One of the main instruments which was introduced with the 'Hartz-Reforms' was a start-up subsidy called Me Inc. ('Ich-AG'). This instrument was introduced in addition to the Bridging Allowance ('Überbrückungsgeld') which had already been implemented in the 1980s. Between 2003 and 2006 more...

The promotion of self-employment as part of active labour market policy ranks as one of the most important support schemes in Germany. The main idea is to grant unemployed individuals financial support to start their own business and therefore to escape unemployment. For this purpose two schemes...

Die Scham, auf staatliche Hilfe angewiesen zu sein, wird häufig als Grund für eine niedrige Inanspruchnahme von Sozialleistungen genannt. Im Vergleich zu anderen Hemmnissen, wie beispielsweise mangelnden Informationen oder Transaktionskosten, gibt es aber nur wenig empirische Forschung zu den...