This paper theoretically investigates how labor-market tightness affects market outcomes if firms use informal and self-enforcing agreements to motivate workers. We characterize profit-maximizing equilibria and derive the following results. First, an increase in the supply of homogenous workers...

In this fascinating new field, this paper offers some reflections on portability of social benefits, and tries to identify promising research topics. These reflections are organized in three sections. The first analyzes the channels that underpin the positive value of portability of social...

Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht die Auswirkungen der geplanten Reformen der Arbeitslosenversicherung im Zuge der Agenda 2010 auf die individuellen Reservationslöhne der Arbeitslosen und auf die Übergangsraten in Arbeit. Dabei wird ein dynamisches Suchmodell entwickelt, auf dessen Basis...

The prospects for labour supply in Europe are considered. The analysis begins with a so-called labour market balance covering the development on an aggregate level. Estimations to shed light on the relation between unemployment and labour force participation are given in the second part of the...

In dem vorliegenden Beitrag wird die Hypothese der Mismatch-Arbeitslosigkeit anhand von qualifikationsspezifischen Beveridge-Kurven für Westdeutschland untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen dabei, dass das Mismatch für die Gruppe der Geringqualifizierten sehr viel höher ist als für die Gruppe...

This paper investigates the reservation wages of unemployed persons on the basis of a job-search model with non-static reservation wages using panel data from Germany from 1987 to 1998. The results suggest that reservation wages are relatively high in Germany compared to other countries....

This paper studies the reservation wages of unemployed persons and the wages offered them in Germany from 1987 to 1998, whereby special focus is placed on unemployment duration. The results of the study indicate that in contrast to reservation wages, offered wages decline considerably with...

Due to labor market reforms in Germany some years ago, the incentives to work changed. The paper analyzes the effects on the reservation wages for specific groups. It is assumed that reservation wages are determined by the replacement rates implied by the system of unemployment benefits and by...

The income tax rate structure introduced in 2007 was changed in 2009. The income tax rates will be lowered in 2010, too. The effects on the wage income tax revenues and on the incentives to work are analyzed. It turns out that "bracket creep" will remain a problem in Germany.