We propose a generalized estimating equations approach to the analysis of the mean and the covariance structure of a bivariate time series process of panel data with mixed continuous and discrete dependent variables. The approach is used to jointly analyze wage dynamics and the incidence of...

In 2004, a section was added to the German Protection against Dismissal Act, establishing a new procedure to dismiss an employee, given a predetermined severance payment. Most legal scholars presume the change to be without impact, while a minority of experts claims it to be either beneficial or...

The paper provides information on sample sizes and panel attrition in the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) for the years 1984 – 1999. Furthermore, results of the sequential estimation of non-response probabilities for the different subsamples of the GSOEP are described in detail.

Es wird ein Überblick über das Erhebungsdesign der ersten Welle der SOEP Teilstichproben A (West-Deutsche), B (Ausländer) und C (Ost-Deutsche) gegeben. Weiterhin werden die Weiterverfolgungsregeln des SOEP beschrieben. Die Entwicklung der Fallzahlen wird getrennt für die Teilstichproben im...

Es wird ein Überblick über das Erhebungsdesign der ersten Welle der SOEP Teilstichproben A (West-Deutsche), B (Ausländer) und C (Ost-Deutsche) gegeben. Weiterhin werden die Weiterverfolgungsregeln des SOEP beschrieben. Die Entwicklung der Fallzahlen wird getrennt für die Teilstichproben im...

In Germany, there is no trade union membership wage premium, while the membership fee amounts to 1% of the gross wage. Therefore, prima facie, there are strong incentives to freeride on the benefits of trade unionism. We establish empirical evidence for a private gain from trade union membership...

In the absence of closed-shops and discriminatory wage policies, union membership can be explained by the existence of social norms. We describe a model, incorporating institutional features of the German labour market, which explicitly allows for social custom effects in the determination of...