in 2010. At the solemn opening of the academic year on 26 October 2011, principal Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Hans-Jochen Schiewer and the donor of the award, Dr. Thomas Schaeuble, CEO of the state-run brewery Rothaus AG, presented the award. In her work, Susanne Steffes investigated on the basis of new data, how flexible the German labour market had been between 1996 and 2005. Susanne Steffes is a researcher at the ZEW research department "Labour Markets, Human Resources and Social Policy". Additional information on Dr. Susanne Steffes: http://www.zew.de/en/aktuell/aktuell.php?action=article_show&LFDNR=1858 3.3. Visiting Researcher Alicia Robb (PhD), Visiting Researcher at ZEW: >/From 7 to 9 December 2011, Alicia Robb (PhD) is a visiting researcher at the /ZEW research department "Industrial Economics and International Management". She is a Senior Research Fellow at the Kauffman Foundation and at the University of California. Alicia Robb is responsible for the Kauffman Firm Survey, an annual survey among start-ups in the USA. Her research focuses on start-ups and the financing of new business foundations. During her stay at ZEW she will be working together with ZEW researchers on the differences between German and US start-ups. Additional information on Alicia Robb: http://beaconecon.com/people/a_robb.html 4. PRESS RELEASES 29.11.2011 - ZEW (fmo/ggr) ZEW Survey Among Financial Market Experts - Inflation Risk in the Eurozone Decreases During the Next Year: During the next year, a slight decrease in the Eurozone's inflation rate can be expected. At least, this is the opinion of the majority of the 238 financial market experts surveyed by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), Mannheim, in November 2011. The experts estimate an average inflation rate of 2.52 per cent for 2012. Compared with 2011, for which they forecast an inflation rate of 2.65 per cent, this would mean a slight decrease. This assessment may be explained mainly by the tarnishing economic outlook. Read more: http://www.zew.de/press1862 28.11.2011 - ZEW/Creditreform (ibe/joh/ggr) Information Economy - Cloud Computing Accelerates Business Processes and Generates Efficiency Gains: More than 37 per cent of all companies engaged in the information economy do already rely on cloud computing. 48 per cent of these cloud users accelerated their business processes and 40 per cent obtained efficiency gains. These are the findings of a survey among companies within the information economy conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), Mannheim, in cooperation with Creditreform, Neuss, in September 2011. Read more: http://www.zew.de/press1859 24.11.2011 - ZEW (msc/ggr) A Comment by Prof. Dr. Michael Schröder (ZEW) on the Measures Currently Planned by the EU Regarding the Regulation of Credit Rating Agencies: Last week, the European Commission presented its proposals regarding the regulation of credit rating agencies to the European Parliament. Altogether, these proposals constitute a major step forward for an effective regulation of rating agencies and contribute to the solution of key problems. Decreasing the reliance on external ratings regarding their regulatory role for banks and other institutional investors and reducing their mechanistic application for investment decisions, for instance, is a very reasonable approach. Hopefully, the respective regulations (e.g. Basel III and Solvency II) will be adjusted appropriately, giving investors greater responsibility for the assessment of default risks. Rendering country ratings more transparent is a helpful proposal, too. However, there is reason to doubt whether the liability of credit rating agencies will be put into practice, or if it will merely exist on paper. Read more: http://www.zew.de/press1856 18.11.2011 - ZEW (zil/kbo) ZEW-Erste Group Bank Economic Sentiment Indicator for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) - Pessimism Returns: The ZEW-Erste Group Bank Economic Sentiment Indicator for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has decreased by 11.8 points in November 2011 to a level of minus 36.8 points. The decline almost fully reverses last month's increase (October: up 13.0 points). Read more: http://www.zew.de/press1846 17.11.2011 - ZEW/CS (gla/ggr) ZEW-CS Financial Market Test Switzerland - Expectations Remain Dampened: Economic expectations for Switzerland decreased in November 2011. The relevant ZEW-CS Indicator dropped by 9.9 points to the minus 64.3 threshold. The ZEW-CS Indicator is calculated monthly by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in cooperation with Credit Suisse (CS). The indicator reflects the expectations of the surveyed financial market experts regarding the economic development in Switzerland on a six-month time horizon. Read more: http://www.zew.de/press1844 15.11.2011 - ZEW (cdi/fmo/kbo) ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment - Expectations Deteriorate Once More: The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany has decreased by 6.9 points in November 2011. This is the ninth decline in a row. The indicator now stands at minus 55.2 points. This value is below the indicator's historical