In many Western countries, a sizeable group of people live on welfare benefits for a long time. Many of them suffer from mental health issues. This paper studies the labor market and mental health effects of an activation program targeting these long-term inactive people. We exploit the...

We partner with a Public Employment Service to examine whether jobseekers can be encouraged to reskill for shortage occupations. In a large-scale field experiment involving 100,000 recently unemployed individuals, we provide information on shortage occupations and related training opportunities....

This paper analyses data from a large-scale field experiment where unemployed workers were randomly assigned to an additional caseworker meeting with the purpose to impose a broader job search strategy. We find that the meeting significantly increases job finding and is cost effective. However,...

This paper provides new estimates of the impact of the French tax credit on the employment outcomes of women. We model simultaneously the employment probability and the determinants of programme eligibility. We improve on earlier studies in this field that, using a single evaluation equation...

Approximation formulae are developed for the bias of ordinary andgeneralized Least Squares Dummy Variable (LSDV) estimators in dynamicpanel data models. Results from Kiviet (1995, 1999) are extended tohigher-order dynamic panel data models with general covariancestructure. The focus is on...

Through Monte Carlo experiments the small sample behavior is examinedof various inference techniques for dynamic panel data models whenboth the time-series and cross-section dimensions of the data set aresmall. The LSDV technique and corrected versions of it are comparedwith IV and GMM...

The finite sample behaviour is analysed of particular least squares (LS) andmethod of moments (MM) estimators in panel data models with individual effectsand both a lagged dependent variabIe regressor and another explanatory variabIewhich may be affected by lagged feedbacks from the dependent...

The relative magnitudes are compared of successive terms in a higher-order asymptotic expansion of the bias of the LSDV estimator in dynamic panels. We find that the leading term accounts for the major part of the actual bias in small samples. This implies that bias correction procedures can be...

Convergence in gross domestic product series of five European countriesis empirically identified using multivariate time series models that arebased on unobserved components with dynamic converging properties.We define convergence in terms of a decrease in dispersion over timeand model this...

We consider eight different measures (issued amount, coupon, listed, age, missingprices, price volatility, number of contributors and yield dispersion) to approximate corporatebond liquidity and use a five-variable model to control for maturity, credit and currencydifferences between bonds. The...