Wage Dispersion and Efficiency. It is often assumed that markets generate efficient allocations, but these are not necessarily fair. The widening of wage differentials that is currently observed is interpreted in this manner: Skill-biased technological progress increases demand for skilled work...

In der Öffentlichkeit wird oft die These vertreten, daß die zunehmende Ungleichheit der Lohneinkommen ökonomisch geboten, wenn auch gesellschaftspolitisch bedenklich sei. In diesem Beitrag wird gezeigt, daß die Lohnbildung in modernen Arbeitsmärkten nicht dem Prinzip der kompensierenden...

In this paper we examine causal effects of German public assistance programs for young firms administered by the Deutsche Ausgleichsbank (DtA). The empirical analysis is based on a combined data set with information from the ZEW Entrepreneurship Study and the DtA data base that contains all...