average of 25.0 points. A lower value of the indicator was last seen in October 2008. Read more: http://www.zew.de/press1843 14.11.2011 - ZEW/KfW (ggr/gli) KfW/ZEW Start-Up Panel: The Economic Upswing Does not Stimulate all Start-Ups: The strong economic growth in 2010 and the good situation on the labour market had no coherent impact on economically active start-ups and on young companies: In 2010, many start-ups were founded which would presumably not have been established during an economic crisis due to poor prospects of success. These start-ups were less innovative, had lower sales, and created fewer jobs than start-ups in the year before. Start-ups established before and during the financial and economic crisis benefited from the upswing. These are the main findings of the KfW/ZEW Start-Up Panel, presented by chief economist of the KfW Bankengruppe Dr. Norbert Irsch, head of ZEW research department of industrial economics Dr. Georg Licht, and head of the economic research department of Creditreform Michael Bretz. Read more: http://www.zew.de/press1840 31.10.2011 - ZEW (msu/ggr) Information Industry - Rapid Diffusion of Tablet PCs: The utilisation of tablet PCs among companies of the information industry is rapidly growing. Already 25 per cent of the companies provide their staff with tablets. This number is expected to grow by another 12 per cent until the end of 2012. These are the findings of a survey among companies of the information industry conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), Mannheim, in cooperation with Creditreform, Neuss, in September 2011. Read more: http://www.zew.de/press1837 All press releases can be found here: http://www.zew.de/en/press/latest 5. RECENT PUBLICATIONS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE 5.1. ZEWnews English edition ZEWnews English edition November/December 2011: * Unified regulations for systemically important financial institutions urgently needed * Intrinsic work motivation determines the acceptance of pension reforms * Older employees are not less productive, even in the manufacturing sector * Effects of reforms are influenced by a high variety of institutional interdependencies * Success factors in establishing an air transport network - The case of JetBlue Airways * Questions & Answers: Current conditions on the German real estate market * The contribution of green IT to protection of climate, environment, and resources * Opinion regarding fear mongering Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/zn/en/zn062011.pdf This edition contains the additional M&A Report, which includes the following articles: * M&A activities on a steady course - For now * China - Ten year membership in the WTO * Increased M&A activity in the mining sector * Federal cartel office keeps a cautious eye on the good retailing industry in Germany * Stronger national competition raises European concentration in the power sector Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/zn/en/schwerpunkte/ma-report/mareport_112011.pdf 5.2. Financial Market Report Switzerland Financial Market Report Switzerland December 2011: * Economic outlook for Switzerland: Expectations remain dampened * Eurozone: Confidence in the economy diminishes * Japan: Economic expectations remain upbeat * USA: Assessment of economic picture more positive * Great Britain: Inflation outlook still moderate * Special question: Assessments regarding growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in the coming quarters Download as PDF-file (*): http://www.zew.de/en/publikationen/finanzmarktreportschweiz/legalnote.php?target=FMTSchweiz122011.pdf 5.3. Financial Market Report CEE Financial Market Report CEE December 2011: * Economic expectations for the CEE region: Pessimism returns * Economic outlook for the CEE region, Austria, and the Eurozone * Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia: Bullish stock markets * Croatia, Hungary, and Romania: Current situation improved * Turkey: Increasing inflation concerns * Special question: Stock market expectations Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/fmt_cee/FMTCEE122011.pdf 5.4. Discussion Papers 11-069 Vigen Nikogosian; Tobias Veith Vertical Integration, Separation and Non-Price Discrimination: An Empirical Analysis of German Electricity Markets for Residential Customers Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/dp/dp11069.pdf 11-068 Vigen Nikogosian; Tobias Veith Strategic Pricing, Market Entry and Competition: Evidence from German Electricity Submarkets Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/dp/dp11068.pdf 11-067 Kai Hueschelrath; Tobias Veith The Impact of Cartelization on Pricing Dynamics: Evidence from the German Cement Industry Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/dp/dp11067.pdf 11-066 Kai Hueschelrath; Tobias Veith Cartel Detection in Procurement Markets Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/dp/dp11066.pdf 11-065 Astrid Dannenberg; Andreas Loeschel; Gabriele Paolacci; Christiane Reif; Alessandro Tavoni Coordination Under Threshold Uncertainty in a Public Goods Game Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/dp/dp11065.pdf 11-064 Andrew Toole; John L. King Industry-Science Connections in Agriculture: Do Public Science Collaborations and Knowledge Flows Contribute to Firm-Level Agricultural Research Productivity? Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/dp/dp11064.pdf 11-063 Andrew Toole The Impact of Public Basic Research on Industrial Innovation: Evidence from the Pharmaceutical Industry Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/dp/dp11063.pdf 11-062 Christian Dick; Ronald MacDonald; Lukas Menkhoff Individual Exchange Rate Forecasts and Expected Fundamentals Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/dp/dp11062.pdf 11-061 Julia Horstschraeer University Rankings in Action? The Importance of Rankings and an Excellence Competition for University Choice of High-Ability Students Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/dp/dp11061.pdf 11-060 Claas Menny; Daniel Osberghaus; Max Pohl; Ute Werner General Knowledge About Climate Change, Factors Influencing Risk Perception and Willingness to Insure Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/dp/dp11060.pdf 11-059 Kai Hueschelrath; Kathrin Mueller Patterns and Effects of Entry in U.S. Airline Markets Download as PDF-file (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/dp/dp11059.pdf IN GERMAN LANGUAGE 5.5. ZEW Finanzmarktreport (ZEW Financial Market Report) ZEW Financial Market Report December 2011: * Economic expectations remain dampened * ECB: Decrease in interest rates due to deteriorating inflation expectations * USA: Expectations defy downward trend * Great Britain: No progress is made * Special question: Inflation and monetary policy Download as PDF-file (German only) (*): http://ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/frep/122011.pdf (*) Please note: PDF-files can be displayed by using Acrobat-Reader. The software can be downloaded for free: http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/ 6. NEW RESEARCH PROJECTS The Markets for Graduates and Skilled Personnel in Germany and Europe http://www.zew.de/project1142 Impact of Basel III for Real Estate Finance in Germany http://www.zew.de/project1137 Evidence of the Effectiveness of R&D Tax Incentives http://www.zew.de/project1147 Evaluation of the BMWi Programme "R&D Promotion of Non-Profit Industrial Research Institutions in East Germany - Innovation Competence East (INNO-KOM-Ost)" Including the Pilot Programme Modul "Investment Grants for Technical Infrastructure" http://www.zew.de/project1140 Financial and Employment Effects of Reforming the Means Test in the German Social and Unemployment Assistance http://www.zew.de/project1148 Innovation Indicators for the Chemical Industry 2012 http://www.zew.de/project1141 Innovation Indicators for Selected Fields of Technology - An Analysis for the Evaluation of the BMBF Competition "Spitzencluster" http://www.zew.de/project1153 Monitoring Mechanism on Key Enabling Technologies - A Feasibility Study http://www.zew.de/project1146 Safe Jobs but Poor Pay? Minimum Wage Effects on Skilled Workers of the Roofing Sector http://www.zew.de/project1149 International Comparison of Firm Foundations - A Systematic Evaluation of Available Data Sets http://www.zew.de/project1139 Future Infrastructures for Meeting Energy Demands. Towards Sustainability and Social Compatibility http://www.zew.de/project1138 7. EVENTS 7.1. Scientific Events 15.12.2011 ZEW Research Seminar: Dynamic Efficiency in Cumulative Innovation - The Example of Green Biotechnology and Plant-Related Innovations Speaker: Kristina Bette (Marburg University) Location of the event: ZEW, Mannheim This seminar will be held in German. Additional information: http://www.zew.de/event1589 19.01.2012 ZEW Research Seminar: Executive Compensation, Implicit Incentives, and Competition Speaker: Prof. Dr. Michael Neugart (Technical University Darmstadt) Location of the event: ZEW, Mannheim Additional information: http://www.zew.de/event1594 _____________________________________________________________________ IMPRINT Publisher: Centre for European Economic Research GmbH (ZEW) Mannheim L 7, 1 . 68161 Mannheim / P.O. Box 10 34 43 . 68034 Mannheim . Germany Internet: www.zew.de/ . www.zew.eu Seat of the company: Mannheim Local Court Mannheim HRB 6554 Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Gerhard Stratthaus, MdL, Minister, ret. Executive Directors: Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Franz, Thomas Kohl Editor: Beatrix Immig, Phone +49/621/1235-135, Fax +49/621/1235-222, E-mail: newsletter-en at zew.de Editorial assistant: Laura Piotter Responsibility: Gunter Grittmann, Phone +49/621/1235-132, Fax +49/621/1235-222, E-mail: grittmann at zew.de Legal note: http://www.zew.de/en/impressum/ You can subscribe or cancel your subscription to the newsletter service at any time via the online form at: http://www.zew.eu/newsletter or by sending an e-mail to: zew-newsletter-englishedition-request at mx-assp2.zew.de - Subject: (leave blank!) - Text: subscribe zew-newsletter-englishedition or unsubscribe zew-newsletter-englishedition _____________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ * *Messages sorted by:* [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ More information about the Zew-newsletter-englishedition mailing list